2. Assessment The Final Frontier Just how valid, reliable and fair are assessments of disabled students? Karen Robson UWIC Assessment workshop series no 6

3. AIM n To focus on issues relating to the assessment of disabled students ‘assessment is at the heart of the student experience.’ ‘assessment is at the heart of the student experience.’ Brown & Knight 1994

4. Background-Recap n Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 Part IV n Phased legislation from Sept 2002- Sept 2005

5. Background HEIs have a duty; n to not treat a disabled student less favourably n to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ n to be anticipatory

6. ‘The hardest task left is for the shift in culture to result in real change, change embraced for the value perceived, not for compliance.’ ‘The hardest task left is for the shift in culture to result in real change, change embraced for the value perceived, not for compliance.’ Georgina Follett 2003

7. Where do barriers exist? Examples; n Exams n Vivas n Practicals n CAA n Group tasks n Fieldwork n Essays n Placements Any assessed piece of work….

8. ‘any attempt to challenge the boundaries of conventional assessment is bound to provoke many new questions.’ ‘any attempt to challenge the boundaries of conventional assessment is bound to provoke many new questions.’ Broadfoot 2002

9. Compensatory Vs Genuine Graduates?? n Compensatory assessment describe ‘tests which do not assess the full range of skills and knowledge as the ones they replace’ n Alternative assessment describe ‘methods which test exactly the same skills and knowledge as the original assessment’ Sharp and Earle 2001

10. Compensatory Vs Genuine Graduates?? Same Assessment Different Process ‘A fair assessment..where students are given equitable opportunities to demonstrate what they know…this does not necessarily mean all students should be treated the same’ ‘A fair assessment..where students are given equitable opportunities to demonstrate what they know…this does not necessarily mean all students should be treated the same’ Linda Suskie 2004

11. Exam question no 1 Dodging the dissertation. An assault on academic standards? Dodging the dissertation. An assault on academic standards? Discuss Discuss

12. Alternative Assessments n Is it valid? n Is it reliable? n Is it fair?

13. Testing the theory Arts & Humanities Student with Aspergers Requirement 3 essay format exams n Essay with extra time 3rd Class n Viva (taped) 2:1 n Cloze - 3 written answers with 100 blanks in exam conditions 2:1 SWANDS 2002

14. Inclusive Practices n Vary assessment methods n Offer choice across programmes n Consider needs of all students n Ensure clear marking criteria n Apply principles of assessment & align learning outcomes n Include at Review & Validation n Assessment Policy n Offer staff trg n Pilot new forms