Testing Accommodations

The term testing accommodations refers to changes in the standard administration of a test, including testing procedures or formats, that enable students with special needs to show what they know without being impeded by their disability The purpose of testing accommodations is to ensure that students’ scores accurately reflect their achievement, rather than allowing their disability to unfairly hamper their performance. According to Salvia, Ysseldyke, and Bolt (2010), some students may require:

a). Setting Accommodations: changes in the place in which an assessment is given. Some students may need changes in the conditions of the assessment setting (e.g., minimal distractions; special lighting; adaptive or special furniture; individual or small group of students rather than large group) and/or changes in the location of the assessment (e.g., study carrel; separate room; seat closest to test administrator; home; hospital; or correctional institution). 

b). Timing Accommodations: can be defined aschanges in the duration or organization of time during testing. Some students may need changes in how much time is allowed (e.g., extended time), as well as in how the time is organized (e.g., frequent breaks during parts of the assessment; or extended breaks between parts of the assessment).

c). Scheduling Accommodations: can be defined as changes in when testing occurs. Some students may need changes in the time of administration (e.g., specific time of day -- like morning, midday, afternoon, or after ingestion of medication; specific day of week; and/or over several days), as well as changes in how the administration of the assessment is organized (e.g., longer sub-test first; shorter test later; math first; English later; and/or omit questions that cannot be adjusted for an accommodation – like graph reading for a student using Braille; and/or adjust for missing scores).

d). Presentation Accommodations: can be defined as changes in how an assessment is given to a student. Some students may need format alterations (e.g. larger print; larger bubbles on answer sheet; one complete sentence per line in reading passage; fewer numbers of items per page; Braille edition; bubble to side of choices in multiple-choice exams; key word or phrases highlighted; increases spacing between lines), procedural changes (e.g., use sign language to give directions; re-read directions; explain directions; answer questions about items at any time during test without giving answers), and/or assistive devices (e.g., audio of directions; computer reads directions or items; hearing aid; markers to maintain place; dark or raised lines; pencil grips; magnets or tape to secure paper to work area).

e). Response Accommodations: can be defined as changes in how a student responds to an assessment. Some students may need format alterations (e.g., mark responses in test booklet rather than on separate page; respond on different paper such as graph paper, wide-lined paper, or paper with wide margins), procedural changes (e.g., use reference materials, such as a dictionary or arithmetic tables; give response in a different mode, such as pointing, oral response to recorder, sign language) and use of assistive devices (e.g., computer to record responses; slant board or wedge; calculator; brailler; spell checker; communication device or symbol board).

f). Other Accommodations: test preparation; motivational accommodations; computer-based accommodations; electronic and online testing; out of level testing (not allowed in some states), etc.