Are universally designed assessments specifically meant to benefit students with disabilities?
Universal design does not apply only to people with disabilities. It applies to all individuals, with wide ranging characteristics. Many of the principles of universal design are similar to general principles for increasing validity in assessments for all students. For example, by designing assessments to provide for a full range of test performance, and thus avoiding ceiling or floor effects, the assessments provide better information on the performance of all students. Similarly, reducing extraneous features, such as unnecessary linguistic complexity and confusing or low contrast graphics, allows all students to better show their skills on the constructs being tested. By thinking about all students during test conceptualization, construction, field testing, item analysis, and test revision, universal design results in more usable and valid assessments for all students, reducing the need for different forms, booklets, or assessments. It is important to check assessment changes to make
