This article presents findings from two projects designed to improve evaluations of technical quality of alternate assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. We argue that assessment technical documents should allow for the evaluation of the construct validity of the alternate assessments following the traditions of…

This paper describes the introduction of web-based portfolios as a means of authentic assessment in collegiate physical education classes. Students in three volleyball classes were required to contribute to web-based team portfolios, and at the end of the semester, were able to make comment upon this process. A six-item on-line survey used to…

In many education systems, young peoples' "disaffection" is increasingly equated with non-participation in education, training and employment. There is also an expectation that educational activity can provide a key response to this situation. Drawing upon a case study of a successful development project based in Bristol, England which…

According to even the most conservative estimates, at least a quarter of deaf children have additional disabilities. Most teacher preparation programs do not sufficiently prepare teacher candidates for the challenges posed by these children. This article describes a professional development effort to prepare in-service educators of the deaf to…

This work compares the results of three assessment systems used in two Spanish universities (the "Universidad Politecnica de Madrid" and the "Universidad Catolica de Avila"): the traditional system based on final examinations, continuous assessment with periodic tests and a proposed system (specially designed for heterogeneous…

This article addresses the application of the assessment triangle developed by the National Research Council (Pellegrino, Chudowsky, & Glaser, 2001), most specifically the cognition vertex of that triangle, to the unique learning characteristics of students with significant cognitive disabilities in developing and demonstrating academic…

This paper discusses a variety of development strategies and issues involved in the development of electronic performance support systems (EPSS) for professionals. The topics of front-end analysis, development, and evaluation are explored in the context of a case study involving the development of an EPSS to support teachers in the use of…

This document contains the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's Test Center alternative assessment holdings for science which covers all grade levels. Alternative refers to holdings or topics other than standardized, norm-referenced tests. Included are 129 annotated state, classroom, national, and international assessments. Items are coded…

This bibliography lists the holdings of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's Test Center in the area of assessment alternatives in mathematics. Annotations describe the instruments or articles and indicate availability. Each entry is coded according to type, purpose, grade levels, content covered, type of tasks, skills assessed, and…

This project was developed and implemented to help increase knowledge of singing performance by targeted fourth grade students as well as to increase their self assessment abilities. The project also was designed to improve parent/guardian understanding of singing performance. The study was conducted in a southwestern classroom of 26 students. The…

The "Context of Discourse" is a major component of a proposed model of the outcomes of literacy. The Context of Discourse is defined by three major components (situation, vantage points, and content and language) and the 10 related outcomes of literacy (including purpose, audience, point of view, disciplinary perspective, and conceptual…

This document focuses on assessing Adult English-as-a-Second-language (ESL) literacy skills. Implementing and developing sound assessments for ESL literacy has become a big challenge--a task made even more difficult because a framework for assessments that provide useful data for ESL literacy programs has not yet been developed. To help clarify…

This policy brief is based on a lengthier report, "Measuring What Counts: A Conceptual Guide for Mathematics Assessment." It proposes that mathematical assessment of students be based on crucial research-based connections between assessment and standards for curriculum and teaching and suggests a framework to help those who are…

When the Stanford and CTBS achievement batteries were analyzed, two major findings emerged: (1) the test items included only nine of the 22 general cognitive operations; and (2) the required general cognitive operations had little to do with student achievement on these tests. Implications and alternative assessment techniques are discussed.…

This chapter covers assessment issues in classrooms and offers a possible assessment program. The purpose is three-fold: (1) to examine ways of documenting students' understanding using a domain-based approach to assessment; (2) to present examples of assessment items related to this approach; and (3) to discuss difficulties that have arisen as…