Takeaways

Classroom teachers have several important roles in the extended time accommodations process:

• Teachers make and administer classroom exams, and need to consider (a) how many items to put on a test and (b) how much time to allot to a test. 

• Teachers proctor classroom and standardized tests, and often administer accommodations to students who need them.

• Teachers can collect observational data on whether and how students use time, and how those with extended time accommodations use it.

• Teachers can encourage meaningful student engagement in testing.

• Teachers give input into accommodations decisions, as a part of the individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan team.

Takeaways for teachers from our research:

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, which school a student attended had a substantial impact on whether the student received extended time accommodations; schools appear to have different thresholds and decision-making processes.

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, students who use text-to-speech, scratch paper, Zoom, or other such features/accommodations also spend more time on test items. Therefore, students who receive these other accommodations--or who are taking tests with these accessibility features--may need more time.

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, higher self-reported effort was associated with spending more time on items. Therefore, when a student who has extended time accommodations does not use their extended time, low effort should be considered as a possible reason why, with a corresponding intervention being to increase the student's motivation.

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, students who were eligible for free/reduced-price lunch spent less time on test items.

• Most students (in either 4th or 8th grade) who received extended time accommodations didn't use any of their extra time, and of those who used it, most didn't gain any more points during the extra period of time.

What teachers can DO, based on this research:

•  Regularly monitoring whether or not students are using extended time that they are granted, and collecting information about their use (or lack thereof) may offer helpful information for quality IEP decision-making. Some potentially helpful related questions to ask and use to help inform decisions as part of the IEP process include the following:

  • If a student uses text-to-speech, do they have adequate time to use it during testing?

    • If not, consider increasing access to more time.

  • If a child is already eligible for extended time, are they typically using it?

    • If they are not using it, consider asking more questions to figure out why.

      • Is it because they are not motivated to use more time?

        • If so, it may be the case that they need more encouragement or reinforcement for using their extended time.

      • Is it because they don’t need it?

        • If so, it may be appropriate to remove it as an accommodation. Even though it may seem as though there’s no downside to extended time, the child may be missing out on instruction as they sit in a separate testing location to receive their extended time.

Parents have several important roles in the extended time accommodations process:

• Parents know the student best as a person, and can often comment on the student's approach to tasks at home.

• Parents give crucial input on IEP and Accommodation plans, including testing accommodation services.

• Parents advocate for their child's needs, and ensure that other team members do not overlook any of those needs.

• Parents can comment on student motivation, anxiety, and other psychological aspects of tests and academic performance.

Takeaways for parents from our research:

• In our study, students who used test features such as text-to-speech (i.e., had the computer read words aloud to them) or Zoom (i.e., zoomed in to enlarge text or figures) spent more time on test items. Therefore, students who use these features may need more time to take tests.

• In our study, among students who were receiving extended time accommodations, those students who reported putting forth more effort on the test also spent more time on test items. Therefore, if a student who has extended time accommodations does not use their extended time, this may be because of motivation problems. For instance, the student may be giving up on difficult items that they don't think they can answer.

• Most students (in either 4th or 8th grade) who received extended time accommodations didn't use any of their extra time, and of those who used it, most didn't gain any more points during the extra period of time.

What parents can DO, based on this research:

• Your active engagement in developing and reviewing the IEP with regard to extended time decision-making is important. Some potentially helpful questions to ask to guide data gathering that could then be used to help inform related decisions as part of the IEP process include the following:

  • If your child uses text-to-speech, do they have enough time during testing to use text-to-speech?

    • • • If not, more time may be 

  • If your child already is eligible for extended time, are they typically using it?

    • • • If they are not using it, consider asking more questions to figure out why.

          • • Is it because they are not motivated to use more time?

              • • If so, it may be the case that some students need more encouragement or reinforcement for using their extended time.

            • Is it because they don’t need it?

              • If so, it may be appropriate to remove it as an accommodation. Even though it may seem as though there’s no downside to extended time, the child may be missing out on instruction as they sit in a separate testing location to receive their extended time.

School administrators have several important roles in the extended time accommodations process:

• Ensuring that decision making follows state and federal regulations

• Providing resources to ensure delivery of accommodations as written on IEPs and 504 plans

• Approving emergency temporary accommodations if a student suffers an injury or illness

• Keeping a "birds eye" view of which students have accommodations to ensure equity in the decision making process, and to prevent either underaccommodation or overaccommodation

Takeaways for school administrators from our research:

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, which school a student attended had a substantial impact on whether the student received extended time accommodations; schools appear to have different thresholds and decision-making processes.

• Students who used accessibility features (such as text-to-speech) during the exam spent more time on items. 

• In our study, among students who were receiving extended time accommodations, those students who reported putting forth more effort on the test also spent more time on test items. Therefore, if a student who has extended time accommodations does not use their extended time, this may be because of motivation problems. For instance, the student may be giving up on difficult items that they don't think they can answer.

• Students who were eligible for free/reduced-price lunch spent less time on test items.

• Most students (in either 4th or 8th grade) who received extended time accommodations didn't use any of their extra time, and of those who used it, most didn't gain any more points during the extra period of time.

