A college administered the computer-adaptive ACCUPLACER (College Board, 1995) reading placement test to 399 entering students and its paper-and-pencil version, COMPANION, to 481 students. When the age of the two groups was held constant, no differences were found between the groups. (SLD)

This study of undergraduates examined differences between computer adaptive testing (CAT) and self-adaptive testing (SAT), including feedback conditions and gender differences. Results of the Test Anxiety Inventory, Computer Anxiety Rating Scale, and a Student Attitude Questionnaire showed measurement efficiency is differentially affected by test…

Examines whether teaching candidates who passed a basic competency screening test also possessed a level of general academic aptitude significantly higher than those who did not pass. Findings from 293 teachers who took the California Basic Educational Skills Test and had Scholastic Aptitude Test scores available show that requiring minimum…

Study focused on the problems of curricular misalignment with placement tests used in community colleges. Findings indicate that while pre-test and post-test scores were highly aligned, there was little or no relationship between placement test scores and student performance in class, or between test content and skills emphasized in class. (PGS)

Summarizes issues related to the provision of testing accommodations for examinees with disabling conditions, considering the history of such accommodations, the disabilities typically addressed, legal issues and precedents, and psychometric issues. Also considers social policy questions related to equity and fairness in testing. (SLD)

Test accommodations are changes in standardized test conditions to equalize opportunities between students with or without disabilities by achieving valid scores. The Individuals with Disabilities Act 1997 amendments require states and districts to include disabled students in accountability programs. Assumptions, practical implications,…

One way to manage marking error, in a large-scale educational testing context, is to establish a mechanism through which appeals can be lodged. While, at one level, this seems to offer a straightforward technical solution to the problem of marking error, it can also result in unintended consequences, with political, social or educational…

This article provides an overview of identification of appropriate testing accommodations for students with learning disabilities (LD). First it defines the concept of testing accommodations and review research on test accommodations commonly used with students with LD. Next it examines the validity and fairness in accommodations, as well as the…

A statistical test for detecting answer copying on multiple-choice tests based on Cohen's kappa is proposed. The test is free of any assumptions on the response processes of the examinees suspected of copying and having served as the source, except for the usual assumption that these processes are probabilistic. Because the asymptotic null and…

Under a multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) computerized adaptive testing (CAT) testing scenario, a trait estimate (theta) in one dimension will provide clues for subsequently seeking a solution in other dimensions. This feature may enhance the efficiency of MIRT CAT's item selection and its scoring algorithms compared with its…

This research investigates teachers' perceptions of testing accommodations to the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) for students with special needs. The study reports findings from 98 Northeastern Ontario grade 9 and 10 English teachers who were involved in providing accommodations to the OSSLT. Teachers who responded to the Teacher…

Multiple-choice testing (MCT) has several advantages which are becoming more relevant in the current financial climate. In particular, they can be machine marked. As an objective testing method it is particularly relevant to engineering and other factual courses, but MCTs are not widely used in engineering because students can benefit from…

Assessment has always been an integral component of the educational process, but the importance to students of performing effectively on district and statewide tests has increased the visibility of testing and assessment for students with and without disabilities. There are several factors that limit the reliability of common testing formats for…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Florida elementary school administrators believe the state's testing program is taking public schools in the right direction. Questionnaire responses from principals and assistant principals show that the majority of administrators believe the testing program is not taking schools in the right…

In recent years, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has focused the educational lens on testing children rather than teaching them. Much to the dismay of many educators and parents, the burden of this yearly ritual falls most heavily on learning disabled students, who are often tested inappropriately. A clear picture of what these special-needs students…