Effect of Speededness on Test Performance of Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Examinees

Handicapped and nonhandicapped fifth-grade students were administered subtests of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) under timed and untimed conditions to examine the effect of speededness on the test performance of the two groups. The results of a two-group discriminant analysis suggested that the handicapped group cannot be distinguished from the nonhandicapped group on the basis of completion or noncompletion of 90% of the test items, or on the number of items attempted under timed conditions. Furthermore, the results of analysis of variance procedures provided no evidence that the groups were differentially affected when the amount of speededness was reduced. One possible implication of the findings was that members of some handicapped groups may reasonably be included in the standardized testing situation with other members of their class, rather than be excluded or exempted from the testing experience.