Ricci, N. N. (2015). The effect of the read-aloud testing accommodation on the 2011 fourth-grade National Assessment of Educational Progress in Reading, for students with disabilities in the New York State metropolitan, tri-state area (Publication No. 3664192) [Doctoral dissertation, St. John’s University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1720330696

St. John's University (Queens, NY); ProQuest document ID: 1720330696

The effect of the oral delivery ("read-aloud") accommodation on national reading performance test scores was examined. The researcher noted that the extant data set included students receiving only oral delivery, along with oral delivery in combination with other accommodations. Oral delivery was provided as text-to-speech during this computerized assessment (NAEP Reading). The NAEP reportedly specifies whether only the directions are read aloud, or test items are occasionally read aloud, or most or all test items are read aloud; however, these distinctions were not noted on the educator questionnaire used for sample selection.

Grade 4 students' reading assessment scores from throughout the New York metropolitan area were examined. The students with disabilities receiving the oral delivery accommodation attended school in three states: 753 students in New York, 571 students in New Jersey, and 431 students in Connecticut. The analyses were by state, comparing these students' scores (using weighted numbers) with scores of students with disabilities receiving various accommodations but not receiving oral delivery: 13,336 students in New York, 4,040 students in New Jersey, and 3,884 students in Connecticut. To be clear, all of these students had various disabilities; however, specific disabilities were not reported.

This extant data set constituted the reading assessment scores of grade 4 students with disabilities on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) administered in 2011. The NAEP reading assessment measures comprehension when reading informational and literary texts. As reported by the researcher, the NAEP framework specifies cognitive skills including locate and recall, integrate and critique, and evaluate/interpret, along with vocabulary knowledge. The researcher noted that data from the NAEP Students with Disabilities/ English language learners Questionnaire (completed by educators pertaining to each assessed student) were examined.

In each of the three within-state comparisons between students with disabilities who received oral delivery and students with disabilities who did not receive that accommodation, analyses resulted in statistically significant findings that students receiving oral delivery scored lower in reading comprehension on the NAEP test. These results were shown through independent t-tests using group mean comparisons. Further, effect sizes were: medium in New York, very large in New Jersey, and medium to large in Connecticut. The researcher concluded that oral delivery (via text-to-speech) did not benefit students with disabilities who received the accommodation. The researcher reviewed various factors noted in research on oral delivery. Limitations of the study were reported, and future research directions were suggested.