Cisar, C. A. (2004). Teacher’s knowledge about accommodations and modifications as they relate to assessment (Publication No. 3149279) [Doctoral dissertation, Loyola University of Chicago]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

AAT 3149279 Loyola University of Chicago

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference among staff (administrators, general education teachers, special education teachers, elective area teachers: art, PE, music) servicing students with special needs in their ability to distinguish accommodations from modifications and their ability to use them in assessment activities.

Participants consisted of 492 staff members in two suburban school districts in the Southwest (U.S.). There were 51 special education resource teachers (11%), 349 general education teachers (74%), 24 administrators (5%), and 47 elective area teachers (art, PE, music) (10%). Additional participant demographics were reported.

The researcher created a questionnaire that contained four sections of data collection: professional development, identification, accommodation information, and demographics.

Special educators and administrators tended to score higher than general and elective area teachers in their ability to distinguish between assessment accommodations and modifications, and to use these adjustments to assessments. Further, these differences were found to have moderate to large effect sizes. The researcher offered recommendations for improvements regarding the problem brought to light in the findings, and detailed limitations and future research possibilities.