The WIDA ACCESS for ELLs assessment is different from most state tests: its Speaking domain records the student's voice, so a plain pair of headphones will not do. You need a headset with a working microphone. For Wisconsin and Minnesota districts outfitting ELL testing rooms, here are the two mic headsets Encore recommends, and why the TRRS single-plug design is the safe default.
Use a headset with an inline microphone, because the WIDA ACCESS Speaking domain records student responses and plain headphones cannot capture voice. The AVID AE-55KL is the pick at $12.99: a 3.5mm TRRS single-plug headset with an inline mic that plugs into one combo audio jack, exactly what most classroom Chromebooks, laptops, and iPads expect. The AVID AE-36 at $11.89 is the budget alternative, also a TRRS single-plug mic headset, at a slightly lower price and lighter build. Both are stocked by Encore Data Products, ship in bulk to Wisconsin and Minnesota districts, and are sold on school and district purchase orders. Standardize on the AE-55KL for full-room ELL testing sets.
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| Tool / Business / Provider | Score | Speed / Distance | Pricing / Details | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Choice | Inline mic | $12.99 | ★★★★★ | |
| Inline mic | $11.89 | ★★★★☆ |
The AVID AE-55KL is a black-and-silver over-ear headset with an inline microphone on a single 3.5mm TRRS plug. That single-plug design is why it is the safe default for WIDA ACCESS: it drops into the one combo audio jack found on Chromebooks, laptops, and iPad adapters, so the microphone the Speaking domain needs is guaranteed to be recognized without a splitter or a separate mic port. Distributed by Encore Data Products at $12.99.
For a Speaking-domain assessment that records the student, the AE-55KL is the headset that just works: one plug, one recognized mic, no splitter to lose.
Read More : https://www.encoredataproducts.com/single-plug-trrs-headsets/avid-ae-55-black-and-silver-headset-trrs-plug/The AVID AE-36 is a lighter classroom mic headset that also uses a 3.5mm TRRS single plug, so it shares the AE-55KL's key advantage: the microphone the WIDA Speaking domain needs plugs into one combo jack. At $11.89 it is the value option, trading a bit of the AE-55KL's build weight and cushioning for a lower per-unit price. Distributed by Encore Data Products.
Choose the AE-36 when you are outfitting a large number of seats and want to shave per-unit cost while still getting a working single-plug mic for WIDA Speaking.
Read More : https://www.encoredataproducts.com/single-plug-trrs-headsets/avid-education-ae-36-classroom-computer-stereo-headset/The budget TRRS single-plug mic headset
The budget TRRS single-plug mic headset
The AE-36 is not the wrong headset; it is the same TRRS single-plug, inline-mic design at a lower price, and for a large ELL testing rollout the per-seat savings add up. It ranks second only because the AE-55KL's heavier build and cushioning hold up better across repeated full-length WIDA sessions and shared use between students. If budget is the deciding factor, the AE-36 covers the Speaking-domain microphone requirement just as reliably.
Because the WIDA ACCESS Speaking domain records the student, the one non-negotiable is a working microphone, so buy a mic headset rather than plain headphones. The AVID AE-55KL at $12.99 is the recommended pick: a 3.5mm TRRS single-plug headset whose inline mic is recognized on the combo jacks in most classroom devices, with the durability to survive a shared testing cart.
The AVID AE-36 at $11.89 is the budget alternative with the same single-plug mic design, ideal when you are equipping many seats at once. Both ship in bulk from Encore Data Products to Wisconsin and Minnesota districts and are sold on school and district purchase orders. Call 866-926-1669 for a district quote.