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):

• Principles of Accessible Assessments (new UD 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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