*Result*: Giving Voice to Stakeholders on Fair and Valid Use of Accommodations and Universal Tools in Digital Standardized Tests

Title:
Giving Voice to Stakeholders on Fair and Valid Use of Accommodations and Universal Tools in Digital Standardized Tests
Language:
English
Authors:
Sabine Dierick (ORCID 0009-0009-4845-6668), Fauve De Backer (ORCID 0000-0003-2330-5555), Katrien Struyven (ORCID 0000-0002-6562-2172)
Source:
Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation. 2026 31(1).
Availability:
University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. 154 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003. e-mail: pare@umass.edu; Web site: https://openpublishing.library.umass.edu/pare/
Peer Reviewed:
Y
Page Count:
30
Publication Date:
2026
Document Type:
*Academic Journal* Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
Education Level:
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors:
Access to Education, Special Needs Students, Special Education, Regular and Special Education Relationship, Academic Accommodations (Disabilities), Testing Accommodations, Computer Assisted Testing, Inclusion, Stakeholders, Foreign Countries, Language Proficiency, Indo European Languages, Elementary Secondary Education
Geographic Terms:
Belgium
ISSN:
1531-7714
Entry Date:
2026
Accession Number:
EJ1495814
Database:
ERIC

*Further Information*

*This study explores stakeholders' perspectives on the use of accommodations and universal tools in standardized digital assessments, focusing on (1) students with special educational needs (SEN) and (2) all students. Using data from 20 focus groups, representing educators, policy staff, parents, psychometricians, and legal experts (n = 182), we conducted thematic analysis to identify key considerations for inclusive assessment. The findings highlight persistent tensions between fairness, construct validity, and comparability, alongside broad support for Universal Design for Assessment (UDA) and the provision of individual accommodations. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on establishing inclusive testing environments in large-scale assessments that are fair to all students, while upholding the principles of validity, reliability, and equity. Practical recommendations and policy scenarios are provided to guide the development of inclusive and valid large-scale testing systems. [Note: The article number (11) shown on the PDF header is incorrect. The correct article number is 1.]*

*As Provided*