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There is a great need to explore approaches for developing computer-based testing systems that are more accessible for people with disabilities. This report explores three prototype test delivery approaches, describing their development and formative evaluations. Fifteen adults, 2 to 4 from each of the six disability statuses--blindness, low vision, deafness, deaf-blindness, learning disability, and no disability--participated in a formative evaluation of the systems. Each participant was administered from 2 to 15 items in each of one or two of the systems. The study found that although all systems had weaknesses that should be addressed, almost all of the participants (13 of 15) would recommend at least one of the delivery methods for high-stakes tests, such as those for college or graduate admissions. The report concludes with recommendations for additional research that testing organizations seeking to develop accessible computer-based testing systems can consider.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how text formats affect readers' recall and feeling of disorientation based on their working memory capacities and past experience with hypertext. A post-test only experiment was conducted. A new hybrid hypertext, expanding hypertext, was proposed and tested with 201 college students. Among the participants who were low in hypertext experience, those who read the expanding hypertext reported the least disorientation whereas those who read the paged hypertext reported the most disorientation. Of the participants with more hypertext experience, those who read the paged hypertext reported the least disorientation while those who read the scrolling text reported the most disorientation. Of the participants who were low in working memory capacity, those who read the scrolling text produced higher recall scores than those who read the paged hypertext. The text formats appeared to influence how much time the participants spent reading the texts and in turn affected the participants' recall scores.

Explores how college students with different risk-taking tendencies responded to different emotional appeals in anti-tobacco advertisements. Finds that rebellious participants who watched realistic fear advertisements reported higher levels of interest than those who watched the vulgar humor advertisements. Explains that impulsive participants also reported more interest in the realistic fear advertisements, but their intentions to change smoking behavior were not affected. (PM)

ABSTRACT. The authors investigated the effects of violent portrayals in movie previews on viewers' arousal and anticipated enjoyment of movies based on their arousal-seeking tendencies. A total of 159 college [...]

This study investigated the effects of two different computer texts on readers' recall with three different content types (Blocked Constructs, Ordered Constructs, and Detail Layered Constructs) based on individuals' different working memory capacities. The findings indicated that the format and content types influenced how well information was remembered among readers. Participants with low working memory who read traditional scrolling text produced better recall scores than those who read the paged hypertext in two of the three content types. However, for those with high working memory capacity, all results came out differently depending on the content types.

A study involving 17 individuals (ages 17-55) who were blind examined the use of a prototype testing system that employs synthesized speech to deliver questions on reading and listening comprehension tests. In general, the usability of the system was evaluated positively. The most serious problem was synthesized speech quality. (Contains 2 references.) (CR)

There is limited research examining the impact of visual impairment (VI) on older adults while considering the complexities of aging, leaving gaps in our understanding of how health consequences of VI might be averted. We created a framework integrating concepts from disability, geriatrics, and ophthalmology that conceptualizes how VI challenges successful aging. Here, VI influences multiple functional domains, and increases the risk of negative health outcomes. This model acknowledges that common causes, such as risk factors that affect eyes and other systems simultaneously, may also drive the relationship between VI and health outcomes. Finally, the model highlights how the impact of VI on aging outcomes can be addressed at multiple intervention points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults with visual impairments are at increased risk of negative health outcomes. Here, we investigate the association between visual impairment and frailty.Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between visual impairment (distance visual acuity) and frailty (frailty phenotype criteria) were examined using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2002, ≥60 years) and the Women's Health and Aging Studies (WHAS III). Imbalance of potential confounders, particularly age, was addressed using propensity score-based adjustment. Multinomial logistic regression determined the odds of prefrailty and frailty at baseline in NHANES and ordinal logistic regression examined the odds of baseline and incident frailty over 3 years in WHAS III after adjustment for confounders and probability weighting (survey weights × inverse propensity scores).Results: In NHANES (n = 2,639, 9% vision impairment), participants with visual impairment were more likely to be prefrail (odds ratio [OR] = 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-5.3) and frail (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.5-9.2) than those without visual impairment. In WHAS III (n = 796, 26% mild, 37% moderate/severe vision impairment), participants with mild and moderate/severe vision impairment were more likely to be frail (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5-2.5; OR = 5.5; 95% CI: 4.2-7.2, respectively). A one-line worse visual acuity (0.1 logMAR increase) was associated with greater odds of frailty (OR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.4-1.7). Of those non-frail at baseline (n = 549), moderate/severe visual impairment and one-line worse visual acuity was associated with greater odds of incident frailty (OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.4-8.4; OR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.5, respectively) over 3 years.Conclusions: Visual impairment may be an important, yet understudied risk factor for frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether presenting anti-binge drinking health campaign messages in different message framing and evidence types influences college students’ intention to avoid binge drinking, based on prospect theory (PT) and exemplification theory. A 2 (message framing: loss-framed message/gain-framed message) X 2 (evidence type: statistical/narrative) between-subjects factorial design with a control group was conducted with 156 college students. College students who were exposed to the loss-framed message condition exhibited a higher level of intention to avoid binge drinking in the near future than those who did not see any messages (the control group). This finding was mainly among non-binge drinkers. Regardless of evidence type, those who were exposed to the messages exhibited a higher level of intention to avoid binge drinking than those in the control group. This is also mainly among non-binge drinkers. We also found the main effects of message framing and evidence type on attitude toward the message and the main effect of message framing on attitude toward drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated five different government organizations' uses of social media in two countries: South Korea and the United States. Two content analyses were conducted in two time periods: 2011 and 2014. We found that the majority of government organizations in both countries use social media within the public information model (for dissemination of information), followed by the two‐way asymmetrical model (for persuasion). As expected, the most prevalent public relations strategy is informative strategy, followed by persuasive strategy. The majority of government organizations use the information dissemination message strategy. Specific differences were found between 2011 and 2014 as well as between two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To test whether message framing (ie, gain vs. loss) and risk type (ie, health vs appearance risk) in skin cancer prevention messages interact with one's prior experience.Design: Two experiments with a 2 (message framing: gain vs loss) × 2 (risk type: health vs appearance risk) factorial design were conducted.Setting: The participants were given a URL to the experiment website via e-mail. On the first page of the website, the participants were told that they would be asked to evaluate a skin cancer print public service announcement (PSA): Online experiments.Participants: A total of 397 individuals participated (236 for experiment 1 and 161 for experiment 2). Apparatus: Four versions of the skin cancer print PSAs were developed. Four PSAs were identical except for the 2 manipulated components: message framing and risk type.Measures: Measures were adopted from Cho and Boster (message framing), Jones and Leary and Kiene et al. (risk type), De Vries, Mesters, van't Riet, Willems, and Reubsaet and Knight, Kirincich, Farmer, and Hood (prior experience), and Hammond, Fong, Zanna, Thrasher, and Borland and Hoffner and Ye (behavioral intent).Analysis: General linear models were used to test hypotheses.Results: Three-way interactions among message framing, risk type, and prior experience were found: When the intent of the message was to encourage sunscreen use, the effects of message framing and risk type were shown to be the exact opposite directions from when the intent was to discourage indoor/outdoor tanning.Conclusion: To discourage tanning among those with prior experience, messages emphasizing losses in terms of one's health will work better. For those with no prior experience, messages emphasizing potential appearance losses will work better for discouraging tanning while messages emphasizing gains like improving appearance will do a better job in encouraging sunscreen use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]