Testing Math or Testing Language? The Construct Validity of the KeyMath-Revised for Children With Intellectual Disability and Language Difficulties.
Although it is often assumed that mathematics ability alone predicts mathematics test performance, linguistic demands may also predict achievement. This study examined the role of language in mathematics assessment performance for children with intellectual disability (ID) at less severe levels, on the KeyMath-Revised Inventory (KM-R) with a sample of 264 children, in grades 2-5. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the hypothesis that the KM-R would demonstrate discriminant validity with measures of language abilities in a two-factor model was compared to two plausible alternative models. Results indicated that KM-R did not have discriminant validity with measures of children's language abilities and was a multidimensional test of both mathematics and language abilities for this population of test users. Implications are considered for test development, interpretation, and intervention.
Katherine T. Rhodes, Georgia State University (now at Ohio University);
Katherine T
KT
Rhodes
Lee Branum-Martin, Robin D. Morris, MaryAnn Romski, and Rose A. Sevcik, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Lee
L
Branum-Martin
Lee Branum-Martin, Robin D. Morris, MaryAnn Romski, and Rose A. Sevcik, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Robin D
RD
Morris
Lee Branum-Martin, Robin D. Morris, MaryAnn Romski, and Rose A. Sevcik, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
MaryAnn
M
Romski
Lee Branum-Martin, Robin D. Morris, MaryAnn Romski, and Rose A. Sevcik, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Rose A
RA
Sevcik
D002648:Child; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
KeyMath-Revised; discriminant validity; intellectual disability (ID); language; mathematics assessment performance; multidimensional assessment