Standardized assessment of content knowledge for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) topics is pervasive in both K-12 and postsecondary institutions. Yet, most instruments are developed with little to no validation for students with learning disability (LD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum…

This review of current writing assessment practices focuses upon the adult population, an area significantly underrepresented within psychoeducational literature. As compared to other populations, such as K-12 students, there are few options for the practitioner wishing to evaluate adult writers by means of standardized assessment instruments.…

The primary purpose of the present study is to evaluate the emotional experience of students with (n = 52) and without attention problems (n = 272) during an achievement task. A secondary purpose of the present study is to compare students' emotional response to various stimuli, when motivated by various achievement goals. Participants were…

This study evaluated 4 types of assessment with 74 fourth-grade students with and without learning disabilities (LD) in general education classrooms. Students with and without LD performed more strongly on the hands-on tasks than the paper-and-pencil measures; the facilitative effect of hands-on assessment was greater for students with LD and…

A direct assessment analyzes the task to be learned in such a way that the steps required to learn the skills are specified and the child's level within the task is determined. This assessment takes into consideration that the child's immediate environment can make a difference in performance. (Author/SBH)

Described is the use of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Tests in the evaluation of children with learning disabilities. It is explained that these tests are based on a combined evaluation of four methods of inference: level of performance, ratio scores (measuring the discrepancy between overlearned and seldom practiced behavior to infer the…

The study introduced a testing procedure that could be used to determine the optimal response modes of 24 primary school age learning disabled children on a standardized diagnostic test such as the Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception (FDTVP). (Author/SBH)

Argues that the goal of enhancing fairness and equity in the evaluation of students with learning difficulties will not be realized by merely introducing performance assessments. Suggests need for development of an empirical base to guide implementation and to reevaluate prevailing beliefs about student failure and the role of assessment in…

Pretest and posttest measures of reading were obtained for two groups of learning disabled elementary students for 2 years. The argument was made that based on reliability considerations, practical issues, and ethical concerns, teachers might be better off to opt for the direct approach to evaluating their reading programs. For related information…

A study examined the effects of providing the accommodation of reading the mathematics items to 115 fourth-grade students, 38 with learning disabilities, on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Students with learning disabilities benefited from having the mathematics items read to them, although typical students had higher test scores.…

This article presents a procedure found effective for including students with special needs in daily instructional activities within a general classroom. Steps in the procedure include individualized instruction incorporating student choice of materials, feedback from teacher-designed rubrics, application of student-constructed reading logs, and…

Discussed are some negative implications of the final federal rules for evaluating specific learning disabilities (Federal Register, December 29, 1977), which conceptually redefined learning disabilities to mean an "underachievement." (DLS)

This article reviews the varied components of written language, suggest informal means for written language assessment, and summarizes the cognitive and linguistic factors that influence varied aspects of writing performance. Two informal evaluation scales are presented that stress the interconnection between oral and written language processes.…

The coordinated use of performance-based assessment and curriculum-based assessment is explored. Criteria are suggested for evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each assessment method, and a framework for integrating the two methods is proposed. Specific recommendations are given for use with students having learning disabilities. (CR)

Discusses the need to accurately assess a student's progress in mastering classroom-taught skills and to understand the skills that employers expect of students in the workplace. Presents the Inventory for Assessing the Job Readiness Skills of Students Placed in Alternative Classes, and describes steps for completing the inventory. (CR)