Inclusive & Accessible Assessment

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Why it works

Assessments often contain unintended barriers, dense language, reading demands unrelated to the content, a single format, timing pressure, that prevent some students from showing what they actually know, measuring the barrier rather than the learning. Designing assessment for accessibility (in the spirit of UDL), clear language, reduced unnecessary reading load, multiple ways to demonstrate learning, appropriate accommodations, makes assessment fairer and more accurate for all students, especially those with disabilities or who are learning the language.

The research: UDL; research on accessible and fair assessment.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: design an accessible assessment

Teachers leave with one assessment redesigned to remove unintended barriers.

Take an assessment.
Identify unintended barriers (dense language, reading load, single format, timing).
Redesign to remove them (clear language, reduced load, multiple ways to show learning, accommodations).
Make sure it measures the target learning, not reading or test-taking.

Measure the learning, not the barrierAn accessible assessment lets every student show what they know. Remove unintended barriers so the assessment measures the target, not reading or test-taking.

Facilitator notes

Remove unintended barriers, and use clear language and reduced load.
Offer multiple ways to show learning, and provide accommodations.
Measure the target.

Unintended barriers measure the wrong thingDense language or a single rigid format can block students who know the content. Design for accessibility so you measure the learning, not the barrier.

Adapt it

Elementary: clear language, multiple formats, accommodations.
Secondary: reduced load, multiple ways to demonstrate, accommodations.
All settings: remove barriers, measure the target.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Accessible Assessment: measure the learning

Every student shows what they know: remove unintended barriers so the assessment measures the target, not reading.

The assessment:
The unintended barriers in it:
How I redesign to remove them:
The multiple ways students can show learning:
How I ensure it measures the target learning:

Make it stick

Measure the learning:

Remove barriers.
Measure the learning.
Bring a more accessible assessment to the next PLC.

Common questions

Isn't a standard test the fairest way, same for everyone?

Same is not always fair. A test loaded with dense language or a single format can block students who know the content from showing it. Accessible design measures the learning, not the barrier.

How do I make assessment accessible?

Use clear language, reduce reading load unrelated to the content, offer multiple ways to demonstrate learning where appropriate, provide accommodations, and remove unintended barriers, so the assessment measures the target, not reading or test-taking.

Doesn't accommodation give some students an advantage?

Accommodations remove barriers so students can show what they know; they do not change the standard. The goal is an accurate measure of the learning for every student.