Equity in Assessment: Strategies for Students with ADHD and Dyslexia in the Final Years

Daniele Gomes Segantin Ragogna; José Matias dos Santos Filho

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602810

Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute for textual synthesis and organization.

Abstract

The study analyzed the characteristics of Portuguese Language assessments in the final years of Elementary School, focusing on the organization of assessment instruments and their relationship with accessibility and equity. The objective was to analyze how regular and adapted assessments incorporated elements related to linguistic clarity, visual organization, and the distribution of cognitive demands. To this end, a qualitative documentary research was conducted, analyzing 24 assessments from the 6th and 7th grades, including regular and adapted versions, applied throughout the three quarters of 2025, and minutes from an institutional pedagogical meeting. The analysis was conducted using the Content Analysis technique, considering the categories of command language, visual organization, and cognitive demands. The results showed a progressive movement of transformation in the adapted assessments throughout the analyzed period, with initially punctual and later more consistent modifications, especially in the clarity of commands, task segmentation, and reduction of cognitive overload. Despite the progress, variations persisted among the instruments, indicating the need for greater systematization of adaptation criteria. It was concluded that the linguistic, visual, and cognitive organization of assessments is central to promoting more equitable conditions for accessing the proposed tasks.

Keywords: Accessibility; Learning; Inclusion; Language; Neurodiversity.

1. Introduction

School assessment holds a central place in the teaching and learning process, guiding pedagogical decisions and contributing to the organization of teaching practices. In the final years of Elementary School, the role of assessment becomes even more relevant, especially regarding how assessment instruments are structured to enable access to the proposed tasks. In this context, assessment is not limited to verifying what has been learned, but also involves analyzing the conditions offered by the instruments for knowledge to be expressed.

However, assessment instruments are not always organized in a way that contemplates different forms of access to activities. Among the factors that can interfere in this process, neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, stand out.

In the case of ADHD, difficulties related to attention, planning, and organization can interfere with the execution of tasks that require multiple steps or a high cognitive load. ADHD is associated with alterations in executive functions, especially in processes related to attention, working memory, inhibitory control, and planning. Assessment instruments with a high cognitive load become more challenging for these students (Cosenza; Guerra, 2009).

Dyslexia, on the other hand, involves alterations in written language processing, especially in the relationship between graphemes and phonemes, which can impact reading and textual comprehension. Difficulties in grapheme-phoneme conversion compromise reading fluency and accuracy, making text processing slower and more demanding (Dehaene, 2012).

Thus, when assessment instruments present lengthy statements, poorly segmented structure, or multiple demands in the same question, they can impose barriers that are not directly related to the assessed content, but to the way tasks are presented. Poorly structured assessments, with ambiguous language or excessive information, tend to require greater cognitive effort, which can compromise task performance.

In this scenario, the adaptation of assessments should be understood not as a simplification of content, but as a reorganization of instruments, aiming to promote clarity, predictability, and accessibility of tasks. This perspective is in line with the guidelines of inclusive education and with Brazilian educational legislation, such as Law nº 14.254/2021, which ensures the right of students with neurodevelopmental disorders to pedagogical practices suited to their needs.

Assessment, as a pedagogical practice, is not neutral and is directly related to the access conditions it offers students. When structured without considering the diversity of learning styles, it can reinforce existing inequalities in the school context. On the other hand, when intentionally organized, with attention to language, information layout, and the cognitive demands involved, assessment can act as an instrument for promoting equity, favoring the participation and performance of different student profiles.

In the context of this research, Portuguese Language assessments applied to the 6th and 7th grades of Elementary School throughout the year 2025 were analyzed, including regular and adapted versions. The presence of these different formats makes it possible to observe, comparatively, how choices related to language, visual organization, and cognitive demands influence the structure of the assessment instruments.

Thus, the present study aims to analyze the characteristics of Portuguese Language assessments in the final years of Elementary School, seeking to understand to what extent the application of institutional adaptation guidelines is capable of promoting consistent structural changes in the evaluative instruments, with regard to the language of commands, visual organization and cognitive demands, in light of the principles of accessibility and equity.

