Renaissance Learning 2Know User manual

User’s Manual
Combine easy-to-use
software and wireless,
handheld remote
devices to help
teachers maximise
classroom
participation and
instantly assess
students’academic
performance.
Classroom Response System
with AccelTestTM Software and the AccelScanTM Scanner

Contact Information
United Kingdom Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
Technical questions or problems: Technical questions or problems:
Phone: 0870 120 0718 Phone: +44 870 120 0718
Latest support information: Latest support information:
Web: www.renlearn.co.uk/support_home.html Web: www.renlearn.co.uk/support_home.html
For product information and how For product information and how to purchase
to purchase products, visit: products outside the UK, visit:
www.renlearn.co.uk/hardware www.renlearn.co.uk/hardware
www.alphasmart.eu
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2010 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This publication is protected by US and international copyright laws. It is unlawful to duplicate or reproduce any copyrighted
material without authorisation from the copyright holder. This document may be reproduced only by staff members in
schools that have a license for AccelTest software. For more information, contact Renaissance Learning at the address above.
2Know!, Accelerated Maths, AccelScan, AccelTest, Advanced Technology for Data-Driven Schools, NEO, NEO 2, NEO
Manager, Renaissance, Renaissance Learning, the Renaissance Learning logo, Renaissance Place, Renaissance Receiver and
Renaissance Responder are trademarks of Renaissance Learning, Inc. registered or pending registration in the United States
and in other countries.
ExamView is a registered trademark of FSCreations, Inc.
PowerPoint and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Novell® is a trademark of Novell, Inc.
UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group.
Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
Macintosh and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of
the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
FCC Caution:
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by Renaissance Learning could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
10/2010 ATUK v.3.4

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C
ONTENTS
Welcome to AccelTest and the 2Know! Classroom
Response System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
How the 2Know! Classroom Response System Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
How AccelTest Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using AccelTest to Create, Assign and Score Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Using AccelTest to Score Assignments You Already Have . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using AccelTest with Teacher-Paced Sessions (for In-Class Assignments) . . . . . . . . . .2
Programs You Will Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
AccelTest Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Other Programs that You May Use with the 2Know! Classroom Response
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Learning AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Online Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Online Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Need More Help?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Before You Start. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Getting Started with the AccelTest Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Starting the AccelTest Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Checking for Updates to the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Getting the AccelTest Version and Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Navigating the AccelTest Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tasks to Be Completed for AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Closing the AccelTest Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Getting Started with the 2Know! Classroom Response System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Setting Up the 2Know! Classroom Response System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Assigning a Unique Name to Each Receiver If You Have More than One. . . . . . . . . . . .9
Changing the Administrator PIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Assigning a Student Owner to Each Responder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Changing a Student’s Personal Identification Number (PIN) for a Responder . . . . . . 13
Displaying a Forgotten Student PIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Resetting the Student Owner of a Responder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Responder Firmware Versions and Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Classes and Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Using the Classes Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Adding a Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Adding a Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Enrolling Students in a Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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Removing Students from a Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Importing Classes from Renaissance Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Importing Student Names from a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
About Comma Separated Value (CSV) Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
About Importing Data from Other Desktop Renaissance Learning Programs . . . . . . .23
How to Import Students from a CSV File or Another Desktop Program. . . . . . . . . . . .23
Editing a Class Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Editing Student Names or IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Deleting a Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Exporting Student Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Deleting a Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Adding Standards to Your Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Adding Standards from the Renaissance Learning Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Adding Standards from a File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Deleting Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Setting Up Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Viewing the List of Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Preferences That Affect Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Item (Question) Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Creating Assignments in AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Adding Graphics, Equations and Plots to Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Adding Graphics to Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Adding Equations to Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Adding Plots to Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Creating a New Score Key for an Existing Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Creating a New Score Key for Assignments That Will Be Done on Responders
or NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Creating a New Score Key for Assignments That Will Be Scored with
Scanners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Scanning a Card with the Correct Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Aligning Items to Standards on an Assignment or Score Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Importing Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Changing (Editing) Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Adding Items to the Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Adding One Item to the End of the Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Adding Multiple Items, or Adding Items from the Libraries or Other
Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Changing (Editing) an Item on an Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Moving Items on an Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Changing Assignment Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Changing the Assignment Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

