Chapter 16: Accessible Next Generation Assessments

Over the past two decades, the infusion of computer-based technologies into schools has presented an important opportunity to enhance the technology of assessment. During this time period, assessment experts have presented visions of next generation assessments that capitalize on various capabilities of computer-based technologies. This chapter focuses narrowly on one innovation enabled by digital assessment delivery, namely tailoring the presentation of, interactions with, and response modes to assessment items to improve accessibility (Russell, Hoffmann, & Higgins, 2009).

Over the past thirty years, considerable controversy has brewed about accessibility and assessment. Initially, concerns about accessibility focused on students with physical and visual disabilities. Over time, the population of students for whom concerns were identified expanded to students with learning disabilities, language processing needs, attention and stimulus needs, auditory needs, and most recently students who are English language learners. In each case, advocacy has focused on a sub-population of students with common characteristics (e.g., students who are blind or have low vision, students with dyslexia, students who communicate in sign, etc.). In response, assessment programs created provisions that allowed assessment instruments to be modified, through what has become known as a test accommodation, so that their content was more accessible for a specific sup-population of students. But test accommodations have proven to be expensive and, in many cases, controversial.