About the Accessible Tests Department
The focus on assessment for accountability purposes has created an atmosphere of testing students that requires participation by all students. As states and local communities have developed assessments for these purposes, the provision of tests in accessible media has sometimes been an afterthought.
The creation of assessments for any purpose has the burden of assuring validity and reliability for a small population of students (such as students with visual impairments) compared to the large number of students on whom assessments are generally validated during test development. While this issue may never be completely resolved, there are guidelines that test publishers and developers can utilize that will make tests and assessments more accessible to a wider range of students, including students with visual impairments. In order to address these issues and be responsive to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, an important educational initiative called "Test Central" was proposed and received federal funding.
Effective August 2002, "Test Central" became the newest department at the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). At that time, Test Central entered its pilot phase of operation. Pilot projects to edit, transcribe, proofread and produce a number of tests for presentation in braille/tactile format were initiated. On March 2003, the name of this department was changed to Accessible Tests Department.
The original goal of Test Central was to ensure tests and assessments were provided in high quality accessible media in a timely manner. In response to recommendations by APH's Educational Services Advisory Committee and members of the Test Central Council, the charge of the Accessible Tests Department was expanded in August 2003. The updated goal is to provide tests, practice tests, test administration manuals, and other test-related materials in high quality accessible media in a timely manner, to promote the inclusion of blind and visually impaired individuals during test development, and to enhance the test performance of blind and visually impaired individuals through research, education, and communication.
The Accessible Tests Department's five areas of focus are:
- Test adaptation
- Adaptation and development of test-related tools and materials
- Education and relationship building
- Basic research into test-related issues
- Identification and development of new tests
In collaboration with the Accessible Tests Department, Dr. Carol Allman has written guidelines for editing tests into various media, as well as guidelines for test developers. Though following BANA codes and formatting rules are of paramount importance, Mary Ann Damm and Bev Pfister have developed, for test transcribers, guidelines that provide more details regarding the intricacies of tests and assessments. These guidelines provide a framework for the consistent presentation of adapted test items by numerous editors and transcribers and provide guidance regarding standard methods of administering tests to students with visual impairments.
Accessible Tests Department activities also include developing and making available position papers that address a variety of test-related issues and areas of concern. Position papers in response to commonly asked questions provide a basis for decision making as test personnel determine fair and appropriate accommodations for blind and visually impaired test takers.
Guidelines and all information learned through the Accessible Tests Department will be freely shared.
©2006, American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