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Changing (Editing) Score Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Copying Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Printing a Single Copy of an Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Previewing Responder or NEO 2 Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Exporting Assignments or Score Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Deleting Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Using the Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Viewing a Class Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Adding Assignments to the Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Adding an AccelTest Assignment or Score Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Adding a Points-Only Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Assigning Assignments to Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Printing Assignments for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Changing the Dates, Category and Other Properties for Record Book
Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
How Students Complete Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Using the Responder or NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Completing In-Class Assignments, Including Quizzes, Tests and Exams,
Using a Responder or NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Completing Homework Using the Responder Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Using the AccelScan Scan Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
For Manual Scoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Scoring Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Scoring Assignments with the Responder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Scoring Assignments with the NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Scoring Assignments with the AccelScan Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Starting the Scanning Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Scanning Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Ending the Scanning Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Scoring Assignments Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Scoring Points-Only Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Overriding Scores in the Record Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Viewing Assignment Scores in the Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
About the Scores and Status Messages in the Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Changing How Scores Are Shown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Viewing Students’ Scores for Each Item on an Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
How Marks Are Calculated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Term, Semester and Final Grades (Marks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
How AccelTest Preferences Affect Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Categories (Category Weights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Grading Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Extra Credit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Two Ways to Choose Extra Credit Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

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How AccelTest Uses Points Possible with Extra Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
How Category Weights Work with Extra Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Exporting Scores from AccelTest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Exporting Results from One Class’s Assignments in the Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Exporting Detailed Scoring Data for One Assignment and Multiple Classes . . . . . . . .97
Unassigning Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Removing Assignments from the Record Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Sending Notes to Students’ Renaissance Responders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
How to Send Notes to Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
How Students Get and Read Notes on Their Responders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
How Teachers View the Note History for a Student, Change Notes and Delete
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Using Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
What Are Sessions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Using the Teacher-Paced Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Starting a Session for Projected Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Starting a Session for Existing Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Starting a Session for Verbal Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Starting a Session for PowerPoint Slides (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
PowerPoint Sessions with an Existing Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
PowerPoint Sessions with Verbal Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Using the Student-Paced Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
How Students Answer Questions on Responders and NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Multiple-Choice, True/False and Yes/No Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Numeric-Response Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Short-Answer Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Viewing Information on Past Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Printing or Previewing AccelTest Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Report Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Assignment Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Assignment Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Assignment Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Class Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Form Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Free Response Grading Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Group Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Overdue Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Program Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Record Book Summary by Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Student Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Student ID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

CONTENTS
. . . . .
v
AccelTest
User Manual
Student Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Student Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
AccelTest Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Auto Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Assignment Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Data Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Grading Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Libraries/Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Registration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Responder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Scanner Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
School Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Setting the Data Location Preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Check Rights Before Choosing or Creating a Different Data Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Rights Required for Network Data Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Rights Required for Data Folders on Windows 2000, Windows XP and
OS 10 Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
How to Choose a Different Data Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Setting Reports Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Setting Assignment Creation Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
About Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Installing Accelerated Maths Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Other Responder Features and Settings . . . . . . . . . 150
Changing the Responder Font Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Using the Calculator in the Responder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Using the Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Disabling the Calculator Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

vi
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User Manual

1
AccelTest
User Manual
W
ELCOME
TO
A
CCEL
T
EST
AND
THE
2K
NOW
!
C
LASSROOM
R
ESPONSE
S
YSTEM
The 2Know! classroom response system allows students to enter their answers to
assignments on hand-held Responders or NEO 2 for quick, automatic scoring. The
system also allows teachers to send homework and notes to students.
AccelTest software allows you to create your own quizzes, tests and assignments
for any subject, score assignments quickly and have the scores entered in its
electronic Record Book. AccelTest can help you manage all your existing
assignments, quizzes and tests.
How the 2Know! Classroom Response System Works
The optional 2Know! classroom response system includes a Renaissance Receiver
and Renaissance Responders.
The Renaissance Receiver is
connected to the teacher’s
computer. Working with the
AccelTest software, it sends
assignments, homework and
notes from the teacher to
students’ Responders. When
students use the Responders to
complete assignments, the
Receiver sends their responses
to the AccelTest software for
quick, automatic scoring.
When you purchase the 2Know! classroom response
system, students use hand-held Renaissance Responders to
answer questions to assignments. They can also use them
to get their assignments and notes from the teacher.
If you received this software with a NEO 2 SmartOption
Mobile Lab, students can also use NEO 2s to answer
questions to assignments, though NEO 2 does not support
homework and notes.
Your Responder
firmware version
determines which
features the Responder
supports. For more
information, see page 14.

