Conceptualising a Fairness Framework for Assessment Adjusted Practices for Students with Disability: An Empirical Study

ABSTRACT

Given the increasing diversity of teachers and students in 21^st century classrooms, fairness is a key consideration in classroom adjusted assessment and instructional practices for students with disability. Despite its significance, little research has attempted to explicitly conceptualise fairness for classroom assessment adjusted practices. The purpose of this study is to leverage the multiple perspectives of secondary school students with disability, their teachers, and parents to build a multi-dimensional framework of fairness for assessment adjusted practices. Open-ended survey data were collected from 60 students with disability, 45 teachers, and 58 parents in four states in Australia and were analyzed using qualitative inductive analysis. The findings present a multidimensional framework for assessment adjusted practices that include interactions across elements of assessment practices, socio-emotional environment, overall conceptions of fairness, and contextual barriers and facilitators. The interactions across these elements influence the learning opportunities and academic outcomes for students with disability.

KEYWORDS:

• Fairness
• assessment adjustments
• students with disability
• teachers
• parents

Acknowledgments

The paper will need the acknowledgement of the Australian Government Australian Research Council Grant Discovery Project DP15010679.

The paper will also need the acknowledgement of the Canadian MITACS Globalink Research Award IT14131

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Canadian MITACS Globalink Research Award [IT14131]; Australian Government Australian Research Council Grant Discovery Project [DP15010679.].

Notes on contributors

Amirhossein Rasooli

Amirhossein Rasooli:

Amir is a doctoral candidate in educational assessment and measurement at Queen’s University. His research focuses on conceptualising and examining fairness and equity in educational assessment within K-12 and higher education contexts.

Maryam Razmjoee:

Ms. Maryam Razmjoee is a PhD student at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education at Australian Catholic University. Her research focuses on how classroom assessment adjustments improve the academic achievement and academic wellbeing of students with disability.

Joy Cumming:

Joy Cumming is an Honorary Professor at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, ACU and former Research Director, Assessment and Student Learning at the Institute. With a research career of over 45 years, her research focuses on assessment and student learning. She has a special interest in educational equity, from both legal and pedagogical perspectives, and students with disability. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9221-7677

Elizabeth Dickson:

Elizabeth Dickson is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law at Queensland University of Technology. She is also an experienced High School teacher. Her PhD (2007) considered the effectiveness of discrimination law in delivering equality of educational opportunity to people with disabilities. She researches and consults in the area of disability discrimination in education.

Amanda Webster:

Amanda Webster is an Associate Professor of Autism and Inclusive Education in the School of Education at the University of Wollongong. She has over 30 years of professional and research experience in teaching and assessment of students with diverse needs with a particular focus on practices that support the self-determination of autistic and neurodivergent students. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2976-4752