Test Biases that Hamper Learners with Disabilities

Abstract

Biases are extraneous features that can influence the validity of tests. For example, factors that affect the performance of learners from ethnic minorities constitute a cultural bias. Biases that can influence the test responses of students with disabilities can originate with experiences other than those that are culturally restricted. Such additional biases can be related to test content, instructional format, motivation or cognitive arousal, competition, and physical access to testing materials and response techniques. Opportunities for estimating the impact of test biases are discussed and recommendations for modifying an evaluation with biased tests are elaborated.