WELCOME TO ACCELTEST AND THE 2KNOW! CLASSROOM RESPONSE SYSTEM
How AccelTest Works
. . . . .
2
AccelTest
User Manual
How AccelTest Works
You can use AccelTest to create, assign and score the assignments that you want to
give your students, or you can use it to score assignments that exist outside of
AccelTest. You can also use AccelTest for in-class assignments.
AccelTest also calculates overall student marks, which are based on the dates
teachers set for the school year and terms and on the grading scale teachers have
chosen.
Using AccelTest to Create, Assign and Score Assignments
1. You create assignments.
2. You add the assignments to your class Record Book.
3. If you did not assign the assignments as you added them to the class Record
Book, you assign the assignments later. If students need printed copies of the
assignments, they will be printed when you assign them.
4. The assignments are scored in one of three ways:
•Students enter their answers on Renaissance Responders or NEO 2
during a student-paced session, and the assignments are then scored
automatically by the software.
•Students enter their answers on AccelScan cards, and you use the
AccelScan scanner to scan the cards for automatic scoring.
•You score the assignments manually.
Using AccelTest to Score Assignments You Already Have
1. You create a score key for the existing assignments. (The assignments are not
in the AccelTest software—only the score key is.)
2. You add the score key to your class Record Book.
3. You assign the score key to your students.
4. The assignments are scored in one of three ways:
•Students enter their answers on Renaissance Responders or NEO 2
during student-paced sessions, and the assignments are then scored
automatically by the software.
•Students enter their answers on AccelScan cards, and you use the
AccelScan scanner to scan the cards for automatic scoring.
•You score the assignments manually.
Using AccelTest with Teacher-Paced Sessions (for In-Class Assignments)
1. You create the assignment.
2. You start a teacher-paced session and select the assignment. You can project
the assignment, use PowerPoint slides, ask students questions verbally, or
use printed copies for students.
3. Using Renaissance Responders or NEO 2, students complete the assignment
in class at the pace you set in the session. These assignments may or may not
be scored, depending on the choice you made as you started the session. If
you chose to score the assignments, the software will score them
automatically, and the scores will appear in your Record Book after the session
is complete.
Assignment
questions can be in
a variety of formats,
including multiple-choice,
matching, ranking, true/false,
yes/no, essay, short answer or
numeric response.

WELCOME TO ACCELTEST AND THE 2KNOW! CLASSROOM RESPONSE SYSTEM
Programs You Will Use
. . . . .
3
AccelTest
User Manual
Programs You Will Use
Before you install and use the programs listed below, make sure that your
computers meet the minimum system requirements for the AccelTest software,
the 2Know! classroom response system and AccelScan. To see the requirements,
visit www.alphasmart.co.uk/crs/.
AccelTest Software
The AccelTest software is included with the 2Know! classroom response system
and with NEO 2 class sets and SmartOption bundles. You can use this software to
create, assign, print and score assignments for students, view student scores and
print reports. To install this software, refer to the AccelTest Software Installation
Guide.
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility
The Renaissance Wireless Server Utility is installed with the AccelTest software. It
helps you manage and monitor communication between your computer and the
Renaissance Receiver. You can also use it to set the administrator Personal
Identification Number (PIN) for Responders and to change the Receiver name if
you need to distinguish your Receiver from others in your school.
Other Programs that You May Use with the 2Know! Classroom Response
System
AccelTest is not the only software from Renaissance Learning that can use the
2Know! classroom response system. You can also use the 2Know! Toolbar, which
you can download and install from the Renaissance Learning Web site. The
2Know! Toolbar allows you to quickly quiz or get feedback from your class or
group. For more information, see the instructions installed with the program.
You can also use the classroom response system with Accelerated Maths RP so
students can enter their answers to assignments using Responders or NEO 2. If
you use the classroom response system with Accelerated Maths RP, you must
download and install the Renaissance Responder program from Renaissance
Place. For more information, see the Accelerated Maths Software Manual.
You do not need to install AccelTest to use Renaissance Responders or NEO 2 with
the 2Know! Toolbar or Accelerated Maths RP. You can only use Responders or
NEO 2 with one program at a time.
Learning AccelTest
Online Manuals
If you are reading this manual at your computer, you have already discovered that
the AccelTest User Manual is in your Start menu under AccelTest (Windows) or in
your program folder (Macintosh).
When you are reading this manual on your computer, all references to other pages
or sections are links that you can click to go directly to that page, section or

