This article describes the Gillian Autism Rating Scale, an interview-based instrument designed to identify individuals ages 3-22 who are autistic and to assess persons referred for serious behavior problems. The test accesses stereotyped behaviors, communication, social interaction, and developmental disturbances. Its administration,…

This article describes the Kaufman Survey of Early Academic and Language Skills, an assessment of receptive and expressive language skills, pre-academic skills, and articulation of children ages 3 through 6. Three subtests assess vocabulary, numbers, letters and words, and articulation. Its administration, standardization, reliability, and…

This article describes the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, an individually administered measure of the school achievement of children ages 6 to 18 years. The normative update extended the age range to include examinees from 19 to 22 years. Its administration, standardization, reliability, and validity are discussed. (Contains references.)…

The College Outcome Measures Project (COMP) was organized to design, develop, validate, and disseminate assessment instruments and procedures to measure and evaluate the knowledge and skills that undergraduate students are expected to acquire as a result of general or liberal education programs, as well as those important to effective functioning…

This paper describes an English language listening test intended as computer-based testing material for secondary school students in Hong Kong, where considerable attention is being invested in online and computer-based testing. As well as providing a school-based testing facility, the study aims to contribute to the knowledge base regarding the…

The process of revising and validating two English language tests used by the United States armed forces in hiring foreign nationals overseas is described. Development of the item banks and classification of items are outlined, and field testing in the United States and overseas is described. The tests were the basic and intermediate level…

The scores of handicapped students taking tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the Graduate Record Examinations are flagged so that admissions officers will be aware that they were achieved under special circumstances. A series of studies was initiated to determine whether special administrations of such tests are comparable to…

A project was conducted to develop vocational education tests for use in Georgia secondary schools, specifically for welding, machine shop, and sheet metal courses. The project team developed an outline of an assessment model that included the following components: (1) select a program for use in developing test items; (2) verify duties, tasks,…

The Head Start Measures Project was a 3-year study to develop a set of measures designed specifically for Head Start children. The measures are based on a path-referenced approach to assessment, in which children's performance is described in terms of their position along paths of development. A path is defined as a sequence of skills within a…

The KHAN DU! project developed television programs and accompanying printed materials combining three elements: (1) career education objectives targeted to both handicapped and non-handicapped children, (2) visual and dramatic elements designed primarily to interest the child viewer, and (3) handicapped children playing major roles and documentary…

A discussion of the admission examination to the University of Ottawa's graduate program in interpretation describes the three types of instruments used (oral test, written test, and interview), their measurement of six important interpreter characteristics, and work in progress to evaluate the test's reliability. (MSE)

During 1999-2000 school year, the North Carolina Alternate Assessment Portfolio was administered to eligible students with serious cognitive deficits statewide as a pilot program. This report provides state, regional, and local education agency results of that pilot program. The purpose of the pilot was to review the feasibility, validity, and…

The overall assessment of teacher education students by means of testing may not be the best indicator of competence in a professional field. Assessors must possess both valid and reliable ways of discerning which students have the necessary skills to be effective in the classroom. Portfolio analysis is one way to get better, more valid data about…

This paper traces developments in educational psychology and measurement that led to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) and the application of educational measurement terms such as validity and reliability to testing. Use of a table of specifications for planning…

This paper discusses the construction of language tests, particularly for English as a Second Language (ESL), that focus on language use in real situations. Linguistic theories that provide background for language test construction are reviewed, and application of those theories to ESL instruction in Japan is examined, with attention to the…