Test Accommodations and Accessibility Tools: Does Use Correspond to Quality Measurement for Unique Student Subgroups? (Poster 18)

• In Event: Excellence in Education Research: Early Career Scholars and Their Work

Abstract

Measurement comparability of test scores across student subgroups is critical. Without evidence for measurement comparability, test scores may be inappropriately interpreted, particularly among various marginalized students such as students with disabilities (SWDs) and English learners (ELs). For such students, certain aspects of test administration (e.g., English administration, printed item presentation) may interact with their unique characteristics (e.g., limited English proficiency, reading disability) in ways that prevent accurate measurement of intended constructs (e.g., math achievement). Traditionally, test accommodations have been offered to address this; however, the empirical foundation available to inform if and when accommodations are necessary remains sparse and of questionable quality. The large datasets typically necessary to examine measurement comparability have not included information on the extent to which students use accommodations. Accommodation use is an important factor to consider, as use is increasingly at the discretion of the student (as opposed to the teacher) within many computer-based testing environments, requiring sufficient student knowledge of when and how to use accommodations. The increasing availability of test process data can facilitate more careful investigations of measurement comparability for students who use (versus those who do not use) accommodations and accessibility tools. For the current study, process data from the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 8th grade math test were accessed and corresponding differential item functioning (DIF) analyses are being conducted to closely examine relationships between accommodation use and measurement comparability. Preliminary results will be presented, with a focus on findings related to the extended time accommodation.

Author

• Sara E. Witmer, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author