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Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams offers features that can support and enhance formative assessment. The file-sharing feature allows teachers to distribute assessment materials and collect student submissions in one centralized location. This streamlines the assessment workflow and ensures easy access to student work for review and feedback. Additionally, the integration of apps and tools within Microsoft Teams, such as Forms or OneNote, provides opportunities for interactive and multimedia-based assessments, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding in diverse ways. Overall, Microsoft Teams offers a comprehensive platform for formative assessment, facilitating organization, collaboration, and personalized feedback.

BCE Due Diligence Rating

Low Risk - Use Responsibly

Year Level Suitability Rating

Developmental Considerations

Potential Uses

Microsoft Teams can be used to enhance Formative Assessment in the classroom. 

Digital Assignments

Students can actively participate in formative assessment activities by completing digital assignments using Microsoft Teams. They can access quizzes or surveys created with apps like Microsoft Forms, providing immediate responses to questions and receiving instant feedback. This allows students to gauge their understanding and make adjustments to their learning as needed.

Polls and Quizzes

Teachers can create interactive quizzes using the Microsoft Forms app within Microsoft Teams. Students can access these quizzes, answer multiple-choice or open-ended questions, and receive immediate feedback on their responses. This formative assessment approach helps students gauge their understanding, identify areas for improvement, and engage in self-reflection.

Real-time Feedback

Students can benefit from real-time feedback provided by teachers through the commenting feature in Microsoft Teams. As they submit their work, teachers can review and comment on their progress, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. This immediate feedback helps students understand their performance, make necessary adjustments, and actively participate in the assessment process.

Digital Note Taking

During a formative assessment activity, students can use the integrated OneNote app in Microsoft Teams to take digital notes. They can organize their thoughts, jot down key points, and capture important information related to the assessment task. This allows students to reflect on their learning, review their notes, and refer back to them when providing responses or participating in discussions.

Individualised Learning

Microsoft Teams allows students to engage in formative assessment activities tailored to their individual needs. They can access assigned tasks or resources based on their abilities and learning goals. Apps like Microsoft Learning Tools provide accessibility features, such as text-to-speech and immersive reader, supporting students with diverse learning needs during their assessments.

PHYSICAL

COGNITIVE

SENSORY

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

Accessibility Features

Keyboard Shortcuts: Teams supports keyboard shortcuts, enabling individuals with physical disabilities to navigate and interact with the platform using keyboard commands.

Screen Reader Compatibility: Teams is compatible with popular screen readers, allowing individuals with physical disabilities to access and navigate the platform using text-to-speech or braille displays.

Dictation and Voice Commands: Teams supports dictation and voice commands, providing an alternative input method for individuals with physical disabilities.

Keyboard Shortcuts: Teams supports a wide range of keyboard shortcuts, providing an alternative input method for individuals with cognitive disabilities.

High Contrast Mode: Teams offers a high contrast mode, allowing users with cognitive disabilities to adjust the color scheme for enhanced visibility and readability.

Accessibility Checker: Teams includes an accessibility checker that scans documents and presentations for potential issues, ensuring content is accessible to individuals with cognitive disabilities.

Screen Reader Compatibility: Teams is compatible with popular screen readers, enabling individuals with visual impairments to access and navigate the platform using text-to-speech or braille displays.

High Contrast Mode: Teams offers a high contrast mode, allowing users with visual impairments to adjust the color scheme for enhanced visibility.

Live Captions: Teams provides live captions during meetings and video calls, ensuring accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments or auditory processing difficulties.​

Closed Captioning for Recorded Meetings: Teams allows users to add closed captions to recorded meetings, ensuring accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments or auditory processing difficulties.

Focus Mode: Teams includes a focus mode that minimizes distractions, supporting individuals with social/emotional disabilities in staying focused during meetings or collaborative work.

Compatibility with Assistive Technology: Teams is designed to work seamlessly with various assistive technologies, ensuring accessibility for users with social/emotional disabilities who rely on specialized devices or software.

Making Functional Adjustments

PHYSICAL ADJUSTMENTS

  • Accessible Materials: Teachers can ensure that all materials provided through Microsoft Teams are accessible to students with physical disabilities. This includes using accessible document formats, providing alternative text for images, and ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers or alternative input devices.

  • Flexible Submission Options: Microsoft Teams allows teachers to offer flexible submission options for formative assessment tasks. They can provide alternative methods for students with physical disabilities to submit their work, such as voice recordings, video presentations, or digital drawings. This ensures that students can participate and demonstrate their understanding using modalities that suit their physical abilities.

  • Adaptive Technology Integration: Teachers can leverage the integration of adaptive technologies within Microsoft Teams to support students with physical disabilities. This may include using speech-to-text tools, alternative keyboards, or switch access devices to facilitate student participation and completion of the assessment task.

  • Collaborative Support: Microsoft Teams enables teachers to facilitate collaborative support for students with physical disabilities. They can create dedicated channels or groups where students can connect with their peers, share ideas, and provide assistance to one another. This promotes a sense of community and inclusivity within the assessment process.

  • Flexible Timing and Pacing: Teachers can provide flexible timing and pacing options for students with physical disabilities using Microsoft Teams. They can adjust deadlines or provide extended time allowances to accommodate any physical limitations or challenges that students may face during the completion of the assessment task.

