The Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE's) Accessibility and Accommodations Information for Statewide Assessments is intended for school-level personnel and decision-making teams as they prepare for and implement Indiana statewide assessments. Information is provided for school personnel as a reference to inform guidance on universal features,…

This study investigates how the use of calculators during high school mathematics courses is associated with student performance in introductory college calculus courses in the USA. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 7087 students enrolled in college calculus at 134 colleges and universities. They included information about…

This study assessed if students with and without disabilities used calculators (fourfunction, scientific, or graphing) to solve mathematics assessment problems and whether using calculators improved their performance. Participants were sixth and seventh-grade students educated with either National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded or traditional…

Opportunity to Learn (OTL) stems from the basic premise that there is an important relationship between the quality and intensity of classroom instruction and students' levels of academic success. For many students with disabilities, an emphasis on OTL has become national priority, yet measuring its impact is a complex challenge. The first purpose…

This booklet is intended to help students do their best on the ACT. It summarizes general test-taking strategies, describes the content of each test, provides specific tips for each, and lets students know what they can expect on test day. Included in this booklet are complete practice tests--"retired" ACT questions that were administered to…

This paper begins with cultural and historical perspectives on the use of calculators and then examines a selection of professional writings that the calculator issue has engendered during the period 1976 to 1993. The topics covered are: (1) the calculator in mathematics instruction, (2) the calculator in standardized mathematics assessment, and…

The College Entrance Examination Board has not permitted calculator use on the Scholastic Aptitude Test because of unresolved concerns about equity, implications for test content, and logistical and security issues. Those issues no longer seem insurmountable, and significant changes are being introduced on many tests. (MSE)

Calculators are transforming mathematics instruction, freeing it from an arithmetic-driven curriculum. They have encouraged teachers to think more carefully about what is important to learn. Calculators should be used at all levels of instruction and on tests, including standardized exams. Meaningful educational reform depends on such a change.…

The use of scientific calculators on standardized mathematics tests is becoming more common, and how their use affects the standardized testing process continues to be a topic of study. This study extends previous work by examining test item characteristics and equity issues, asking whether items designed to be "calculator neutral"…

In revisions due to be implemented in 1994, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) will emphasize critical reading skills and mathematical computation more, and test takers will be allowed to use calculators. The College Entrance Examination Board's Achievement Tests will also be overhauled, with new subject tests added and current test format and…

The availability of relatively inexpensive hand calculators and microcomputers is believed to be having an important effect on the teaching of mathematics and science in the United States. The appropriateness of allowing the use of this technology on standardized tests has become a concern of educators and organizations involved in testing.…

Described are important changes that will be introduced in the mathematics sections of the new Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). The three main changes are (1) permission to use calculators; (2) inclusion of open-ended questions; and (3) content revisions consistent with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics "Curriculum and Evaluation…

Presented is a summary of the actions taken by American College Testing in response to calls for reform in standardized testing. The areas of reform discussed are test development, test content, skills levels, test criteria, and new testing initiatives, such as alternative-response-format questions and calculator use. (MDH)

Discussed are the need for standardized tests and the changes that will be needed for their proper implementation. The use of calculators on tests is advocated. Computer and calculator delivered examinations are also discussed. (KR)

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment which, for the first time in the NAEP's history, made voluntary state-by-state assessments. This 1992 mathematics report marks the first attempt of the National Center for Education Statistics to shift to standards-based reporting of National…