Examining the Use of Extended Time Accomodations at a University Setting
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
16-4-2013 2:00 PM
End Date
16-4-2013 4:00 PM
Student's Major
Psychology
Student's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Mentor's Name
Carlos Panahon
Mentor's Department
Psychology
Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Second Mentor's Name
Melissa Stewart
Second Mentor's Department
Psychology
Second Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Third Mentor's Name
Marcia Sytsma
Third Mentor's Deparment
Psychology
Third Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description
Test accommodations are commonly defined as a change in testing materials or procedures that enables students to participate in assessments in ways that reflect their skills and abilities as opposed to their disabilities. These accommodations commonly include changes in presentation, response, setting, and/or scheduling of the assessment. Examples of some common test accommodations are extended time, separate room, and test reader. To gain access to test accommodations, it is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of the disability from a professional specialist.
Once a student is approved for test accommodations, he or she must work directly with the university’s Office of Disability Services to utilize the test accommodations throughout the school year. Although extended time has been found to be a preferred accommodation for students with disabilities, little research has been conducted on the actual utilization of this accommodation.
Therefore, the current study investigated the usage of the extended time test accommodation at a public university in the Midwestern United States by examining archival data obtained from the university’s Office of Disability Services. Descriptive analyses compared standard exam times with actual time spent completing exams by students with extended time accommodations. It is hypothesized that a majority of students who utilize this test accommodation do not require the additional. Rather, it is hypothesized that students use the extended time option to decrease test anxiety. Implications of these findings will be discussed.
Examining the Use of Extended Time Accomodations at a University Setting
CSU Ballroom
Test accommodations are commonly defined as a change in testing materials or procedures that enables students to participate in assessments in ways that reflect their skills and abilities as opposed to their disabilities. These accommodations commonly include changes in presentation, response, setting, and/or scheduling of the assessment. Examples of some common test accommodations are extended time, separate room, and test reader. To gain access to test accommodations, it is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of the disability from a professional specialist.
Once a student is approved for test accommodations, he or she must work directly with the university’s Office of Disability Services to utilize the test accommodations throughout the school year. Although extended time has been found to be a preferred accommodation for students with disabilities, little research has been conducted on the actual utilization of this accommodation.
Therefore, the current study investigated the usage of the extended time test accommodation at a public university in the Midwestern United States by examining archival data obtained from the university’s Office of Disability Services. Descriptive analyses compared standard exam times with actual time spent completing exams by students with extended time accommodations. It is hypothesized that a majority of students who utilize this test accommodation do not require the additional. Rather, it is hypothesized that students use the extended time option to decrease test anxiety. Implications of these findings will be discussed.
Recommended Citation
Armstrong, MaryBeth and Daniel Spencer. "Examining the Use of Extended Time Accomodations at a University Setting." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 16, 2013.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2013/poster-session-B/12
