Universally Designed Assessments

Publications and Other Universal Design Resources

NCEO Resources

Online resources available at NCEO's Web site (the publications are listed chronologically, with the most recent first; Policy Directions will give a general overview of the issues with other publications providing greater depth):

• A Principled Approach to Accountability Assessments for Students with Disabilities (Synthesis Report 70)
  HTML document /PDF document
• Student Think Aloud Reflections on Comprehensible and Readable Assessment Items: Perspectives on What Does and Does Not Make an Item Readable (Technical Report 48) HTML document / PDF document
• A State Guide to the Development of Universally Designed Assessments HTML document / PDF document
• Universal Design Online Manual HTML document
• Using the Think Aloud Method (Cognitive Labs) to Evaluate Test Design for Students with Disabilities and English Language Learner (Technical Report 44) HTML document / PDF document
• Using Systematic Item Selection Methods to Improve Universal Design of Assessments (Policy Directions 18) HTML document / PDF document (2006)
• Considerations for the Development and Review of Universally Designed Assessments (Technical Report 42) HTML document / PDF document (2005)
• 2005 State Special Education Outcomes: Steps Forward in a Decade of Change HTML document / PDF Version (2005)

For reports before 2003, see NCEO's Archived Publications.

Additional Resources

Dolan, R. P., Hall, T. E., Banerjee, M., Chun, E., & Strangman, N. (2005). Applying principles of universal design to test delivery: The effect of computer-based read-aloud on test performance of high school students with learning disabilities. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 3(7). http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/jtla/journal/v3n7.shtml

Gorin, J. (2006). Test design with cognition in mind. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 25(4), 21-35.

Haladyna, T.M., & Downing, S.M. (2004). Construct irrelevant variance in high stakes testing. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 23(1)), 17-27.

Hewitt, M., & Homan, S. (2004). Readability level of standardized test items and student performance: The forgotten validity variable. Reading Research and Instruction, 43(2), 1-16.

Johnstone, C. J., Thompson, S. J., Miller, N. A., & Thurlow, M. L. (2008). Universal design and multi-method approaches to item review. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 27(1),25-36.

Ketterlin-Geller, L. R. (2008).Testing students with special needs: A model for understanding the interaction between assessment and student characteristics in a universally designed environment. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 27(3), 3-16.

Kopriva, R., Winter, P., Emick, J., & Chen, C. (2006). Achieving accurate results for diverse learners: Access-based item development. Paper presented at American Educational Research Association Meeting, April 7−11, 2006.

Monroe, B. (2004). Simplified language as an accommodation on math tests. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 29(3), 35-45.

Laitusis, C. C. (2007). A variety of approaches for studying accommodations on assessments (pp.73-81). In Educational Testing Service (Eds.), Accommodating students with disabilities on state assessments: What works? Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.

Leighton, J., Heffernan, C., Cor, M., Gokiert, R., & Cui, Y. (2008). An experimental test of student verbal reports and expert teacher evaluations as a source of validity evidence for test development. Edmonton, Canada: University of Alberta - Edmonton, Centre for Research in Applied Measurement and Evaluation.

Thurlow, M. L., Johnstone, C. J., & Ketterlin-Geller, L. R. (2008). Universal design of assessment. In S. E. Burgstahler & R. C. Cory (Eds.), Universal design in higher education: From principles to practice (pp. 73-81). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

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