Conclusion

Currently great emphasis is being placed on assessment to improve education. Large-scale assessment is one means for such improvement, but we must be careful not to confuse the testing of standardized learning goals with testing using standardized administrations. Standardized administrations are a significant problem because the use of single, inflexible media during assessment confounds the measurement of knowledge and abilities relevant to the test with those particular to the test administration conditions. Only by creating fair and accurate tests that allow students to demonstrate their learning progress regardless of how they learn can we ensure that we are holding educational systems accountable for all students, including those with disabilities. Furthermore, and more importantly, fair and accurate testing is essential if we are to use assessment results to help shape subsequent instruction for individual students. Universal design is one means for accomplishing this.

Ironically, current efforts to administer computer-based testing in many states may potentially decrease accessibility since they are largely done without considering student needs from the start. While merely offering tests in a digital format opens the doors to use of access tools such as text-to-speech, retrofit solutions are limited in their effectiveness; tests must be designed from the start to be inclusive of all students. Fortunately, the application of universal design principles in the classroom provides valuable insights that can help inform the design of fair and accurate assessments for all students.