Accommodations in Assessment

Abstract Test‐takers with disabilities or other special needs might require special arrangements to demonstrate their second language knowledge and skills during assessment. Accommodations make the test accessible to diverse groups of test‐takers while ensuring that the construct validity of the test is not compromised. Test adjustments that impact the construct validity of assessment are considered modifications. Fair accommodations improve the test scores of candidates with disabilities, but result in small or no increase in achievement scores for nondisabled test‐takers. If candidates with no disabilities benefit significantly from accommodations, concerns about test validity under standard conditions arise and test developers should consider changing the test administration conditions or test tasks. Commonly used accommodations include changes to the presentation format, response format, timing, and test setting. The use of only parts of a test and alternative assessment formats are modifications and affect the construct being tested. In the field of second language assessment, three types of test adjustments have been researched: read‐aloud assistance, time extension, and the use of self‐pacing in listening assessment. Research findings regarding the benefits of these adjustments for test‐takers with disabilities are contradictory and need further verification. A small number of qualitative studies involving the analysis of test‐takers, test designers, testing organizations, and teachers' views on have also been carried out. Future research should consider views and experiences of test‐takers with different types of disabilities to ensure that accommodations meet their needs and provide them with fair and just opportunities to display their L2 competence.