Fairness and validity in testing students with SpLDs: a case study from Italy

The numbers of students diagnosed with Specific Learning Differences (SpLD), e.g. dyslexia, specific language impairment, attention deficits, as well as those with other disabilities, e.g. visual, hearing or physical impairments, are steadily growing. So is the number of students enrolled in special education. This situation has led to an increased demand for appropriate testing and assessment provision. The chapter examines issues of validity arising from the assessment of the English language proficiency of students with SpLDs in the Italian university system. The chapter focuses on a case study in order to describe measures that have been developed and adopted to allow dyslexic students at Venice University access to the CEFR B1 level English entrance test.