accommodation (testing), in vocational psychology dictionary

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Dictionary of Vocational Psychology

Testing Accomodations

Observed scores on tests of skill may be the result of many things, including the degree to which the test demonstrates the respondent's actual level on the targeted skill. However, the observed score may also depend on the degree to which the test requires successful mastery of "access skills," that is, skills that although not part of the targeted skill may nevertheless be required for successful performance. For example, a test of reading ability based on the respondent's ability to read the words printed on a page would target reading skill, but would require access skills such as visual acuity and perhaps even hearing ability if the instructions were delivered via speech. An appropriate testing accommodation would assist respondents through providing assistance in relation to missing access skills that are irrelevant to the targeted skill. However, when assistance to a respondent provides help in correctly responding to a targeted skill, this is no longer an accommodation: it becomes an unacceptable test modification, to be avoided.

Testing accommodations will be relatively more important (if only for legal and civil rights reasons) in situations in which ability or skill tests are used, say in employment situations, but may also be helpful in any kind of career assessment.

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