Pearson Unveils Guidelines to Make Computer-Based Student Testing More Accessible

Research Identifies Tactics to Ensure Equity For All Students.

Iowa City, IA (PRWEB) June 22, 2009

Pearson, the global leader in education and education technology, today announced the release of its Universal Design for Computer-Based Testing Guidelines, aimed at making computer-based testing more usable and accessible for all students, particularly those with disabilities.

"With computer-based testing becoming more prevalent at every turn, Pearson understands the importance of ensuring all students have an equal opportunity to perform well when being evaluated," said Denny Way, senior vice president, Psychometric & Research Services for the Assessment and Information Group of Pearson.

Working with the Center for Applied Special Technology(CAST), a non-profit organization devoted to expanding learning opportunities for all, Pearson conducted a year-long study as the basis for its computer-based testing guidelines. Pearson believes the guidelines will help test developers better understand students' thought processes that occur during computer test-taking and will improve the design and accessibility of computer-delivered items and assessments.

"These guidelines, when applied with fidelity, would move large-scale assessment a long way in just the right direction -- toward more flexible and accurate measures of the academic progress of all students," says David Rose, chief scientist of Cognition and Learning at CAST.

"Our study defines guidelines that will enable test developers to level the playing field and more accurately test the knowledge and skill sets of all students with a variety of abilities," said Bob Dolan, senior research scientist at Pearson and primary author of the study. "The guidelines have proven useful to Pearson's test developers in working with our customers to implement innovative online assessments."

During the study, Pearson and CAST considered existing guidelines for computer accessibility based on the frameworks of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning, as well as other cognitive and educational research. In addition, they examined a variety of traditional and innovative computer-based testing item components, such as text, images, animations, and interactive elements, each of which requires students to use various processes to interact with and respond to test questions.

"Regardless of the knowledge and skills computer-based test developers intend to measure, every student, whether with a disability or without, has a diverse range of physical, sensory and cognitive abilities that either enables or restricts his or her ability to respond to each test item accurately," Dolan added.

Pearson's Universal Design for Computer-Based Testing Guidelines examines the specific student challenges related to each test question construct and pinpoints question design solutions that can make test questions more accessible to all students. The study touts the value of digital technology and its ability to incorporate multiple representations, such as text, video and audio, into computer-based testing.

In addition, the study provides test developers with a comprehensive checklist that addresses each knowledge and skill set by processing category and provides specific tactics to minimize the measurement of construct-irrelevant abilities.

To view Pearson's Universal Design for Computer-Based Testing Guidelines, visit http://www.pearsonedmeasurement.com/cast/index.html.

About Pearson:
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today's digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company's investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. The company's respected brands include Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley, Benjamin Cummings, PEMSolutions, Stanford 10, SuccessNet, MyLabs, PowerSchool, SuccessMaker and many others. Pearson's comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student at every level of education. Pearson's commitment to education for all is supported by the global philanthropic initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson's other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to http://www.pearson.com.

About CAST
Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST has earned international recognition for its development of innovative learning resources and for articulating the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a framework for creating inclusive educational environments. For more information, go to http://www.cast.org.

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