Construction Of Item Bank On Arithmetic Skills For Students With Mild Intellectual Disability Learning In Regular Class Based On Item Response Theory

As a basic mathematic skill, the arithmetic skill has played an important role in the further study and life of students with mild intellectual disability. So, the assessment on arithmetic skills becomes one of the most important parts of academic achievement assessment for students with disabilities. Some modifications should be made on goals and forms when assessing those students in order to adapt to their cognitive characters and assure the effectiveness of the assessment.The purpose of this study was to develop a criterion-referenced test on arithmetic skills for students with mild intellectual disability, construct the item bank based on this test, and provide the standard academic assessment tools for teachers finally.Three studies in total were included in this research.In the first study, the methods of academic assessment for students with disabilities, the arithmetic ability of students with mild intellectual disability, and the theory of item bank were reviewed, which provided the foundation for follow-up studies;In the second study, the arithmetic test was developed which based on the Primary Mathematics Curriculum Standards in Shanghai and Mathematic Assessment Scale for Students with Disabilities Learning in Regular Class. Totally399primary school students from2nd grade to5th grade, included9students with mild intellectual disability, took part in the pilot study, and4765students from2nd grade to5th grade, included14students with mild intellectual disability,took the formal study. The quality of items, the reliability, and the validity of the test were assessed by CTT and IRT.In the third study, based on the test developed in the second study, an item bank was constructed. And, some guidelines for using this item bank were provided for teachers.Results of this research included the arithmetic test for students with mild intellectual disability which involved the arithmetic skills from1st grade to4th grade. Totally4equal tests were developed in this research. This arithmetic test had been modified by experts in order to assure its validity to students with mild intellectual disability. A variety of question types were included in the test, such as calculation problems, blanking problems, word problems, and applied problems.After investigation the achievement of arithmetic skills of both primary school students with and without intellectual disability, the psychometrical parameters of the items were examined by CTT and IRT. The results indicated that the items met the standard of the criterion-referenced test, and the reliability and validity of all the equal tests were adequate.Based on the tests developed in the second study, the item bank was constructed. The item bank had met the standard of the psychometrics. Furthermore, some guidelines on using this item bank were provided for teachers at last.