McKevitt, B. C., & Elliott, S. N. (2003). Effects and perceived consequences of using read aloud and teacher-recommended testing accommodations on a reading achievement test . School Psychology Review , 32 (4), 583–600. https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.2003.12086222

The purpose of this study was to test students’ performance on a reading test with and without the read-aloud accommodation, delivered via an audio recording.

A total of 79 grade 8 students from a junior high school in a suburban district in the Midwest (U.S.). Forty (40) student-participants had an educationally defined disability (not categorized), and the remaining 39 students had no disabilities. Student-participants' demographics, including gender and ethnicity, were reported. A total of 48 teachers—five from the same junior high school, and the remainder from another junior high school and an elementary school in the same school district—also participated.

Two forms of a research version of the TerraNova Multiple Assessments Reading test (eighth-grade level) were used in this study. After completing the test, students completed a survey about testing accommodations. Teachers also completed a survey about their perceptions of the effectiveness of testing with accommodations.

The use of the read-aloud accommodation did not significantly improve the test performance of either group of students. More students without disabilities than with disabilities thought they did better when tested with read-aloud accommodations. However, more students with disabilities preferred the accommodated test. Teachers as a group had neutral attitudes about testing and testing accommodations.