Date

5-23-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

George Johnson

Keywords

alternative assessment, cognitive disabilities, Virginia Alternative Assessment Program, special education

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this collective case study was to explore educators’ perceptions of the redesign of the Virginia Alternative Assessment Program (VAAP) for students with significant cognitive disabilities (SWSCD) at three schools in Virginia. A purposeful sampling criterion was employed to recruit ten special education teachers and support staff who either implemented or had relevant experience with the portfolio-based and multiple-choice online formats of the VAAP. The study was conducted across three schools in a local school district in Virginia. The setting and participants were kept confidential by replacing names with pseudonyms. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD), which emphasizes the difference between what learners can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance. Based on the premise of ZPD, dynamic assessment serves as an effective alternative assessment method that involves learning through the integration of instruction and assessment. The central research question that shaped this study was: What are educators’ perceptions of the redesign of the Virginia Alternative Assessment Program? The data collection method included semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. The four primary themes that emerged from the study were challenges, assessment format, appropriateness, and individualized instruction. Results from the findings indicate that participants perceived the VAAP multiple-choice online format does not accurately measure the progress of SWSCD.

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