How does CAA differ from paper-and-pencil testing?
CAA differs from paper-and-pencil tests in a number of important ways. For example, rather than having all examinees writing the same test with the same number of items, each examinee is administered a unique set of items, tailored to his or her specific achievement level. This approach to test administration offers a challenging yet fair assessment experience for every student. Examinees at a low achievement level are not required to respond to items that are difficult and beyond their achievement level, thus reducing potentially negative psychological effects (e.g., examinees becoming despondent or experiencing test anxiety). Similarly, examinees at a high achievement level are not required to answer items that are too simple for them, thus reducing the potential for boredom.The main benefit of CAA versus paper-and-pencil tests for low- and high-ability students is that more information can be obtained on these students because they are administered more items targeted to their abili
