About Us

Goals
Collaborators
Background Overview
Priority
Frequently Asked Questions

TARA

Technology Assisted Reading Assessment (TARA) focuses on a program of research and development to improve reading assessments for students with visual impairments or blindness. The project examines the properties of existing assessments for these students and develops an assessment of reading with a particular focus on independent technology assisted reading.

TARA is co-led by Educational Testing Service and the National Center on Educational Outcomes, with support from the Center for Applied Special Technology.

TARA ’s program of research includes:

• Psychometric research, which uses data from operational state assessments to determine how effectively current reading and English language arts assessments perform for students with visual impairments or blindness
• Focus groups and observational interviews with assistive technology readers to determine the necessary skills required to be an independent and efficient assistive technology (AT) reader
• Survey of AT readers to define the population of students who would benefit from an assessment of technology assisted reading and to inform the test blueprint
• Usability studies to ensure the prototype assessments created for both the TARA project and the other NARAP projects are accessible and valid for students with visual impairments and blindness.

More information can be found at the TARA Web site.