• Background
• Introduction
• Objectives
• Development
• Timeline
• Scope
• Audience
• Factors
• Test Developers
• Test Publishers
• Test Users
• Official Translations
• Acknowledgements
• References
• Appendix
• Glossary

International Test Commission

International Guidelines on Computer-Based and Internet Delivered Testing

Scope

As with the International Guidelines of Test Use (2001), the current guidelines use the terms ‘test’ and ‘testing’ in their broadest sense and include psychological and educational tests used in clinical, health, educational and work and organisational assessment settings. CBT/Internet tests should be supported by evidence of their technical adequacy for their intended purpose. These guidelines are aimed at tests conducted both online and onscreen (offline), which can include testing via the use of a CD ROM or a download executable. The document includes guidance for fully computerised testing and for part-computerised testing and the reader can refer to the most appropriate elements. For example, only the sending and scoring of assessment papers may be computerised (the rest paper and pencil). Given this, the guidelines dealing with security and confidentiality of data are important.

In general, the guidelines can apply to both high stakes and low stakes assessment. As an example, high stakes assessments are those where a third party requires the results of the test for use in the process of making an important decision about a test-taker (high stakes testing may also include those that are used to make decisions about groups of test-takers, such as a school class). By contrast, an example of low stakes assessment would be where the test-taker obtains the information for his or her own interest. That some guidelines apply only to high stakes testing environments is made clear within the text itself.

Again, unless otherwise specified in the text, the guidelines presented here should be considered as applying to a number of modes of supervision and across a number of testing scenarios. Four modes of test administration are considered:

• Open mode – Where there is no direct human supervision of the assessment session and hence there is no means of authenticating the identity of the test-taker. Internet-based tests without any requirement for registration can be considered an example of this mode of administration.
• Controlled mode – No direct human supervision of the assessment session is involved but the test is made available only to known test-takers. Internet tests will require test-takers to obtain a logon username and password. These often are designed to operate on a one-time-only basis.¹
• Supervised (Proctored) mode – Where there is a level of direct human supervision over test-taking conditions. In this mode test-taker identity can be authenticated. For Internet testing this would require an administrator to log-in a candidate and confirm that the test had been properly administered and completed.
• Managed mode – Where there is a high level of human supervision and control over the test-taking environment. In CBT testing this is normally achieved by the use of dedicated testing centres, where there is a high level of control over access, security, the qualification of test administration staff and the quality and technical specifications of the test equipment.²

Application of these guidelines needs to be considered in terms of their relevance for a range of different testing scenarios (e.g., guidelines are more appropriate for the more high stakes forms of scenarios). For example, in relation to testing in work and organisational settings, four main scenarios can be identified:

• Guidance – personnel development or career guidance, where the test-taker requires the information for his/her own interest.
• Pre-screening recruitment – covers assessment carried out on people up to the point at which they are sifted to form a short-list.
• Post sift selection – assessments on a known set of applicants who have been previously short-listed
• Post-hire assessment – assessments carried out on employees of an organisation by or on behalf of the organisations. This may be either high or low stakes assessment.

Additionally in clinical/counseling settings, four scenarios could be:

• Development and decision-making purposes – where the information is used by the client and therapist/counselor to identify aspects of functioning that require development or to make decisions (e.g., career assessment).
• Screening – to get a global picture of the client’s functioning.
• Diagnostic purposes – to identify specific strengths and weaknesses which can guide intervention planning.
• Planning and evaluating intervention/therapy.

Each of these raises different issues regarding control and security.

¹ Standardisation of the testing environment is not possible with open mode testing, and often not possible in the controlled mode of testing.
² Standardisation is possible with supervised mode and managed mode.