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ABSTRACT
Test accommodations for English learners (ELs) are intended to reduce the language barrier and level the playing field, allowing ELs to better demonstrate their true proficiencies. Computer-based accommodations for ELs show promising results for leveling that field while also providing us with additional data to more closely investigate the validity and effectiveness of those accommodations. In this study, we evaluate differences across non-ELs and two EL groups in their decision to use either of two computer-based accommodations on high school history and math assessments. We also evaluate differences in response times across these groups. Results showed that ELs used accommodations more than non-ELs; however, many students did not use any accommodations, and use decreased as the assessment progressed. In addition, students had longer response time for items with accommodations in history but not mathematics. Recommendations for future research in accommodations for ELs are discussed.
Funding
This research was supported in part through a grant from Pearson.
Notes
1 The interaction hypothesis states that the accommodation improves scores only for students who need the accommodation and does not improve scores for students who do not need the accommodation (Koenig & Bachman, Citation2004; Scarpati, Wells, Lewis, & Jirka, Citation2011).
2 The differential boost hypothesis suggests that ELs will benefit more than non-ELs when provided with the same accommodation (Cho et al., Citation2012; Fuchs, Fuchs, Eaton, Hamlett, & Karns, Citation2000).
3 Measurement comparability involves looking at whether the psychometric properties of an assessment, function the same (i.e., are invariant) across accommodated and nonaccommodated test administrations (Cho et al., Citation2012).