WELCOME TO ACCELTEST AND THE 2KNOW! CLASSROOM RESPONSE SYSTEM
Need More Help?
. . . . .
4
AccelTest
User Manual
procedure. When you move the cursor over the link, it will change to a hand
pointing to the link. The sections listed in the Contents and the page numbers in
the Index are also links.
If you are using Adobe Reader, you can also use the buttons in the Reader to go
forward or back one page or to go to a specific page number.
This manual will help you use AccelTest software on both Windows and Macintosh
computers. In most cases, the steps are the same for both operating systems.
When the Windows and Macintosh software is different, this manual will provide
the information for both.
Online Help
While using AccelTest, you can get help by clicking the Help
menu and clicking AccelTest Help. This menu is available no
matter where you are in the program. Use the contents and
index in the help to find the information you need.
Need More Help?
•Knowledge Base: Search the Renaissance Learning Knowledge Base on the
Web at support.renlearn.com/techkb/ for technical support information.
•Email: Send questions to UK-Help@alphasmart.com.
•Phone: Call +44 870 120 0718.
Do you still have
questions?
• Send questions to
• Contact us using the phone
numbers listed at the
beginning of the manual.

5
AccelTest
User Manual
G
ETTING
S
TARTED
This section gives you the procedures you will need to start using the 2Know!
classroom response system and AccelTest.
Before You Start
Before you start using AccelTest and the 2Know! classroom response system,
check the following:
• Make sure you have installed the AccelTest software. See the AccelTest Software
Installation Guide.
• Make sure you have connected the Renaissance Receiver to your computer. See
the 2Know! Classroom Response System Installation and Set-Up Guide if you
have the 2Know! classroom response system or your NEO 2 instructions if you
have a NEO 2 SmartOption Mobile Lab.
• If you have AccelScan scanners, make sure they are connected. See the AccelTest
Software Installation Guide or the AccelScan User’s Guide.
Getting Started with the AccelTest Software
Starting the AccelTest Software
Important: When you start the computer, log in with your own user name and
password so that you see the correct classes in AccelTest. Users who log in to this
computer with a different user name and password will be asked to select their
own database. For more information, see the AccelTest Software Installation
Guide.
Follow these steps to start the AccelTest software:
1. Follow the instructions for your operating system:
Windows: Click StartProgramsAccelTestAccelTest.
Macintosh: Open the
Applications folder. Then,
open the AccelTest folder.
Double-click AccelTest Ain
that folder.
2. If this is the first time you have started AccelTest, the program may ask you to
choose a data location and enter your serial number. See the AccelTest
Software Installation Guide for details.
If you have upgraded
from version 2.x to
version 3.x, the first
time you start AccelTest after
the upgrade, the Data
Migration Tool will convert
your database to the newest
format. This may take some
time.
A

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the AccelTest Software
. . . . .
6
AccelTest
User Manual
3. Enter your password. (If you have not
changed it, the default password is
admin.) Then, click OK.
4. If this is the first time you have started
AccelTest, the program will ask if you
want to set up your school year and
terms. It is a good idea to do this right
away so your grading periods are available. To do this, click Setup School
Year Now and follow the instructions for the School Year preference on
page 139.
Checking for Updates to the Software
AccelTest automatically checks for updates periodically. This helps ensure that you
have the latest version of the software. The Auto Update preference sets how often
the software checks for updates; see page 136.
If you want to check for updates manually, click the Help
menu and choose Check for Updates. The software will
notify you if no updates are available. If updates are available,
they will be listed. Click Download to get the updates. Click
Done when the download is complete. The update file will be
downloaded to your computer’s desktop; double-click it to begin the update. You
may be told to restart your computer after the update is installed.
If you update from
version 2.x to
version 3.x, the first
time you start AccelTest after
the upgrade, the Data
Migration Tool will convert
your database to the newest
format. This may take some
time.
A
B
AIf you decide not to download
some updates, tick the boxes
next to them before clicking
Download. AccelTest will only
download updates that are not
ticked.
BIf you do not want to download
any updates now, click Cancel.

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the AccelTest Software
. . . . .
7
AccelTest
User Manual
Getting the AccelTest Version and Serial Number
Follow the instructions for your type of computer to see your AccelTest software
version or serial number:
Windows computers: Click the Help menu and choose
About AccelTest.
Macintosh computers: Click the AccelTest menu and
choose About AccelTest.
Navigating the AccelTest Software
Click the tabs in the software to switch between AccelTest screens:
You will find other tasks in the menus at the top of the screen. For example, to set
preferences, click the Preferences menu and choose a preference. To generate
reports, click the Reports menu and choose a report.
ABC D
AAssignments: Click this tab to
create, change or delete
assignments.
BSessions: Click this tab to start or
monitor teacher-paced or student-
paced sessions.
CRecord Book: Click this tab to
assign or print assignments and
monitor student scores.
DClasses: Click this tab to add, edit
or delete students and classes and
to manage class enrolment.

