ABSTRACT
Tests have been administered on computers in a large-scale way since the late 1980s. One of the first high-stakes programs to do so was the licensure test for the National Association of Securities Dealers, using the PLATO system (Wikipedia, 2009). Since then, many, if not most, large-scale testing programs outside of education have converted paper-and-pencil programs to ones using computers and other technology. Testing programs starting from scratch at this time generally begin with the intention to administer tests via computers. There is no standard or obligation to start a high-stakes testing program first with a paper-and-pencil test. Despite the advances and popularity of technology-based testing there remains a large segment of testing programs, mainly in the area of education, that continue to use paper-and-pencil test administration. This chapter will focus on technology-based tests and their security issues. Other chapters in this Handbook (Chapters 2 and 4) provide similar information for paper-and-pencil tests.
