A Scoping Review on Online Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Findings and Recommendations for Curricular Design in Higher Education

The online environment has always been an efficient option for accommodating learning for students of all abilities. This scoping review aims to analyze the key features, methodologies, and outcomes of research regarding online assessment accommodations for students with disabilities and extract the best recommendations for curricular design in higher education. Exploring Google Scholar, Taylor and Francis, and Web of Science (WoS) databases, a systematic literature search identified 26 pertinent studies published since 2019. Thematic analysis revealed four main themes: conceptual developments, barriers to online assessment, recommendations for enhanced accessibility, and accessible curriculum design. The findings indicate that online assessment is increasingly being viewed as a universal assessment approach with accommodations designed to benefit all students. Higher education institutions should promote uniform accommodations by fostering collaboration between support services and instructors for consistent application across all courses. These accommodations could include strategies like enhancing the accessibility of learning management systems through collaboration, designing courses with progress evaluations and constructive feedback, and allowing task revisions until mastery. Additionally, advocating for various assessment formats, including blackboard quizzes, self-marking tests, and multimedia presentations with flexible completion timelines, aims to boost inclusivity. The insights from this review have the potential to drive positive changes in curriculum design, promoting inclusive education for all students in higher education settings.