What school administrators can DO, based on this research:

• If you have students who use text-to-speech when taking exams, make sure that they have enough time to use it and also answer the test items. Generally, extended time accommodations will be appropriate to provide alongside text-to-speech accommodations.

• If you have students who are receiving extended time accommodations, ask teachers to monitor whether the students are using the additional time. If not, teachers should speak with students about why that might be the case--whether the students think that they don't need the time, or whether they aren't using the time because they don't think that they can answer some test items.

  • If a student doesn't seem to ever use their extended time, the school team (IEP team or 504 committee) should review the need for this accommodation. Even though it may seem as though there's no downside to extended time, the child may be missing out on instruction as they sit in a testing center, not using their extended time.

• Because schools appear to have different thresholds and processes for awarding extended time accommodations, consider developing and using a standardized decision process, optimally in collaboration with administrators at other schools.

Policy makers have important roles in the extended time accommodations process:

• Creating policies that are informed by both legal standards and empirical research on accommodations

• Developing enforcement mechanisms to ensure that best practices are being followed

• Ensuring that trainings are offered to staff who make accommodation decisions

Takeaways for policy makers from our research:

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, which school a student attended had a substantial impact on whether the student received extended time accommodations; schools appear to have different thresholds and decision-making processes.

• In our study, students who used test features such as text-to-speech (i.e., had the computer read words aloud to them) or Zoom (i.e., zoomed in to enlarge text or figures) spent more time on test items. Therefore, students who use these features may need more time to take tests.

• In our study, among students who were receiving extended time accommodations, those students who reported putting forth more effort on the test also spent more time on test items. Therefore, if a student who has extended time accommodations does not use their extended time, this may be because of motivation problems. For instance, the student may be giving up on difficult items that they don't think they can answer.

• Most students (in either 4th or 8th grade) who received extended time accommodations didn't use any of their extra time, and of those who used it, most didn't gain any more points during the extra period of time.

What policy makers can DO, based on this research:

• In accommodations manuals (or similar documents), emphasize that students who use text-to-speech when taking exams will often needed extended time accommodations as well, to properly use the text-to-speech.

• In accommodations manuals (or similar documents), suggest that school staff (a) monitor students' use of extended time accommodations, (b) investigate why students who don't use their extended time aren't doing so, and (c) revisit accommodation plans (IEPs and 504 plans) to revise them if a student doesn't actually need extended time.

• In accommodations manuals (or similar documents), consider letting readers know about how much of the variability in which students receive extended time accommodations appears to be based on which school they attend. If your manual provides a standardized decision process, this may help the situation.

Researchers have important roles in the extended time accommodations process:

• Researchers develop questions about accommodations based on practical problems faced in schools and other real-world settings.

• Researchers disseminate their results to interested stakeholders, to improve decision making.

Takeaways for researchers from our work:

• On a low-stakes mathematics exam, among 4th and 8th grade students with disabilities who have extended time accommodations, those who use text-to-speech, scratch paper, Zoom, or other such features/accommodations also spend more time on test items. 

• Among students with extended time accommodations, higher self-reported effort was associated with spending more time on items.

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, students who were eligible for free/reduced-price lunch spent less time on test items.

• Most students (in either 4th or 8th grade) who received extended time accommodations didn't use any of their extra time, and of those who used it, most didn't gain any more points during the extra period of time.

• Among both 4th and 8th graders, which school a student attended had a substantial impact on whether the student received extended time accommodations; schools appear to have different thresholds and decision-making processes.

What researchers can DO, based on this research:

Researchers may wish to build on our findings with additional research:

• Our research utilized 4th and 8th graders taking a low-stakes exam; it is important to extend these findings to (a) older students in high school and higher education, and (b) exams that have real consequences (higher stakes) for students

• Our research utilized observational data; additional research might use experimental designs to improve causal inferences. For example, to test whether the relationship between effort and time use is causal, researchers might manipulate motivation and observe the effect on time use.

• Our research found that which school a student attended had a substantial association with their likelihood of receiving extended time accommodations, even after controlling for other factors. Additional research would explore which schools tend to grant extended time more or less readily and why.

Students have important roles in the extended time accommodations process:

• Telling teachers and other school staff how well your accommodations are working for you

• Speaking about the impact of your disability, and working with teachers and other school staff to think about what might help you participate fully in school

Takeaways for students from our research:

• Most students who were provided extended time on the math exam didn't use *any* of the additional time.

• Students who used special test features (like asking the computer to read words to them) during the exam spent more time on test items. 

• In our study, students who said that they worked hard on the test spent more time on test items.  So if a student who has extended time doesn't use it, they might just not be motivated to use it. It's possible that the student might be giving up on difficult items that they don't think they can answer.

What students can DO, based on this research:

• If you have extra time on tests, and you really feel that you don't need to use it (you have enough time to work on all of the test items without using any of the extra time), let your teacher and parent know. They can consider changing your accommodation plan. You might be missing out on class activities while you're be given additional time on tests (that you aren't using).

• If you use special test features, like "text-to-speech" or even using a Zoom feature to make the font larger on a test, make sure that you also have enough time to work on all of the items, and if you don't, mention this to your teacher and parent. They can consider adding extended time accommodations to your plan.