2. Material and Methods

This research was characterized as a qualitative study, of a descriptive-analytical nature, based on documentary analysis. The methodological focus was on evaluative practices in the context of inclusive education, specifically in the final years of Elementary School, seeking to understand the structural characteristics of the evaluative instruments.

The study was conducted at a private educational institution, located in the interior of the state of São Paulo. Access to the analyzed documents was made possible by the author’s professional role at the aforementioned institution, which allowed for the collection of materials without any interference in the processes of elaboration, application, or correction of the assessments.

The research corpus was composed of 24 Portuguese Language assessments, with 12 intended for the 6th grade and 12 for the 7th grade of Elementary School. These assessments included regular and adapted versions, applied throughout the three academic quarters of the year 2025. In total, 186 questions or scored items were analyzed, distributed among the 24 assessments, all subjected to the same categorization process.

The assessments were systematically organized, considering the grade level, the quarter of application, and the version type (regular or adapted). This organization allowed for comparison between the tests and the observation of any structural modifications over the analyzed period, in line with the study’s objective.

Additionally, minutes from an institutional pedagogical meeting, held in 2025, were included in the documentary corpus. This document was used as supporting material to contextualize and understand the institutional guidelines related to the adaptation of assessments, providing an overview of the current pedagogical guidelines.

Data collection was restricted exclusively to institutional documents, without involving direct contact with students, professors, or management staff. The evaluations were gathered and organized according to previously defined criteria, ensuring a systematic and objective analysis of the instruments.

The minutes of the pedagogical meeting were included as a supplementary document to identify the institutional guidelines that could influence the observed modifications in the adapted assessments, especially in the third quarter. This procedure aimed to deepen the understanding of the context in which the adaptations were implemented.

The analysis of the documents was carried out based on the Content Analysis technique, following the deductive application of categories, as described by Mayring (2000). Unlike the classic inductive procedure (Bardin, 2009), the analytical categories were defined beforehand based on theoretical references and systematically applied to the corpus.

The analysis process involved initial reading stages of all evaluations and the minutes, followed by the organization of the material according to predefined categories. We sought to identify recurring elements related to the language of the commands, visual organization, and cognitive demands of the activities proposed in the evaluative instruments.

The analytical categories employed were: linguistic complexity, visual organization, cognitive demands, accessibility resources, criteria for correctness and suitability for students with dyslexia and ADHD. The definitions of these categories were detailed in Appendix A of the original TCC, guiding the comparison between the regular and adapted versions of the assessments.

The choice of these categories was based on pedagogical references and normative guidelines for inclusive education, including Resolution CNE/CEB No. 2/2001, the Brazilian Inclusion Law (Law No. 13.146/2015), and Law No. 14.254/2021. These legal and theoretical frameworks supported the analysis of the structural elements of the assessments.

It should be noted that the research focused on pedagogical adaptations, understood as adjustments in the structure of assessment instruments, without addressing broader institutional changes. A guiding checklist for adapting assessments was elaborated by the author, based on the analysis and on inclusive education references, and presented in Appendix B of the original TCC, configuring itself as an authorial pedagogical material.

Regarding the ethical aspects, the research did not involve the collection of personal data, interviews, or observation of individuals. Only institutional documents were analyzed, ensuring the anonymity of the institution and any students or professionals involved, in accordance with the ethical principles of educational research.

3. Results and Discussion

The analysis of the 24 Portuguese Language assessments, which included regular and adapted versions for the 6th and 7th grades of Elementary School, applied throughout the three quarters of 2025, revealed a dynamic process of transformation in assessment practices. An evolution of adaptations was observed, which initially manifested as punctual adjustments and later consolidated into more structured modifications. These changes had a direct impact on the accessibility of the instruments, aligning with the principles of inclusive education and the needs of students with neurodevelopmental disorders.

The regular assessments, in turn, maintained consistent characteristics throughout the entire period analyzed. They presented extensive commands, often with multiple actions in a single question, in addition to a dense visual organization and a high demand for continuous reading. Such characteristics require greater mobilization of working memory, sustained attention, and simultaneous interpretation capacity, which can represent a significant barrier to the performance of students with dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

In contrast, the adapted assessments demonstrated a progressive improvement path. The modifications, which began in a punctual manner, became more consistent and comprehensive reorganizations, especially in the simplification of commands, the segmentation of tasks, and the improvement of visual organization. These transformations indicate a growing concern with how the student interacts with the assessment, contributing to the reduction of barriers and the expansion of possibilities for participation and knowledge expression.