  • Individualised Accommodations: Microsoft Teams allows teachers to provide individualised accommodations for students with physical disabilities. This may include adjusting the format or layout of the assessment materials, providing additional resources or supports, or offering alternative methods of engagement to ensure equitable access and participation.

SENSORY ADJUSTMENTS

  • Visual and Auditory Enhancements: Microsoft Teams allows teachers to enhance the visual and auditory aspects of the formative assessment task. They can use features like high contrast themes, larger fonts, or visual cues to accommodate students with visual impairments. Additionally, teachers can provide audio descriptions or narrations to support students with hearing impairments.

  • Closed Captioning and Transcripts: For students with hearing impairments, Microsoft Teams provides closed captioning and transcript features. Teachers can enable closed captioning during video presentations or provide transcripts of any audio content included in the formative assessment task. This ensures that students with hearing impairments can access and understand the information presented.

  • Alternative Input and Output Methods: Microsoft Teams supports alternative input and output methods for students with sensory disabilities. Teachers can provide options for students to use alternative devices or assistive technology, such as screen readers, speech-to-text tools, or alternative keyboards, to complete the assessment task. This ensures that students can actively participate and demonstrate their understanding using modalities that suit their needs.

  • Sensory Breaks and Adjustments: Microsoft Teams enables teachers to incorporate sensory breaks and adjustments into formative assessment tasks. They can schedule breaks or provide relaxation techniques through video or audio resources within the platform. Teachers can also adjust the assessment environment, such as reducing visual distractions or providing noise-canceling headphones, to accommodate the sensory needs of the student.

COGNITIVE ADJUSTMENTS

  • Simplified Instructions: Teachers can provide simplified instructions for the formative assessment task using Microsoft Teams. They can break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, use clear and concise language, and provide visual supports such as images or diagrams to enhance understanding.

  • Visual Organization and Structure: Microsoft Teams allows teachers to create visual organization and structure for the assessment task. They can use features like headings, bullet points, and formatting options to make the content more visually organized and easier to navigate for students with cognitive disabilities.

  • Visual Timelines and Reminders: Teachers can use the calendar and announcement features in Microsoft Teams to create visual timelines and reminders for the assessment task. This helps students with cognitive disabilities to better understand and manage their time, stay organized, and remember important deadlines or milestones.

  • Chunking of Information: Teachers can break down the assessment task into smaller, manageable chunks using Microsoft Teams. They can provide the content in bite-sized portions, allowing students with cognitive disabilities to process and comprehend the information more effectively. This approach reduces cognitive overload and supports better retention and understanding.

  • Multimodal Learning Materials: Microsoft Teams supports the integration of various multimedia materials. Teachers can provide alternative formats of learning materials, such as videos, audio recordings, or interactive presentations, to accommodate different learning styles and preferences of students with cognitive disabilities. This promotes engagement and enhances comprehension.

  • Personalised Feedback and Support: Microsoft Teams enables teachers to provide personalised feedback and support to students with cognitive disabilities. They can use the commenting feature to provide specific feedback, highlight strengths, and offer suggestions for improvement. Teachers can also schedule one-on-one meetings or use private messaging to provide additional support and guidance as needed.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENTS

  • Individualised Assignments: Microsoft Teams allows teachers to assign specific tasks or resources tailored to the student's needs and abilities. By providing individualised assignments, the teacher can ensure that the assessment task is appropriately challenging and supportive for the student, taking into account their social/emotional needs.

  • Flexible Timing and Pacing: Microsoft Teams enables teachers to provide flexible timing and pacing for formative assessment tasks. Students with social/emotional disabilities may require additional time or breaks during assessments. Teachers can adjust deadlines or provide extended time options within Microsoft Teams, allowing the student to complete the task at their own pace and reducing stress or anxiety.

  • Visual Supports and Reminders: Teachers can use the announcement or chat features in Microsoft Teams to provide visual supports and reminders for students with social/emotional disabilities. They can post visual cues, checklists, or step-by-step instructions to help the student stay organised and focused during the assessment task. These visual supports can enhance comprehension, reduce anxiety, and promote independence.

  • Alternative Modes of Expression: Microsoft Teams offers various tools and apps that support alternative modes of expression. Students with social/emotional disabilities may find it challenging to express themselves through traditional written assessments. Teachers can provide options for audio or video responses using apps like Flipgrid or Microsoft Stream, allowing the student to demonstrate their understanding in a way that aligns with their strengths and abilities.

 

Support for Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation

Microsoft Teams provides various tools and features that support multiple means of representation. Teachers can incorporate multimedia elements, such as images, videos, or audio recordings, into the formative assessment task. This allows students to access information through different modalities, catering to their individual learning preferences and needs.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Microsoft Teams supports multiple means of engagement by providing opportunities for student collaboration, interaction, and personalization. Students can engage in collaborative projects, provide peer feedback, and participate in discussions within the platform. Teachers can also personalize the assessment experience by offering individualized assignments, adjusting pacing, or providing additional supports through private messaging or video conferences.

Multiple Means of Expression

Microsoft Teams offers a range of options for students to demonstrate their understanding and express their ideas. Students can choose from various tools and apps within the platform, such as Microsoft Forms, OneNote, or Flipgrid, to complete the assessment task. This flexibility allows students to use different modes of communication, such as written responses, audio recordings, or video presentations, based on their strengths and preferences.

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