Extended time accommodations and the mathematics performance of students with and without ADHD

Test accommodations such as extended time are presumed to reduce the impact of a disability, while not affecting test scores of the general population. This study examined the effects of an extended time (time and one-half) accommodation on the mathematics performance of fifth-to seventh-grade students with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results did not support the differential boost hypothesis in that the ADHD group did not make more gains than the control group with extended time. However, the ADHD group did demonstrate lower processing speed, math fluency, and achievement. These findings suggest that, although students with ADHD tend to work with less overall efficiency in terms of processing speed and task fluency, they do not benefit significantly more than nondisabled students when given extended time on a speed-based math task. Implications for future research and accommodations policies are discussed.