Student Preferences for Adaptations in Classroom Testing

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate student preferences for specific adaptations in general education classroom testing. Participants in the study were 158 middle school students, including students with high-incidence disabilities (HID) and general education students with low, average, high, and very high achievement. Students completed an instrument developed for the study, the Student Preferences for Testing Adaptations Questionnaire. Students rated each of 23 specific testing adaptations on a 4-point scale (1 = dislike to 4 = high preference). In two additional questions, students also stated reasons for a single most-liked and a single least-liked adaptation. Most testing adaptations were at least moderately preferred by students. Open-notes and open-book tests were among the adaptations most preferred, and least-preferred adaptations included teacher reading of test questions to students and tests with fewer questions or covering less material. Students with HID and/or students with low achievement indicated significantly higher preference than did students with average or above-average achievement for several adaptations. Students' rationales for their choices of most-liked adaptations included improved test performance as well as the opportunity to work with peers and to receive assistance. On the other hand, students' descriptions of least-liked adaptations included concerns regarding fairness and interference with their own style of working.