1. Accommodations Definition Rationale What is the Controversy?
“Changes in testing materials or procedures that enable the student with disabilities to participate in an assessment in a way that allows abilities to be assessed rather than disabilities.”
Rationale
What is the Controversy?

2. Federal Policy New IDEA Requirement
“Children with disabilities must be included in state and district wide assessments with appropriate accommodations where necessary.”

3. State Policy
Increase in state policies on testing accommodations in recent years.
Number of states with written accommodation policies:
1991  21
1995  38
1999  49

4. What Do We Know? Extreme variability in state policies.
Policies are based largely on opinion.
More accommodations allowed for criterion referenced tests.

5. Relevant Research Most research on accommodations is relatively old
Current research exists on a limited number of accommodations
Very complicated research
Very complicated findings

6. Types of Testing Accommodations

7. Emerging Research Findings
Marking in Test Booklet vs. Bubbling
Reading Math Test
Large Print or Braille
Dictation

8. So...Who Gets Accommodations and When?
Things to consider:
“Disallowing valid accommodations prevents students with disabilities from demonstrating their abilities. On the other hand, overly permissive accommodation policies inflate scores…”
Some evidence of overuse.
Link to accommodations given during instruction.
Involve parents and students in decision making.

9. Selecting Effective Accommodations: Considerations
Think about student’s instructional program.
Analyze the test’s requirements.
Involve others in decisions and use a form.
Know district and state policies.
Prepare student for optimal use of selected accommodation(s).
Realize that needs may change.

10. Accommodations Logistics
Plan Ahead
Document Plans
Get input on use of accommodations
“Decisions in testing must always strike a careful balance between two inherent competing forces; access and validity.”