Cawthon, S. W., & The Online Research Lab., . (2009). Accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in large-scale, standardized assessments: Surveying the landscape and charting a new direction . Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice , 28 (2), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3992.2009.00147.x

The accommodations examined were read-aloud directions, read-aloud items, test directions sign interpreted, test items sign interpreted, extended time, individual or small group administration, and student-signed response.

The focus of analysis was not the students, but rather the educators providing educational services to students who are deaf and hard of hearing, from grades K–12. Participants, therefore, were 389 educators from programs throughout the U.S., including regular schools, district/regional programs, and schools for the Deaf.

Educators' reported uses of accommodations with their students, as measured by the "Third Annual Survey of Assessment Accommodations for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" was the dependent variable. Students had experienced standardized assessments in math and reading.

The first set of findings addresses accommodations general use patterns of participants. More than two-thirds of participants used the following accommodations with their students for either or both reading and math assessments: small group administration, extended time, and interpreting test directions, read-aloud test items, and interpreting test items. However, only small group administration, extended time, and interpreting test directions were used most often, and a majority of the time, for students on both assessments. Further, the students signing response was not used by at least 70% of participants for their students. Addressing predictors of accommodations use, none of the factors examined—including educational setting, language of instruction, and grade level—had significant predictive value related to accommodations use. Additional details are provided regarding the apparent inconsistency between participants not using sign language in classroom instruction while using sign language in assessment accommodations.