Testing Accommodations for Students With Disabilities: Research-Based Practice

Deciding whether to grant test accommodations for a student with disabilities can be challenging. Benjamin J. Lovett and Lawrence J. Lewandowski’s research-based guidelines offer a scientific approach to deciding when accommodations are appropriate, depending on the student’s functional skills, the test being taken, and the accommodations being considered.

Readers will learn how laws and practices differ for K-12, postsecondary, and workplace accommodations. Most important, they will learn to make effective decisions through research-based training in accommodations. Case studies provide a practical view of how the guidelines apply in various scenarios.

Benjamin J. Lovett, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology at the State University of New York College at Cortland, where his research focuses on conceptual and applied issues in psychoeducational assessment and psychiatric diagnosis. Dr. Lovett has more than 50 publications that have appeared in peer-reviewed journals and edited books. He also serves as a consultant to a variety of educational institutions and testing agencies on the topics of disability diagnosis and testing accommodations.
 
Lawrence J. Lewandowski, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Syracuse University, holding distinction as a Laura J. and Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Lewandowski has approximately 100 publications, most of which deal with the study of learning disabilities, attention disorders, and other pediatric neurological conditions. His recent research involves such topics as processing and reading speed in individuals with and without disabilities, extended-time accommodations for students with disabilities, assessment of clinical impairment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities, and the effects of concussion on children and adults.