Examining the Accessibility of a Computerized Adapted Test Using Assistive Technology
By Kamei-Hannan, Cheryl; Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, Vol. 102, No. 5, pp. 261-271Publication Date: May 2008
Study examined the accessibility barriers of a computerized adapted test, the Measure of Academic Performance (MAP). The MAP responds to a test taker’s ability by providing subsequent test questions based on the test taker’s performance, thereby individualizing the difficulty of each item. Advantages of the MAP include immediate test results, computerized tracking of progress over time, and a large centralized database for normative sampling. The MAP was monitored for accessibility barriers during test taking at Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind with 49 students participating. A screen magnification and print version as well as a Braille version of the test were used. Of the students taking the former version, 13 used Zoom Text screen magnification software. For the 29 students reading Braille, the test was administered using a PowerBraille 80 or a 32-cell BrailleNote with JAWS Braille-translation software. Test results from the screen magnification and print version showed that as magnification increased, time on the test increased and students required visual-efficiency skills. For students who used refreshable Braille, more than 20 percent of the test questions were unanswerable because of accessibility issues, including lengthy questions requiring the use of scroll bars, items that used underlining, and graphical information. The author contends that, using the results of this study, questions that use inaccessible features can be corrected and the development of test items can avoid the identified issues in the future.
Assistive Products Discussed: POWERBRAILLE 40 & POWERBRAILLE 80
JAWS FOR WINDOWS
ZOOMTEXT MAGNIFIER
BRAILLENOTE MPOWER BT 32
Published by: AFB Press (Website:http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=46)
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (Web Site: http://www.afb.org )
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J55431
