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Technology-based Assessment in Special Education
Technological features for holistic assessment include:
self-administration, software control of item presentation, response
evaluation based on conceptual models or algorithms, decision making
based on rules and criteria, prescription based on expert knowledge, and
direct links between assessment and changes in instruction.1 Other
examples of advances in, and proliferation of, technology that will help
students with disabilities gain greater independence and inclusion into
regular classrooms and society are: speech recognition systems,
electronic communications, personal computers, robots and artificial
intelligence.17
Conclusion
Emerging trends in technology-based assessment will continue
impacting the lives of students with disabilities well into the 21st
century. Growth and improvement in special education assessment is
inevitable as technology is increasingly used to assist evaluation of
students; this is especially vital as student population grows more
diverse.
In addition, further improvements in assessing children with disabilities
may suggest new directions for more effective curriculum and
instruction development. More comprehensive evaluations lead to more
appropriate placements, which in turn, result in more suitable learning
environments.
Technology can make large differences in placement criteria by enabling
more holistic pictures of students to be acquired before placement
decisions are finalized. The ability to store and retrieve large amounts of
pertinent information will result in more appropriate placements of
students than was previously possible. Technology gives us new
opportunities to view students using a more well-rounded academic
evaluation. It also facilitates integration of multiple assessments. Skill
deficits that occur during different tasks and social situations are more
quickly and easily identified.
Utilizing technology to improve assessment practices is a movement in
the right direction for schools. Knowing more about what to assess
gives us new insights on the how of assessment methods. The future of
technology-based assessment is wide open, with endless possibilities to
assist educators in evaluating students in special education placements,
curriculum development and student instruction.
The infinite possibilities of technology shines new light on assessment
procedures and the resulting opportunities for students with disabilities
are only now beginning to be realized and fully understood.
Gerald McCain was a special education teacher at Alameda Elementary
in the Las Cruces Public Schools for four years. He is currently pursuing
a doctorate in bilingual special education at New Mexico State
University. E-mail:gmccain@nmsu.edu This article emerged from
research conducted with Dr. Karin Wiburg, professor of educational
technology at New Mexico State University.
