ERIC Number: EJ865588
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 33
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Examining the Validity and Fairness of a State Standards-Based Assessment of English-Language Arts for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students
Steinberg, Jonathan; Cline, Frederick; Ling, Guangming; Cook, Linda; Tognatta, Namrata
Journal of Applied Testing Technology, v10 n2 spec iss 2009
This study examines the appropriateness of a large-scale state standards-based English-Language Arts (ELA) assessment for students who are deaf or hard of hearing by comparing the internal test structures for these students to students without disabilities. The Grade 4 and 8 ELA assessments were analyzed via a series of parcel-level exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, where both groups were further split based on English language learner (ELL) status. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses were also conducted for these groups of students, and where sample sizes were sufficient, the groups were additionally split based on test accommodation status. Results showed similar factor structures across the groups of students studied and minimal DIF, which could be interpreted as lending support for aggregating scores for Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) purposes from students who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Contains 2 figures, 13 tables and 4 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Test Bias, Language Arts, State Standards, Partial Hearing, Deafness, Grade 4, Factor Analysis, Federal Legislation, Federal Programs, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Grade 8, Comparative Analysis, Test Validity, Measurement, Educational Assessment, Psychometrics, Evaluation Methods, Academic Accommodations (Disabilities), Testing Accommodations, Special Needs Students, Barriers, Student Evaluation, Disabilities, Evaluation Problems, Language Tests, Educational Indicators
Association of Test Publishers. 601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, South Building Suite 900, Washington DC 20004. Tel: 866-240-7909; Fax: 717-755-8962; e-mail: wgh.atp@att.net; Web site: http://www.testpublishers.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Grade 4; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: No Child Left Behind Act 2001
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A