ERIC Number: ED510369
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Sep
Pages: 80
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Accessibility Principles for Reading Assessments
Thurlow, Martha L.; Laitusis, Cara Cahalan; Dillon, Deborah R.; Cook, Linda L.; Moen, Ross E.; Abedi, Jamal; O'Brien, David G.
National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects
Within the context of standards-based educational systems, states are using large scale reading assessments to help ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn essential knowledge and skills. The challenge for developers of accessible reading assessments is to develop assessments that measure only those student characteristics that are essential parts of the reading proficiency the test intends to measure, and not those characteristics that could be related to the student's disability. The National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP) have been conducting research to identify ways to increase the accessibility of reading assessments. This document is the culmination of one of NARAP's goals: to develop evidence-based principles for making large scale assessments of reading proficiency more accessible for students who have disabilities that affect reading, while maintaining a high level of validity for all students taking the assessments. Some of the principles clarify and underscore the importance of well-accepted and widely used practices in designing reading assessments. Other principles have been developed from theory to respond to the needs of specific groups of students. Appendices include: (1) Support for Guidelines; (2) Principle 1; (3) Principle 2; (4) Principle 3; (5) Principle 4; and (6) Principle 5. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Reading Achievement, Measures (Individuals), Student Characteristics, Disabilities, Special Needs Students, Special Education, Reading Tests, Educational Assessment, Educational Testing, Measurement, Guidelines, Test Construction, Evaluation Methods, Measurement Techniques, Accessibility (for Disabled), Testing Accommodations, Assistive Technology, Access to Education, Evidence, Standards, Criteria, Annotated Bibliographies, Test Use, Reading Difficulties, Reading Skills
National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects. 150 Pillsbury Drive SE 207 Pattee Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Tel: 612-626-1530; Fax: 612-624-0875; e-mail: narap@umn.edu; Web site: http://www.narap.info
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Center for Special Education Research (ED)
Authoring Institution: National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (ED/OSEP)
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: H324F040001