This resource provides guidance for teachers on how to design more inclusive assessments.

For general good practice, see:

Design assessments page on the Design for Learning site
Assessment section on the Remote Learning site

Scaffolding students towards assessment

Integrating assessment literacy into course design can help students prepare for exams.Provide opportunities for frequent practice, low stakes assessments that lead to higher stakes assessments.Communicate clear expectations for:

how to set up a safe and comfortable working environment
the assessment format
the software platform

Designing inclusive assessments

It can be useful to identify the purpose of your assessment and how it aligns with the learning and enhances opportunities for higher order thinking. Where appropriate, provide marking rubrics in advance.

An Introduction to UDL and Assessment

Transcription available at udloncampus.cast.org

Consider the construct relevance of your assessment

Your assessment should aim to minimise barriers for students and focus on the knowledge, skills and abilities being assessed.

Choose question types that do not over-emphasise English language skills (where this is not essential to demonstrating learning). For example, instead of questions that require students to spell unusual terms, provide those terms and require them to explain the concept and reasoning in everyday language.
Avoid weighting assessments in a format that strongly favours/disadvantages students with particular characteristics. For example, closed-book, timed quizzes tend to favour students with good memory recall and fast reading/processing/typing ability—none of which may be relevant to the learning outcomes.

Support learner variability through flexible assessments

Provide options so that all learners can act on new information and demonstrate what they know. Diversify question types to cater for learner variability.
Consider embedded design features in digital assessments (e.g. text-to-speech capability).

Reflect on how you could minimise or remove the following potential barriers

text-heavy assessments
multiple choice assessments (paper-based or online)
online assessments
time restrictions
prescribed writing tools (handwriting to typing)
unfamiliar layout
length of assessment
size and organisation of spaces and boxes to record in
printed assessment
consider context and cultural relevance