Global Tools	Instructions
Help Button	To view the on-screen Help Guide window, select ? in the upper-right corner.
Calculator	To use the on-screen calculator, select Calculator in the global menu. This tool is available for all NGSS tests and grades 6–11 mathematics (calculator segment and math Performance Tasks).
Dictionary	To search the Merriam-Webster dictionary or thesaurus, select Dictionary in the global menu. This tool is available for ELA Performance Tasks.
End Test Button	This button appears after you answer all test questions. Select this button to start the test submission process.
Items Drop-Down List	To quickly navigate to an item, select an item number from the Items drop-down list in the upper-left corner. If an item has been marked for review, displays next to the item. If an item has been skipped or not answered, displays next to the item.
Masking	The Masking tool temporarily covers a distracting area of the test page. To use this tool: Select the Masking button in the global menu. Click and drag across the distracting area. To close the Masking tool, select the Masking button again. To remove a masked area, select X in the upper-right corner of that area.
Navigation Buttons	To move between test pages, use the Back and Next buttons in the upper-left corner. If a test consists of only one question, clicking Next prompts you to end the test.
Notes	To enter notes in an on-screen notepad, select Notes in the global menu. This tool is available for ELA Performance Tasks.
Pause Button	To pause a test, select Pause in the global menu. Pausing the test will temporarily log you out.
Save Button	To manually save questions, select Save in the global menu. This is an optional feature and is not available for all questions. If you do not use this button, your answers are still saved automatically.
System Settings	Students can select the cog wheel icon in the upper-right corner to adjust the following: Audio volume Text-to-Speech settings (including volume, pitch, and speed/rate)
Zoom Buttons	To enlarge the text and images on a test page, select Zoom In. Multiple zoom levels are available. To undo zooming, select Zoom Out.

Context Menu Tools	Instructions
American Sign Language	You can watch videos that translate test content into American Sign Language (ASL). To view ASL videos: Select American Sign Language from the context menu. If only one ASL video is available, the video opens automatically. If multiple ASL videos are available, sign language icons appear next to the test content for each video. Select the icon for the test content you wish to translate into ASL. Note: This tool requires you to have the ASL accommodation turned on.
Expand Passage or Item	You can expand the passage section or the question section for easier readability. To expand the passage section, select the right arrow icon below the global menu. To collapse the expanded passage section, select the left arrow icon in the upper-right corner. To expand the question section, select the left arrow icon below the global menu. To collapse the expanded question section, select the right arrow icon in the upper-left corner.
Glossary (Word List)	To open the glossary, click a word or phrase that has a border around it. This tool is only available for certain words.
Highlighter	To highlight text, select the text on the screen and then select Highlight Selection from the context menu. To remove highlighting, select Reset Highlighting from the context menu. You cannot highlight text in images.
Item Tutorials	To view a short video demonstrating how to respond to a particular question type, select Item Tutorials from the context menu.
Mark for Review	To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the context menu. The marked question number displays a flap in the upper-right corner and a flag icon appears next to the number on the test page. The Items drop-down list displays for the selected question.
Notepad	To enter notes or comments for a question, select Notepad from the context menu. After you enter a note, a pencil icon appears next to the question number on the test page. You can only access your notes for a question on that question’s test page.
Strikethrough	For selected response questions, you can cross out an answer option to focus on the options you think might be correct. There are two options for using this tool: Option A: To activate Strikethrough mode, open the context menu and select Strikethrough. Select the answer options you wish to strike out. To deactivate Strikethrough mode, press the Esc key or click outside the response area. Option B: Right-click an answer option and select Strikethrough.

Select American Sign Language from the context menu.
- If only one ASL video is available, the video opens automatically.
- If multiple ASL videos are available, sign language icons appear next to the test content for each video. Select the icon for the test content you wish to translate into ASL.

Note: This tool requires you to have the ASL accommodation turned on.

Expand Passage or Item

You can expand the passage section or the question section for easier readability.

To expand the passage section, select the right arrow icon below the global menu. To collapse the expanded passage section, select the left arrow icon in the upper-right corner.
To expand the question section, select the left arrow icon below the global menu. To collapse the expanded question section, select the right arrow icon in the upper-left corner.

Glossary (Word List)

To open the glossary, click a word or phrase that has a border around it. This tool is only available for certain words.

Highlighter

highlighter tool

Reset Highlighter tool

To highlight text, select the text on the screen and then select Highlight Selection from the context menu. To remove highlighting, select Reset Highlighting from the context menu.

You cannot highlight text in images.

Item Tutorials

To view a short video demonstrating how to respond to a particular question type, select Item Tutorials from the context menu.

Mark for Review

mark for review tool

To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the context menu. The marked question number displays a flap in the upper-right corner and a flag icon

appears next to the number on the test page. The Items drop-down list displays

for the selected question.

Notepad

To enter notes or comments for a question, select Notepad from the context menu. After you enter a note, a pencil icon appears next to the question number on the test page.

You can only access your notes for a question on that question’s test page.

Strikethrough

strikethrough tool

For selected response questions, you can cross out an answer option to focus on the options you think might be correct.

