Davis, J. E. (2011). Secondary education teachers’ perceptions related to their knowledge and effectiveness of accommodations for students with mild disabilities (Publication No. 3464565) [Doctoral dissertation, Texas Woman’s University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/884226584

Texas Woman's University (Denton, TX); ProQuest document ID: 884226584

Specific knowledge of many accommodations was surveyed, including 7 in the presentation category: read-aloud, student read-aloud into recording device and play back to self, oral administration by test administrator, blank marker to keep place on test and on answer document, amplification device, and colored overlays and markers for notes on colored overlays. Three were response accommodations: scribe, supplemental aide, and blank graphic organizer. Three were from the time and scheduling category: testing across two days; frequent or extended breaks; and verbal, visual, or tactile reminders for staying on-task. Two were from the setting category: minimize distractions and individual administration.

Eighty-eight (88) general educators who taught academic content—English, history, mathematics, and science—to high school students in a district in north-central Texas (U.S.) participated. The teacher population in the district was further described demographically, and additional specific data describing the participant sample were also provided.

Participating teachers completed a researcher-generated Likert-scale survey with three components (according to factor analysis) of interest, in addition to demographic data. The components were perceived knowledge of test accommodations (TPK), perceived practices relative to the effectiveness of accommodations (PREA), and a set of open-ended items about the purpose of accommodations and barriers to implementation.

The level of knowledge of the general education teachers about the four categories of accommodations was moderate to somewhat high to high overall. The participants perceived a moderate to high level of practices relative to the effectiveness of accommodations. As for the potentially equalizing outcome of accommodations, participants provided several comments, which fit with multiple themes about the accommodations: students' non-use, lack of benefits, that accommodations provide more support than needed and to the detriment of students, that class sizes have presented a different barrier to learning which accommodations do not help, that training would be needed for them to be able to know how they can help, that accommodations have facilitated students with disabilities demonstrating their knowledge, and finally, that accommodations permit individualization which benefit students with disabilities. The barriers that participants reported about using accommodations included the concern reported by students with disabilities that they feel conspicuous about using accommodations, the difficulty of class size limiting teachers’ capacity to assist all students including those with and without disabilities, limited staff and funding, limited time, teachers lack of understanding disabilities and appropriate accommodations, and the need for training to address implementation barriers. Further analyses included correlations across the factors identified in the four areas of inquiry. Limitations of the study were reported, and future research directions were suggested.