Command language

Regarding the command language, regular assessments frequently exhibited extensive and complex statements, which required the student to perform several cognitive operations simultaneously. This structure, by combining multiple actions in the same question, can compromise the clarity of the task and hinder the identification of the main objective, imposing an unnecessary cognitive load that does not directly reflect content knowledge.

In adapted assessments, a progressive elimination of information considered irrelevant in the statements was observed, accompanied by the adoption of more direct and objective instructions. This strategy is fundamental to avoid attentional dispersion, as pointed out by Pansanato and Silva (2024), and to organize the assessment instruments in a way that facilitates access to the proposed tasks. The simplification of the language of the commands, therefore, is configured as a relevant pedagogical accommodation, ensuring that the format of the assessment does not become a barrier to the content (Navas et al., 2023).

The analysis also revealed the presence of structures that resemble visible thinking routines, especially in questions that guided the student to follow steps such as observing, interpreting, and questioning. This organization of commands into steps, even if incipient, suggests an approach to methods that mediate the cognitive process. By instructing the student on how to proceed, and not just on what to answer, adapted assessments begin to act as reasoning support tools, although effectiveness depends on clarity and segmentation, as excessive information can generate confusion and increase cognitive load.

Visual organization

Regarding visual organization, the regular assessments were characterized by a dense graphic structure, with limited spacing between questions and an absence of clear activity segmentation. This visual density can overload information processing, hindering reading and comprehension for students with attention or visual processing difficulties, such as those with ADHD or dyslexia.

Over the quarters, a notable transition was observed in the adapted assessments, which began to feature greater spacing between elements, more evident task segmentation, and a more balanced distribution of visual components. The organization of activities into more defined blocks contributed significantly to making the instrument more accessible and intuitive. Pansanato and Silva (2024) emphasize that the tendency towards disorganization, common in students with ADHD, requires clearer and more predictable structures, which validates the importance of these visual strategies.

Additionally, the use of visual resources and layout adequacy were identified as effective strategies to minimize barriers in the learning process. Navas et al. (2023) corroborate this perspective, highlighting that clear and organized visual presentation facilitates the perception and comprehension of information. Thus, visual organization is not merely aesthetic, but a crucial component for the accessibility and equity of assessment instruments.

Cognitive demands and equity

Regarding cognitive demands, regular assessments required students to continuously read extensive texts, simultaneously interpret complex information, and produce elaborate responses. These demands implied a high effort from executive functions, such as working memory and inhibitory control, which are particularly challenging for students with ADHD and dyslexia, as discussed by Cosenza and Guerra (2009).

In adapted assessments, especially in the third quarter, a reorganization of tasks was observed, aiming at division into smaller steps, alternation of difficulty levels, and reduction of cognitive overload. This approach seeks to balance demands, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge in a more accessible way. Navas et al. (2023) emphasize that educational support must guarantee these conditions, and Pansanato and Silva (2024) add that the application of adaptation guidelines contributes to a more inclusive educational environment.

It was found that several issues analyzed in adapted assessments were not restricted to more basic cognitive levels, such as remembering or understanding, but required more complex operations, such as analyzing, interpreting, and constructing responses. This breadth of cognitive demand, in light of Bloom’s Taxonomy, demonstrates that adaptation does not translate into content simplification, but rather into a restructuring of the form to optimize access. The reduction of cognitive load, therefore, aims to allow the student to mobilize their intellectual capacities without the impediment of structural barriers.

Evolution of adaptations over the quarters

The comparative analysis of the evaluations revealed a progressive movement towards qualifying the adaptations throughout the quarters of 2025. In the first quarter, the modifications presented an initial and poorly systematized character, focusing on formal aspects. The adapted evaluations maintained a structure very close to the regular version, which resulted in a limited impact on reducing access barriers and cognitive overload.

