1. Dilemmas in Testing: When accommodations requests and measurement standards collide AHEAD Conference Orlando, Florida July 20, 2017
Loring Brinckerhoff, Ph.D.
Katie Bugbee, Ph.D.
Educational Testing Service
Association of American Medical Colleges
Ruth Loew, Ph.D.
Katie Featherston, J.D.
ACT, Inc.

2. Agenda What are “measurement standards”?
Examples of dilemmas: Accommodations vs. measurement standards
Determining supports for English language learners
Assistive technologies – tablet computers, medical tools on smartphones
memory aids
ASL interpretation
Discussion

3. Measurement Standards
Reliability – Does the test give consistent results?
Validity/test construct – Does the test measure what it’s intended to measure?
Test security – protecting the test’s integrity
Testing agencies must consider these factors as well as the test taker’s needs in determining accommodations.
others rely on scores to be meaningful, scores are meant to sort people

4. Supports for English Language Learners

5. The ACT Test: English Learner Supports
Research indicates that scores obtained without supports are under predicting college readiness of English learners
Framework for English Learner Accessibility (ACT Whitepaper, 2014)
Programs and Services for High School English Learners in Public Schools:
Non-Regulatory Guidance: English Learners and ESSA

6. General Decision Matrix for Frequently Requested English Learner Supports

7. The ACT Test: English Learner Supports Available supports include:
Extended Time, not to exceed time and half
Approved word-to-word bilingual dictionary (no definitions)
Test directions in the native language
Printed test directions available in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese
Testing in a familiar environment/small group

8. Assistive Technologies

9. Case #1:
Physical impairment – paralysis secondary to a spinal cord injury
Functional limitation – unable to flex or extend fingers; insufficient dexterity to type on standard keyboard or write with paper/pencil
Accommodation req’d – Ipad with customized stylus
Issue – test security risk
Solution – to be discussed

10. Case #2: Physical impairment – diabetes
Functional limitation – time & access to supplies/tool necessary for monitoring & managing blood glucose levels
Accommodation req’d – access to continuous blood glucose monitoring app on cell phone
Issue – test security risk
Solution – to be discussed

11. Memory Aids

12. Case #3:
Cognitive impairment – severe learning disability, involving receptive & expressive language processing & auditory memory
Functional limitation – difficulty retaining & processing information
Accommodation req’d – use of memory jogger/formula sheet (compensate for memory weakness, allow for focus on problem solving aspect of task)
Issue – fundamental alteration of exam?
Solution – to be discussed

13. ASL Interpretation as an Accommodation

14. ASL Interpretation
Many K-12 state accountability tests offer ASL interpretation of test items as an accommodation. As this population moves up to higher ed., we will probably see more requests.
Issues to consider:
Test taker needs an accommodations history
Does the accommodation fundamentally alter test construct?
Is language the construct? Part of the construct?
How will scores be used?
Who are the stakeholders? (State agency? Licensing board?)
Pre-recorded vs. on-the-fly interpretation
Recorded signing vs interpreted on the fly

15. Discussion

16. Contact Information
Loring Brinckerhoff, Ph.D. Director, Office of Disability Policy Educational Testing Service Katie Featherston, JD Senior Manager ACT, Inc.
Ruth Loew, Ph.D. Asst Dir., Office of Disability Policy Educational Testing Service Katie Bugbee, Ph.D. MCAT Accommodation Review Association of American Medical Colleges