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the AccelTest Software
. . . . .
8
AccelTest
User Manual
Tasks to Be Completed for AccelTest
After AccelTest is installed on your computer, complete these tasks to set up your
data and start using the software for your assignments.
Closing the AccelTest Software
Windows: To close the software, click the button, or click the File menu and
choose Exit.
Macintosh: To close the software, click the AccelTest menu and choose Quit
AccelTest.
Task Where to Find Instructions
Create or select a data location
(database). You will be asked to do this
the first time you start AccelTest after
installing the software.
AccelTest Software Installation Guide
If you want to change your data
location, see page 140.
Set up your school year information so
that AccelTest can include it in your
assignments automatically. As you enter
your school year information, you will be
asked to set up your terms (and possibly
semesters).
Page 139
Add your classes. Page 17
Add or import your students. Page 17
Add the standards that you would like to
align items to on your assignments.
Page 31
Review the Subjects preference, and if
necessary, add to or edit the subject list.
Page 139
Use the Device preference to choose
which types of assignments you will use
(Responder, NEO 2, projected, scanner
and/or printed).
Page 136
Look at the Categories preference, and
add or edit categories to fit the subjects
you teach. You can set mark weights for
categories, decide whether a category’s
worst score should be dropped, and
choose how to calculate marks.
Page 136
Review the Grading Scale preference. You
may want to change the Grading Scale to
fit your grading system.
Page 137
Look at the Exams preference. You may
want to adjust the percentage and
marking period the exam mark applies to.
Page 137
Do not forget your
2Know! classroom
response system
setup. See page 9 for a list of
the tasks you should complete
to start using the 2Know!
classroom response system.

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the 2Know! Classroom Response System
. . . . .
9
AccelTest
User Manual
Getting Started with the 2Know! Classroom Response
System
First, follow the instructions that you received with your 2Know! classroom
response system or NEO 2 SmartOption Mobile Lab to do the following:
• Connect the Renaissance Receiver to your computer.
• Install, check the battery charge or replace batteries in your Renaissance
Responders or NEO 2s.
The following sections explain other tasks that will help you use Renaissance
Responders or NEO 2s with AccelTest software.
Setting Up the 2Know! Classroom Response System
Perform these tasks to set up the 2Know! classroom response system:
Assigning a Unique Name to Each Receiver If You Have More than One
When students complete AccelTest assignments using either a Renaissance
Responder or a NEO 2, they need to select the correct Renaissance Receiver. You
should give each Receiver a unique name so students can be sure to choose the
right one. (Each Receiver is named “Renaissance Receiver” unless you rename it.)
Assigning a unique name is especially important if you have more than one
Receiver in your school. You can choose a name that makes it easy for students to
choose the correct Receiver, such as Mrs Smith’s Class or Room 245.
1. Open the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility program:
• Windows computers: Right-click the icon in the task bar in the lower-
right corner of your screen and choose Manage from the menu. You can
also click StartProgramsRenaissance Wireless
ServerRenaissance Wireless Server Utility.
• Macintosh computers: If you see the icon in the dock, click it to start
the utility. You can also open the Applications folder on your hard drive,
open the Renaissance Wireless Server folder, and double-click
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.
Task Where to Find Instructions
Give a unique name to each Receiver so
students and teachers can tell them apart
when they choose a Receiver on their
Responders.
Page 9
Change the Administrator Personal
Identification Number (PIN) used for
logging in to the Renaissance Wireless
Server Utility and for changing settings or
owners for Responders.
Page 10
Assign a student owner to each Responder
if you want to be able to send students
homework and notes.
Page 11
Perform firmware updates as needed. Page 14
About NEO 2 setup:
Although NEO 2s
cannot be assigned
owners, students can use
them to complete
assignments, either in
student-paced sessions or
teacher-paced sessions. For
homework and notes,
Renaissance Responders are
required. NEO 2s do not
require firmware updates
because they receive updates
through the NEO Manager
software.