An example of this initial phase can be observed in a 6th-grade assessment on types of language. While the regular version presented a discursive paragraph for contextualization before the command, the adapted version eliminated this introductory text and directly named the answer options, such as “WRITE IN THE BALLOONS THE TYPES OF LANGUAGE (VERBAL, NON-VERBAL, AND MIXED) THAT YOU CAN IDENTIFY IN THE IMAGES BELOW”. This alteration, although specific in formatting and clarity, did not change the fundamental structure of the task.

In the second quarter, a transition movement was identified, with more consistent advances in visual organization and task segmentation. There was an expansion of spacing between questions and the beginning of dividing activities into smaller stages, configuring structural changes that contributed to making access more organized and less overwhelming. The adaptations were still partial, but already indicated a growing concern with accessibility.

An illustrative case of this transition is the 6th-grade assessment on numeral classification. The regular version requested free transcription of the classification of numerals highlighted in the sentences, while the adapted version offered a support table with predefined categories, transforming the task into recognition by selection, such as “CIRCLE the classification of the highlighted numerals”. This change represents an advance in segmentation and a reduction in the demand for free written production.

In the third quarter, the consolidation of more accessible evaluation practices was observed. The commands became more objective and organized in sequential steps, the visual organization became clearer and more standardized, with defined segmentation and better distribution of visual elements, and there was a more consistent reduction in cognitive overload. The tasks were distributed in stages, with a better balance between different levels of demand, demonstrating greater clarity and direction.

This advance was noted, for example, in the use of word banks to fill in gaps. In a 7th-grade assessment of the book “A Study in Scarlet”, the regular version required a discursive response combining two actions (“IDENTIFY and EXPLAIN the characteristics of the textual genre”). The adapted version, in turn, offered a closed word bank for the same task (“COMPLETE the spaces with the correct words”), maintaining the content requirement but reducing the burden of free written production and cognitive effort.

The Guiding Checklist and Institutional Guidelines

The analysis of the minutes of the pedagogical meeting held in 2025 contributed to contextualizing the modifications observed in the assessments, especially in the third quarter. The document revealed institutional guidelines convergent with the characteristics identified in the adapted assessments, focusing on the clarity of instructions, visual organization, and the adequacy of cognitive demands. These institutional guidelines reinforce the importance of a systematic approach to adapting assessment instruments.

As a product of the research, a guiding checklist was developed for the adaptation of Portuguese Language assessments, based on documentary analysis and inclusive education references. This instrument, intended for formative and institutional use, aims to systematize pedagogical guidelines and improve the development of more accessible assessments. It emphasizes short and objective commands, requests for a single main action per item, use of clear verbs, absence of abstract or ambiguous vocabulary, adequate spacing, segmentation into steps, graphic layout conducive to sequential reading, and visual highlighting of relevant information.

The checklist also addresses accessibility features, such as the use of bold text, boxes, or markers for visual guidance, the reduction of extensive text blocks, and the presence of relevant visual support. Regarding cognitive demands, the instrument suggests avoiding multiple simultaneous cognitive operations, ensuring that reading the command does not overload the main task, and assuring coherence between the learning objective and the question format. These guidelines aim to promote methodological flexibility without implying content reduction, aligning with the principles of educational equity.

Discussion in light of the theoretical framework

The adaptations observed in the assessments do not represent a simplification of the content, but rather a strategy of methodological flexibility aimed at promoting more equitable assessment conditions. This perspective aligns with the understanding of Shaywitz and Shaywitz (2023), who highlight that reading difficulties do not stem from a lack of intellectual capacity, but from differences in linguistic processing, requiring a reorganization of access conditions to tasks so that the student can effectively demonstrate their knowledge.

The analyses carried out demonstrate that the adaptations dialogue directly with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), as proposed by Sebastián-Heredero (2020). The reduction of barriers and the expansion of possibilities for accessing knowledge are central. Elements such as the expansion of sources, adequate spacing, and the use of visual resources favor the perception and understanding of information, in line with the principle of multiple means of representation. The segmentation of tasks and the diversification of response formats, in turn, support executive functions and reduce cognitive overload, aligning with the principle of multiple means of action and expression.

