Preparing Adolescents With High-Incidence Disabilities for High-Stakes Testing With Strategy Instruction

Abstract

Recent policy initiatives promoting high-stakes testing for graduation present a significant challenge to practitioners charged with educating students with high-incidence disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of test-taking strategy instruction on the test performance of secondary students with high-incidence disabilities. Students demonstrated small but significant increases in test performance and decreases in ratings of test anxiety following intervention. Recommended strategies are presented to practitioners for preparing high school students with disabilities for high-stakes assessment tests.

Keywords:

• high-incidence disabilities
• high school
• high-stakes testing
• strategy instruction
• study skills
• transition