There are two options for using this tool:

Option A:

To activate Strikethrough mode, open the context menu and select Strikethrough.
Select the answer options you wish to strike out.
To deactivate Strikethrough mode, press the Esc key or click outside the response area.

Option B:

Right-click an answer option and select Strikethrough.

Test Rules

Navigation Rules

You can mark a question for review and go back to it later to change the answer, if necessary.
Some pages contain multiple questions grouped together. You may need to use the scroll bar to view all the questions.
You can navigate to test pages by selecting the Back and Next buttons or by selecting an option from the Items drop-down list in the upper-left corner.
You must submit the test when you are finished answering the questions.

Smarter Balanced Tests:

You cannot skip questions. You must answer all the questions on a page before you can go to the next page.

CTAA and CAAELP Tests:

You can skip questions.

Pause Rules

Smarter Balanced Tests:

You can pause the test at any time.
- If the test is paused for less than 20 minutes, you can review questions you already answered.
- If the test is paused for more than 20 minutes, you cannot review questions you already answered. The only exception is if you pause on a page that has at least one unanswered question.
When you resume the test, the first page with unanswered questions appears.
If you are idle for 20 minutes, the test automatically pauses and logs you out.
All answers are saved immediately. You do not lose them when the test is paused.

CTAA and CAAELP Tests:

You can pause your test at any time.
No pause limit is in effect. You can pause the test for as long as you need to.
If you are idle for 20 minutes, the test automatically pauses and logs you out.

About Text-to-Speech

If you have Text-to-Speech turned on for your test, read this section.

If you are testing with Text-to-Speech, you can listen to instructions, passages, and questions in the test. For ELA tests, some passages are not read aloud.

To listen to content with the Text-to-Speech tool:

To listen to a passage, select a Speak option from the Text-to-Speech button beside the passage's context menu. You can also select a portion of text to listen to, such as a word or phrase. To do this, select the text, select the Text-to-Speech button beside the passage's context menu, and select Speak Selection.
To listen to a question or answer options:
- To listen only to the question, select the Text-to-Speech button beside the question's context menu and select Speak Question.
- To listen only to an answer option, select Speak Option from the Text-to-Speech button beside the context menu and then select the answer option. You can also right-click on the answer option and select Speak Option.

Accessibility Features for CTAA and CAAELP

The table below lists the tools and features available for CTAA and CAAELP.

Embedded Tool	Instructions
Help	To view the on-screen Help Guide window, select ? in the upper-right corner.
End Test Button	Select this button to start the test submission process. This button will submit your test and you will not be able to return to it.
Highlighter	To highlight text, select the text on the screen and then select Highlight Selection from the context menu. To remove highlighting, select Reset Highlighting from the context menu. You cannot highlight text in images. This tool is not available while the Line Reader tool is in use. When a test pauses, highlighting may not persist if the student switches testing devices.
Items Drop-Down List	To quickly navigate to an item, select an item number from the Items drop-down list in the upper-left corner. If an item has been marked for review, displays next to the item. If an item has been skipped or not answered, displays next to the item.
Line Reader	To highlight text line by line: Select Line Reader. Change the highlighted line by using the keyboard navigation arrows. To close the Line Reader feature, select Line Reader again.
Mark for Review	To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the context menu. The marked question number displays a flap in the upper-right corner and a flag icon appears next to the number on the test page. The Items drop-down list displays for the selected question.
Masking	The Masking tool temporarily covers a distracting area of the test page. To use this tool: Select the Masking button in the global menu. Click and drag across the distracting area. To close the Masking tool, select the Masking button again. To remove a masked area, select X in the upper-right corner of that area.
Navigation Buttons	To move between test pages, use the Back and Next buttons in the upper-left corner. If a test consists of only one question, clicking Next prompts you to end the test.
Pause Button	To pause a test, select Pause in the global menu. Pausing the test will temporarily log you out.
Print Page	To print the entire test page, select Print Page.
Save Button	To manually save questions, select Save in the global menu. This is an optional feature and is not available for all questions. If you do not use this button, your answers are still saved automatically.
Strikethrough	For selected response questions, you can cross out an answer option to focus on the options you think might be correct. There are two options for using this tool: Option A: To activate Strikethrough mode, open the context menu and select Strikethrough. Select the answer options you wish to strike out. To deactivate Strikethrough mode, press the Esc key or click outside the response area. Option B: Right-click an answer option and select Strikethrough.
System Settings	Students can select the cog wheel icon in the upper-right corner to adjust the following: Audio volume Text-to-Speech settings (including volume, pitch, and speed/rate) Students testing with Text-to-Speech (TTS) can also use this tool to adjust TTS settings.
Text-to-Speech (TTS)	To listen to passages and questions, select a Speak option from the context menu. Or, right click on the passage, the question, or an option and select a Speak option.
Zoom Buttons	To enlarge the text and images on a test page, select Zoom In. Multiple zoom levels are available. To undo zooming, select Zoom Out.

Contents

Overview of the Test Site

Test Rules

Navigation Rules

Pause Rules

About Text-to-Speech

Accessibility Features for CTAA and CAAELP