The organization of assessments, by seeking to minimize anxiety factors and favor task predictability, approaches the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principle of multiple means of engagement. The observed adaptations, therefore, do not simplify the curriculum but reorganize the conditions of access, shifting the focus from student limitation to the need for flexibility in the assessment instrument itself. This approach recognizes student variability and the importance of offering different ways of presenting information, of action and expression, and of engagement (Sebastián-Heredero, 2020).

The approximation between commands organized in steps and visible thinking routines finds support in the framework of Project Zero, from Harvard University. According to Placido (2024), these routines are structured sequences that make thinking more visible, cognitively organizing the student’s action and favoring the construction of meaning. By making thinking processes explicit and organized, assessments act as mediators of cognitive development, a role that, in face-to-face teaching contexts, would be performed by the teacher.

From the perspective of learning neuroscience, the demands of regular assessments imply greater mobilization of executive functions, such as working memory, attention, and cognitive control. Dehaene (2012) highlights that difficulties in converting graphemes to phonemes compromise reading fluency and accuracy, making text processing slower and more demanding, especially with extensive or poorly segmented statements. The task organization strategies in adapted assessments can be understood as forms of scaffolding, offering support for carrying out activities (Placido, 2024).

The analysis can also be expanded by the assumptions of Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy, which organizes cognitive processes into progressive levels of complexity. Although Bloom’s Taxonomy organizes learning linearly, Project Zero’s approaches problematize this linearity, arguing that thinking occurs dynamically and interconnectedly (Placido, 2024). The questions analyzed in the adapted assessments, by requiring complex operations such as analyzing and interpreting, demonstrate that the adaptations are not limited to basic levels, but seek to make access to these more complex levels equitable.

According to Mantoan (2003), the principles of inclusive education highlight the need to reorganize pedagogical practices to meet the diversity of students. The body of evidence reinforces the importance of assessment instruments organized more clearly and segmented, in order to reduce barriers related to both executive functions and reading processes. The adaptation of assessments, therefore, should be understood as a strategy aimed at guaranteeing more equitable conditions of access to tasks, an evolution that, as demonstrated, does not occur immediately, but is gradually built over the analyzed period.

In summary, the research results show that the organization of assessment instruments plays a central role in promoting more equitable assessment conditions. The progressive transformation observed in adapted assessments, with improvements in command clarity, visual organization, and cognitive demand distribution, demonstrates an institutional effort to align assessment practices with the principles of accessibility and equity. Although variations still persist, indicating the need for greater systematization, the study reinforces that the way assessment is structured is crucial for student access and performance, directly addressing the objective of understanding how elements of clarity, organization, and cognitive demands are incorporated to promote equity.

4. Conclusion

The present study aimed to analyze the characteristics of Portuguese Language assessments in the final years of Elementary School, seeking to understand how the application of institutional adaptation guidelines promoted structural changes in the assessment instruments, considering the language of the instructions, visual organization, and cognitive demands, in light of the principles of accessibility and equity. A progressive movement of transformation was observed in the adapted assessments throughout the three quarters of 2025. Initially, the modifications were punctual, but later they consolidated into more consistent reorganizations, especially in the clarity of instructions, task segmentation, and reduction of cognitive load. In contrast, regular assessments maintained extensive instructions, dense visual organization, and high demand for continuous reading. The analysis showed that the adaptations did not imply content simplification, but a restructuring of the form to optimize access, aligning with the principles of Universal Design for Learning and visible thinking routines. As a practical contribution, a guiding checklist was developed for adapting Portuguese Language assessments, aiming to systematize pedagogical guidelines and improve the creation of more accessible instruments.

Despite the advances observed, variations persisted among the adapted instruments, indicating the need for greater systematization of the elaboration criteria and a lack of individualization in the adaptations. This research, of a documentary nature, did not aim to directly verify the effects of these structural transformations on student performance or evaluative experience. It is suggested, for future studies, to expand the analysis to other curricular components and school contexts, in order to deepen the understanding of inclusive evaluative practices. It is also recommended that future investigations verify, with students with ADHD and dyslexia, the impacts of these adaptations on performance and evaluative experience. It is concluded that the linguistic, visual, and cognitive organization of assessments is a central element for promoting more equitable conditions of access to the proposed tasks, reinforcing the role of assessment as a space for mediation and not just verification.

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Article originating from a Final Course Work on Neuroscience and Learning in Education

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