Standard Testing Conditions and Standard Score Meaning for Handicapped Examinees

Abstract

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112) contains several mandates affecting college and graduate admissions testing. A committee appointed by the National Research Council recommended research to resolve conflicts between the mandates of Section 504 and existing measurement technology (Sherman & Robinson, 1982). A 4-year series of studies was undertaken by the Educational Testing Service in response to that recommendation, with sponsorship provided by the College Board, the Graduate Record Examination Board, and the Educational Testing Service (Willingham et al., 1988). The validity and comparability of tests adminstered to handicapped students under nonstandard conditions were examined in terms of reliability, factor structure, differential item functioning, prediction of academic performance, admissions decisions, test content, testing accommodations, and test timing. Except for time limits, tests administered to disabled examinees were found to be largely comparable to those used in the regular administrations. Further work on ways to ensure comparable test timing was discussed, as well as the relation of fair timing to the current practice of flagging test scores administered under nonstandard conditions and not known to be comparable.