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D3: Smarter Literacy Assessment

Project Leaders: Barton-Hulsey, Vucetic, Jakobs, Schatschneider, Constituent Board

Adult assessing a child's literacy while sitting on the floor. The text "Smarter Literacy Assessment" is overlayed.

Slide describing a preschooler named Layla who is unable to show her literacy skills due to her inability to consistently use speech.

Problems Addressed: Many individuals who use limited speech do not have access to literacy assessment measures that aid in instructional planning. The accompanying image includes a description of a 5 year old girl named Layla who is excluded from assessments because she is unable to consistently use speech to answer questions. She is able to in other ways though!

Goals of the project:

  1. Collaborate with teachers, family members and individuals who use AAC to understand current barriers to literacy assessment and instruction.
  2. Develop new technology for assessment of early literacy skills that:
    • Is accessible to individuals who use limited speech
    • Is accessible to individuals who have intellectual disability
    • Promotes equitable access to literacy instruction
    • Is fun and engaging
Picture displaying a teacher working with two kids on literacy at a table.

Description of Phase 1, 2, and 3 assessments of the Assessment prototype.

How will we accomplish these goals?

  1. Learn about literacy practices and gain ideas to build our assessment prototype. We will do this with a combination of surveys, interviews, and a systematic review.
  2. Develop the Assessment prototype and gain feedback on feasibility. Feedback will be provided via Focus groups and testing with child participants.
  3. Test reliability and validity of the Assessment prototype on a large scale.

Updates

Additional Information