Accessibility of Assessment

Accessibility originates from the field of architecture that aims to make buildings and the physical environment accessible to the whole population, including people with and without physical disabilities. For example, curb cuts help people in wheelchairs cross a street, but the same curb cuts also benefit people who are not in wheelchairs. Similarly, educational assessments that are accessible provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on the construct being assessed, regardless of personal characteristics unrelating to what is being assessed. In contrast, an assessment with poor accessibility introduces barriers based on personal characteristics. There can be negative consequences when assessment results reflect those personal characteristics and not just the construct being assessed. This entry further defines accessibility as the term is used in assessment and discusses the related concepts of accommodation and universal design for assessment (UDA). It then discusses the accessibility of computer-based assessments, the relationship of accessibility to validity, and ways to maximize the accessibility of assessment.

Accessibility is a characteristic of the assessment, but it requires consideration of the test taker’s interaction with items or tasks. Each test taker might experience individual barriers during the assessment process. For example, a student with low vision may have difficulty reading items printed in a standard font size on a paper and pencil test, while a student with very little computer experience might have difficulty navigating and choosing answers in a computer-based test. Accessibility is also a consideration in other types of assessments, not just tests. For example, consider a performance assessment that consists of giving an oral presentation, where grading criteria include speed and fluency of oral communication. This assessment could introduce barriers to students with speech disorders and nonnative language speakers who are still working toward language proficiency.

When individual characteristics present barriers during the assessment, these characteristics limit the test taker’s ability to demonstrate what they know. As a result, examinees’ true knowledge and skills tend to be underestimated. This in turn limits [Page 16]the validity of inferences that can be made based on the scores. Therefore, it is important to ensure the assessment is as accessible as possible to everyone regardless of language proficiency, disability status, or other unique characteristics that might detract from the assessment. Steps can be taken to promote accessibility at the assessment design, administration, and scoring and reporting phases.