Language assessment accommodations: Issues and challenges for the future

Abstract

Several papers reference the concept of universal design as the preferred theoretical foundation for language test design and development (Christensen et al., 2023; Kim et al., 2023; Guzman-Orth et al., 2023). This approach, originally derived from the field of architecture in the United States (Case, 2008), proposes a set of principles whereby assessments are intentionally and proactively designed from the earliest stage of construction to be maximally accessible to all users, regardless of any special needs they may have (cf., the planning and design of public buildings as disabled-friendly). In the context of language test design and construction, this typically entails giving all test takers access to a broad range of universal but optional tools (e.g., magnifier, colour overlay) to enhance test accessibility. Recent technological developments for text