About the Project

This project has been funded by a NCSEHE 2020 Research Grant.

High-stakes, timed assessments can be problematic for students with disabilities (SWD). Though assessment adjustments are enshrined in legislation, equitable outcomes are not assured, and evidence for their efficacy is unclear. SWD membership of additional equity groups may contribute to disadvantage which cannot be addressed through assessment adjustments. This project shifts the focus to understanding the broader context of, and barriers and enablers to, inclusive assessment design. It will use student voice data and workshops with staff and students to research inclusive assessment development. This will inform an inclusive assessment framework and underpin recommendations for policy and practice.

Our key research questions are:

  1. What impacts on the inclusivity of high-stakes timed assessments?
  2. Within high-stakes timed assessment practices, how does disadvantage for SWD intersect with RRR and/or low SES?
  3. How are high-stakes timed assessment amenable to change?
  4. Can modifying arrangements relating to high-stakes assessment result in more inclusive assessment design?
back to top