Bolt, S. E., & Ysseldyke, J. E. (2006). Comparing DIF across math and reading/language arts tests for students receiving a read-aloud accommodation . Applied Measurement in Education , 19 (4), 329–355. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324818ame1904_6

The read-aloud accommodation—i.e., oral delivery presented live and in-person by test administrators—was studied for independent effects on test performance, as well as effects in combination with small group, with extended time, and with multiple test sessions.

Three student groups were selected for comparison: (a) 5,000 randomly selected nonaccommodated students without disabilities, (b) all nonaccommodated students with disabilities, and (c) students with disabilities who were coded as receiving the read-aloud accommodation with or without additional scheduling and setting accommodations (RA). Assessment data included those from the state's (U.S.) mathematics assessments for grade 4, grade 8, and grade 10, and from the reading/language arts assessments for grade 3, grade 7, and grade 11.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether, and the extent to which, commonly held beliefs about testing accommodations were supported through analyses of data from a statewide assessment program. One belief examined was that the read-aloud accommodation allows for better measurement on a mathematics test than a reading/language arts test. The extant data set of statewide assessment scores for mathematics and reading/language arts formed the dependent variable.

The read-aloud accommodation was associated with greater measurement problems on the reading/language arts section than the mathematics section of the test. Limitations of the study were reported, and future research possibilities were suggested.