An accessible testing, learning and assessment system for people with intellectual disability

Abstract

Students and adults with intellectual disability experience multiple barriers to taking tests, assessments, evaluations, questionnaires, and surveys. The literacy demands of common formats for soliciting objective and subjective feedback — particularly written questions and answers — makes typical assessment processes inaccessible to many people with intellectual disability. Alternative approaches are time-consuming, often foster dependency on others, and do not provide opportunities or experiences in self-direction. This manuscript reports a pilot test of the use of a cognitively accessible self-paced testing system for students and adults with intellectual disability. The study employed a standard two-group within-subjects design in which 40 participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities completed assessments using both written and computer-based versions of each of the two surveys designed for use in the study. Results suggested that participants were able to complete a typical assessment with greater accuracy, increased independence, and greater efficiency when using the cognitively accessible computer-based survey compared to traditional written test methods.

Keywords:

• testing
• surveys
• intellectual disability
• applied cognitive technologies