1. Accessibility & Accommodations in Computer-based Testing: Coming to (common) terms with the assistive technology and standards world
Mark Hakkinen, PhD
Accessibility, Standards & Assistive Technology Research Group
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, New Jersey

2. Key Trends
Computer-based Testing needs to serve all Test Takers, including those with Disabilities
Growing adoption of Accessibility Technical Standards to make this possible
Accessibility is an End to End Process, from content design and authoring to delivery and support for test taker needs

3. Terminology can be confusing…

4. ZoomText Zoom Kurzweil APIP Read Aloud PNP Screen Reader ARIA Tactiles
Magnification
Read Aloud
PNP
Screen
Reader
ARIA
VoiceOver
Tactiles
Dragon
Braille
WCAG
Refreshable Braille
NVDA
JAWS
508
TTS
Voice to Text

5. Let’s bring some order to this by understanding...
Accessibility Standards
Assistive Technologies
…And the role they play in delivering accessible Computer-based tests

6. Assistive Technologies & Accommodations
Accessibility
Standards
Assistive Technologies & Accommodations
PNP
Read Aloud
Refreshable Braille
Kurzweil
VoiceOver
APIP
Tactiles
Magnification
Dragon
Etc...
WCAG
TTS
Screen
Reader
ZoomText
ARIA
Voice to Text
Zoom
JAWS
NVDA
508
Braille

7. Defining Accessibility
Accessibility refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities.
Also known as Universal Design* or Design for All.
Remove barriers to access.
*Broader than UDL

8. a11y

9. a11y
accessibility
11 characters between ‘a’ and ‘y’

10. Standards
Standards are key to the successful implementation of accessibility
For
Content Authoring
Content interchange
Delivery
Compatibility with assistive technologies

11. In Assessments
The IMS Global Learning Consortium standards QTI and APIP provide for authoring and interchange of assessment items
With the move to Web-based delivery of Computer- based Tests, additional standards come into play, especially for accessibility

12. Accessibility Approaches
Assessment
Web
Alternate forms
Custom built supports
Limited support for assistive technologies
Security concerns
Learning curves resulting from custom interfaces and tools
Standard, universal approach to content
Open Standards
Assistive Technologies widely available and used
Common and familiar interfaces

13. WCAG
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Pronounced “Wuh Cag”

15. WCAG is the “standard” for a11y
Basis of Section 508 (both original and refresh)
Basis of international a11y legislation
Basis of a growing number of state government a11y guidelines and requirements
Basis for making conformance claims (WCAG 2.0 AA)
You will see WCAG Conformance in RFPs

16. WCAG Defined: POUR
Four principles for Accessibility:
Perceivable
Operable
Understandable
Robust

17. Support for User Needs is Key
WCAG aligns with Test Taker needs
Content must be accessible and usable
Support for and compatibility with Assistive Technologies

18. Assistive Technology
Any item, piece of equipment, or system, used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities or functional limitations.
Also called: AT

19. Assistive Technology is mainstream
Built-in to consumer products and services
Available as add-ons
Driven by standards
Motivated by moral and legal reasons
Growing expectation by users that technology should just work

20. Apple iOS A11y Features

21. Let’s Identify Common AT
Screen Reader
For Test Takers with Visual Impairments
Refreshable Braille
Tactiles
Zoom/Magnification
Enlarge content so it is viewable by those with low vision
Color Contrast
Change foreground/background colors

24. Let’s Identify Common AT
Read Aloud
For Language Learners and those with Learning Disabilities
Software-based Text to Speech Synthesis (TTS) or pre-recorded
Read individual words or passages
Synchronized Highlighting of Text as it is Spoken
Keyboard Accessibility
For those who cannot use a mouse, or require switch interfaces
All controls and interactives controllable via keyboard only

25. Built-In vs 3rd Party Assistive Technologies
Built-in to the Operating System Platform
Mac/iOS VoiceOver, Magnification, Color Contrast, Speak (Read Aloud)
Microsoft Narrator, Magnifier, Color Contrast
ChromeOS ChromeVox, Zoom, Speak, Color Contrast
Android Talkback, Zoom, Color Contrast

26. Built-In vs 3rd Party Assistive Technologies
Built-in to Computer-based Test Delivery
Can include:
Read Aloud
Zoom
Color Contrast
Keyboard Access

27. Built-In vs 3rd Party Assistive Technologies
3rd Party AT
Screen Readers
JAWS, NVDA, WindowEyes
Zoom
ZoomText, MAGiC
Read Aloud
Read & Write Gold, Kurzweil, etc

28. Common confusions TTS is not a Screen Reader nor Read Aloud tool
TTS is an underlying ”service” used by AT
Read Aloud does not support Visually Impaired users
Screen Readers are not for students who need “text read aloud”
Zoom and Magnification can be built in or third party
Refreshable Braille is not a stand-alone feature, it requires a screen reader
JAWS is not the only screen reader

29. Rapidly AT changing landscape
WebAIM 2015 Screen Reader Survey

30. The Key to Serving Test Takers with Disabilities…
Understand the Assistive Technologies they use
Don’t Re-invent the Wheel when it comes to AT
Understand the Standards needed to make Tests accessible, from authoring to delivery
Understand and correctly use common terms so that we bridge the worlds of assessment and accessibility

31. Thank you! mhakkinen@ets.org