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the 2Know! Classroom Response System
. . . . .
10
AccelTest
User Manual
2. Enter the Administrator Personal Identification Number (PIN) in the Server
Login dialog box and click OK. If you have not changed the PIN, it is 1234.
3. Click the Server Settings tab A.
4. Click in the Network Name field B, delete the name and type the new name
you want to use.
5. Click Update Network Settings C.
6. Click OK when the program tells you the settings have been updated. You can
then close the utility.
Changing the Administrator PIN
The Administrator Personal Identification Number (PIN) is used when you reset
the student owner for a Responder, when you view a student’s forgotten PIN on
the Responder, when you update Responder firmware, or when you log in to the
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility at the teacher’s computer. Follow these steps
if you need to change the Administrator PIN:
1. Open the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility program:
• Windows computers: Right-click the icon in the task bar in the lower-
right corner of your screen and choose Manage from the menu. You can
also click StartProgramsRenaissance Wireless
ServerRenaissance Wireless Server Utility.
• Macintosh computers: If you see the icon in the dock, click it to start
the utility. You can also open the Applications folder on your hard drive,
open the Renaissance Wireless Server folder and double-click
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.
2. Enter the Administrator Personal Identification Number (PIN) in the Server
Login dialog box and click OK. If you have not changed the PIN before now, it
is 1234.
3. Click the Server Settings tab A.
Tell students the
Receiver name.
When you change the
name of your Receiver, be
sure to give students the new
name so they connect to the
right Receiver.
If you are using
NEO 2s, click the
Renaissance Place
Settings button if you are
using the Accelerated Reader
SmartApplet or the two
MathsFacts in a Flash
SmartApplets. Click the button
to set the server name or
address for your Renaissance
Place server so the
SmartApplets can
communicate with your
server.
B
C
A

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the 2Know! Classroom Response System
. . . . .
11
AccelTest
User Manual
4. Click Set Administrator PIN B.
5. In the dialog box that opens, your
current PIN has already been
entered. Enter the new PIN you
want to use in the last two blank
fields. Then, click OK.
6. Click OK when the program
notifies you that the PIN was
changed successfully.
Assigning a Student Owner to Each Responder
Although students can use Responders without owning them, you do need to
assign student owners to send homework or notes to students. (NEO 2s do not
have assigned owners. Some Responders also cannot have assigned owners; see
page 14.)
When you assign an owner to a Responder, only that student can use that
Responder. When you start the Responder, the student will be asked to enter his
or her Personal Identification Number (PIN). This helps ensure that only that
student uses the Responder; the student or teacher can change the student PIN
(see page 13).
Follow the steps on the next page to assign owners to Responders.
1. Before you start assigning owners, make sure you have added your students
(page 17) and your classes (page 17) and assigned students to their classes
(page 18). The AccelTest software must be running, and the class for which
you want to assign Responders should be selected.
B
A
If you are using
NEO 2s and you
have installed NEO
Manager, click the
Renaissance Place Settings
button if you are using the
Accelerated Reader or
MathsFacts in a Flash
SmartApplets on NEO 2. Click
the button to set the server
name or address for your
Renaissance Place server so
the SmartApplets can
communicate with your
server. (The button is not
available if you have not
installed NEO Manager.)
Make sure the
Responder
preference is set to
support owned
Responders. This is the
default setting, but it can be
changed. To check the
preference setting, click the
Preferences menu and
choose Responder. Then,
make sure the Support
Owned Responders box is
ticked and click OK.

GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the 2Know! Classroom Response System
. . . . .
12
AccelTest
User Manual
2. Press the On/Off button Aon the Responder that
needs an owner assigned to start the Responder.
3. Press
Bto scroll down to Settings; then,
press Select.
4. Press
to scroll down to Assign Owner;
then, press Select. The Responder will search for
a Receiver.
5. If the Responder asks if you want to stay
connected to the previously chosen Receiver, and
you want to do this, press yes (True), then Select
to continue. If you want to choose a different
Receiver, press no (False); then, highlight the
correct Receiver and press Select.
If the Responder simply asks you to select a
Receiver, highlight the correct Receiver and press
Select.
6. You will be asked to enter your AccelTest student
ID. AccelTest automatically assigns an ID number to each student you add. To
see student ID numbers, click the Classes tab in the AccelTest software C.
Then, refer to the ID numbers in the master student list on the left side of the
tab D.
7. On the Responder, enter the ID number of the student that should own this
Responder. Then, press Select or ENTER.
8. The Responder will identify the student owner by name and show a default
PIN. Each student’s PIN is 1212 when you first assign the Responder owner. If
you want to change a student’s PIN, see the steps below.
B
A
Student IDs are also
available in the
Student ID Report.
D
C
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