These steps are described for implementation: inform stakeholders of the importance of alternate assessments, educate all students to high standards, identify partners to support participants, use a practical process to decide eligibility, develop standards-based Individualized Education Programs, use a variety of assessment strategies, use scores…

Today, in the age of real-time and anytime electronic assessment, it's a safe bet that just about "everything" will "be on the test"--if the "test" is the ongoing assessment of learning and performance, that is. With technologies such as ePortfolios, in-class student response systems, and simulation/assessment software, schools can now assess…

Three-dimensional haptic matrices were pilot-tested as a nonvisual measure of cognitive ability. The results indicated that they correlated with convergent measures, with emphasis on spatial processing and that the participants who described items "visually" completed them more quickly and accurately and tended to have become visually…

This article attempts to point up some of common errors that are made in test preparation, and describe some principles of test construction. Article proposes a solution to problem of inadequate testing in form of seminar conducted by the institution, which would improve the testing ability of the faculty. (Author/EK)

A fairly large number of different methods exist for evaluating comparisons or null hypothetical contrasts. Because it is difficult to choose among them, this paper develops a 2 by 2 classification of the methods. The first dimension of the classification is decision-based error rate vs. experimentwise error rate. The second dimension is planned…

The paper considers problems in current assessment and evaluation practices with learning disabled students and discusses forces for change. Among the weaknesses noted are inadequate conceptual and definitional frameworks, practitioner bias, and technical inadequacies of currently used norm referenced tests. The authors outline three factors…

In studying the effectiveness of different instructional practices or programs, it is possible that an outcome measure may be biased in favor of a particular practice or program because the overlap between the test and one program is greater than for the other(s). Two basic approaches for dealing with the overlap issue are reviewed. The first…

This paper accepts Labov's (1973) criticisms of the categorial approach, i.e., the view that linguistic units are categories which are discrete, invariant, qualitatively distinct, conjunctively defined, and composed of atomic primes, and follows Labov in attempting to develop a non-categorial (or fuzzy-categorial) approach to lexical semantics,…

A pattern-analytical technique, Similar Response Analysis (SRA), was developed, validated with contrived data, verified using previously reported data based on other pattern-analytical methods, and used successfully with "real" data. This technique orders subjects on the basis of the similarity of responses of adjacent individuals, not…

Discusses the necessity of a close relationship between evaluation and instruction, between evaluator and instructor in adult language training programs and other programs. (AM)

Developed by the National Education Association Task Force on Testing, this list of alternatives to standardized tests and testing programs includes the use of anecdotal records, oral presentations, student contracts, self and peer evaluations, and teacher-made tests.

Describes demonstration by an interdisciplinary geriatric evaluation team that a newly described syndrome of hysterical pseudodementia in elderly patients often originates in developmental phenomena rather than in basic personality disturbances. Discusses team members' observations of clinical behavior which frequently differed from results of…

This study correlated scores on the NTE Test of Professional Knowledge (PK) with the Rating Scale of Student Teacher Competence (RSSTC) and between each of these with overall grade-point average (GPA). The lack of relationship between PK and RSSTC scores indicates that the PK may measure a different domain. (MT)

Analysis of questionnaires completed by 79 special education supervisors revealed that (1) schools are satisfied with appraisal services provided; (2) the majority of districts contract for appraisal services; (3) employed examiners are more involved in total assessment processes than contracted examiners; and (4) examiners do not participate in…