Computer Accommodations Must Begin as Classroom Accommodations
Testing Accommodations Summary Computer-Based Read-Aloud Tools: An Effective Way to Accommodate Students with Disabilities Computers Improve Students' Writing Performance on Tests Using Computers for Reading Tests Does Not Affect Scores Computer Accommodations Must Begin as Classroom Accommodations
Many state tests include questions that require students to produce short written responses. These items provide better information about what students know and can do than traditional multiplechoice items, but they also require students to apply writing skills to demonstrate their knowledge. For students whose first language is not English, this format can be problematic. They are slowed down by first translating their thinking into English and then recording their thinking in writing. One solution is to allow students to record their responses to short-answer items by speaking aloud or to use speech-to-text technology.
Study Design
To examine the feasibility and effect of allowing students to speak aloud
and record their responses to short-answer items, a small pilot study was
conducted. For this study, 300 fourth grade students from five Rhode Island
schools were randomly assigned to perform the same reading test in one of
three modes: (1) paper delivery with written response, (2) computer delivery
with written response, and (3) computer delivery with computer-recorded
verbal response. The reading test included eight short-answer items.
Technological Problems Present Obstacles
The findings from this pilot study suggest that it is not yet feasible to
use computers to record students' verbal responses to short-answer items.
Despite using newly purchased computers that were customized for this study,
students encountered a variety of technical problems. In addition, a substantial
proportion of students were uncomfortable responding aloud to short-answer
items. In some cases, students invested considerable time constructing a
response in their head before attempting to record a response. In other
cases, students invested considerable time recording their response, listening
to it, then recording it multiple times. For most of the students in the
computerbased voice recording group, the process of responding aloud to
a test item seemed very unfamiliar. Moreover, using a computer to record
their voice appeared to be a foreign experience. Despite the technical problems
encountered and the challenges many students had responding aloud to open-ended
test items, analyses of students' responses to the open-ended items were
performed to examine the extent to which the response mode seemed to affect
students' performance. To reduce the effect of technical problems and unfamiliarity
of students with the respond aloud option, students who received zero points
for their open-ended responses were removed from the analyses.
Despite the removal of these students, however, students who used the computer-based voice recorder performed worse than students using the paper-based or keyboard response options. These differences consistently occurred across IEP and ELL status and within each level of computer skill.
Recommendation
Even with modern and stable technology, significant technical problems still
occurred when students used speech technology to respond to short-answer
questions. For that reason, we do not believe that this testing option will
be feasible for several years. Moreover, until students become more accustomed
to responding aloud to open-ended test items, verbal responses will continue
to negatively affect performance.