 |  |
ELLACC Project
Principal Investigator: Jamal Abedi Purpose: The lack of research-based evidence on how best to provide appropriate testing accommodations for English language learners (ELLs) creates challenges for policymakers and practitioners in ensuring that results provide valid results for ELL students. This project will examine the effectiveness and validity of the language-based accommodations that are most commonly used for Spanish-speaking ELL students. Studies will focus on the validity of assessments under the different accommodations and whether there are differential impacts of the accommodations for students who differ on such variables as language proficiency (both in their first language and in English), length of time in the United States, and instructional program.
|
Project Activities: The proposed study will be conducted in three phases. In Phase I, a computer-based assessment and accommodation system will be developed and field-tested. In Phase II, the system will be utilized to examine the effectiveness and validity of five commonly used language-based accommodations. In Phase III, the system will deliver accommodations that were shown in Phase II to be effective and valid in selecting accommodations that are tailored to the individual needs of each ELL.
|
| Products: The products of this project will be a fully developed and validated Computer-based assessment system that measures middle-school math and provides accessible and appropriate accommodations for ELL students. This system will include a short language proficiency assessment in English and in Spanish. Peer-reviewed publications will also be produced. |