Nees, M. A., & Berry, L. F. (2013). Audio assistive technology and accommodations for students with visual impairments: Potentials and problems for delivering curricula and educational assessments . Performance Enhancement & Health , 2 (3), 101–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2013.08.016

The accommodation examined in this literature review was oral delivery via text to speech for students with visual impairments. The authors mentioned the issue of combining the oral delivery and extended time accommodations. Although the researchers included textbooks and other instructional materials in the literature review, the emphasis in this summary is on the research reviewed using oral delivery accommodations for educational assessments.

This literature review refers to research attending to the educational needs (including during assessments) of students with visual impairments, sometimes with additional disability or disabilities; students with learning disabilities are also considered in some research discussed in this review. The body of literature specific to oral administration of assessments includes at least 17 different studies.

The dependent variables specified in the various research studies were generally achievement tests (and not aptitude tests), and included both reading and math assessments.

The researchers reported on research about the current use of oral administration accommodations for achievement assessments, yet little on research about the benefits for students with disabilities. The authors presented both the potential and problems associated with technological advances permitting text-to-speech testing formats, detailing technical concerns, attitudinal and training concerns for educators, and discussed related issues including construct validity.