Accessible ICT-Enabled Examination Technologies for Students with Special Educational Needs in Higher Education: A Technical Evaluation of Usability, Reliability, Accommodation Quality, and Assessment Fairness

Abstract

Higher education institutions are increasingly adopting digital examination platforms; however, many ICT-based assessment systems have not been sufficiently evaluated to ensure accessibility for students with special educational needs (SEN). Accessibility in digital assessment extends beyond access to online learning resources and includes students’ ability to independently complete high-stakes examinations while maintaining assessment integrity under conditions involving time constraints, identity verification procedures, platform limitations, and assistive-technology requirements. This study developed and applied a mixed-method technical evaluation model for ICT-enabled examination systems in higher education. The proposed model assesses usability, accommodation effectiveness, system reliability, response-time stability, assistive-technology compatibility, accessibility compliance, and perceived assessment fairness. The evaluation framework integrates accessibility auditing based on WCAG 2.2, EN 301 549, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines 3.0, along with interviews involving examination administrators, ICT personnel, and disability support officers, task-based usability testing, and system-log analysis. The evaluation considers measurable indicators, including error frequency, page reload incidents, support requests, unsuccessful submission attempts, response-time variation, and perceived fairness scores. These indicators provide evidence of the technical and procedural factors that contribute to barriers during digital examinations. By combining user experiences with objective system-level evidence, the study identifies when, where, and how accessibility barriers emerge within ICT-enabled assessment environments. The findings highlight the importance of treating accessible examination systems as essential components of assessment quality rather than as supplementary accommodations. The proposed model supports higher education institutions in evaluating the reliability, inclusiveness, and fairness of digital examination infrastructures by linking assessment outcomes with platform design, system stability, accommodation delivery, and operational evidence.