Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Sign Language Test Development: Results of an International Survey
Temas
Detalles
Sign language test development is a relatively new field within sign linguistics, motivated by the practical need for assessment instruments to evaluate language development in different groups of learners (L1, L2). Due to the lack of research on the structure and acquisition of many sign languages, developing an assessment instrument poses methodological challenges to test developers. Existing sign language tests use information and communication technologies (ICT) to different degrees for test delivery, for example Web-based tests or an application that is installed locally on a computer's hard drive. In order to gain an overview of the state of the art with respect to the delivery of sign language tests and the advantages/disadvantages that test developers see in the usage of ICT related to sign language tests, an international survey was launched (N = 19). The survey was distributed using the online survey tool LimeSurvey. The results of this exploratory study provide a first overview of issues related to the usage of ICT for sign language test delivery and indicate that some issues are comparable to those faced by computer-/Web-delivered tests for spoken languages, whereas others are sign language specific. For the future more research is needed to explore the potentials and challenges of ICT for sign language test development.