Development of New Auditory Testing Media
with Invisible 2-Dimensional Codes for
Test-Takers with Print Disabilities
Mamoru Fujiyoshi1 , Akio Fujiyoshi2 , Akiko Ohsawa1 , Toshiaki Aomatsu3 , andHaruhiko Sawazaki4
1

National Center for University Entrance Examinations{fujiyosi,ohsawa}@rd.dnc.ac.jp
2
Ibaraki University
fujiyosi@mx.ibaraki.ac.jp
3
National School for the Blind of Tsukuba University
aomatsu@nsfb.tsukuba.ac.jp
4
Tokyo Metropolitan Kodaira Senior High School
Haruhiko Sawazaki@member.metro.tokyo.jp

Abstract. Utilizing invisible 2-dimensional codes and digital audio
players with a 2-dimensional code scanner, we developed two types of
new auditory testing media. The result of experimental evaluation of
the new testing media shows that, in addition to existing special accommodations such as large-print-format test and braille-format test, theintroduction of the new auditory testing media enables all test-takers
with print disabilities, including the newly blind, the severely partiallysighted and the dyslexic, to take the National Center Test for University
Admissions.

1

Introduction

The National Center Test for University Admissions is the joint first stage
achievement test for admissions into all national and local public universities aswell as many private universities in Japan. Every year, about 550,000 students
take it. As for test-takers with disabilities, special accommodations regarding
testing media such as large-print-format test and braille-format test have been
administered [1]. However, auditory testing media have not been available yet.
In most advanced countries, auditory testing media such as human readers, audio cassettes or computer screen readers are available for test-takers with print
disabilities [4, 5].
It is necessary to develop new auditory testing media for the National Center
Test. It is almost impossible to take the National Center Test with ordinary
types of auditory testing media because the documents are very long and the
document structure very complicated. Computer screen readers often misread
some combinations of Chinese characters in Japanese documents.
For auditory testing media for the National Center Test, the utilization of
DAISY (Digital Audio Accessible Information System) and Tablet PC has been

studied [2]. DAISY is a world standard audio system for people with visual disabilities. Test-takers can listen to the document from any point, such as from anunderlined or blank part, without delay. They can also use the talk-speed-control
function. However, DAISY is not convenient enough for tests which have complicated document structure. On the other hand, tablet PC has been identified
as appropriate testing media [2]. However, there are diﬃculties in administration because security of test administration and prevention of machine trouble
cannot be ensured.
Utilizing invisible 2-dimensional codes and digital audio players with a 2dimensional code scanner, we developed two types of new auditory testing media
for test-takers with print disabilities. In 2009, auditory tests of speech sounds
on document structure diagrams were developed [3], and, in 2010, multimodal
tests of speech sounds on ordinary texts were developed.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate the two types of new auditory testing media. The result shows that, in addition to existing special accommodations
such as large-print-format test and braille-format test, the introduction of the
new testing media enables all test-takers with print disabilities, including the
newly blind, the severe partially sighted and the dyslexic, to take the National
Center Test for University Admissions.

2

Two Types of New Auditory Testing Media

Using the two types of new auditory testing media, tests can be administrated
only with digital audio players and paper booklets (Fig. 1). The introduction ofinvisible 2-dimensional codes enable us to develop the new testing media.
We employ ‘GridOnput’, an invisible 2-dimensional code system developed
by Gridmark Solutions Co., Ltd (Fig. 2, left). Dots of GridOnput are arranged
at intervals of about 0.25 mm. The size of a code is about 2 mm square. Since
the intervals are large enough for the size of dots themselves, dots are almost
invisible. If we use invisible ink, which absorbs only infrared light, instead of
black ink, dots become totally invisible.
As a reading device for the new auditory testing media, we employ ‘Speaking
Pen’ developed by Gridmark Solutions Co., Ltd (Fig. 2, right). Speaking Pen has
a 2-dimensional code scanner at its top. When a 2-dimensional code is scannedwith Speaking Pen, the corresponding speech sound is reproduced. We can listen
to the sound through a headphone or built-in speaker. The sound volume andspeed can be adjusted with its buttons mounted at the front side. The sounddata is stored in an SD memory card. 1G byte is enough to store all sound dataof 1-year amount of the National Center Test.
2.1

Auditory Tests of Speech Sounds on Document Structure
Diagrams

For newly blind test-takers, partially sighted test-takers and dyslexic test-takers
who can read neither braille nor printed characters, auditory tests of speechsounds on document structure diagrams were designed [3].

Fig. 1. Test Scene

Fig. 2. 2-Dimensional Code (left), and Speaking Pen (right)

Document structure diagrams represent the organization of test documents.
Fig. 3 (left) is an example of a document structure diagram in the Japanese language. Each document structure diagram of a problem can be arranged withina sheet of paper. The first line shows the subject name ‘Kokugo 1’ and the second line the problem number ‘Dai 2 Mon’. The upper part shows the document
structure of the theme document of the problem. Each line ‘(1)’-‘(3)’ corresponds
to a paragraph in the theme document. The symbol ‘—’ represents a sentence
in a paragraph, and the symbols ‘a’-‘e’ represent underlined parts of the theme
document. The lower part shows the document structure of the questions of the
problem. Each line ‘Toi 1’-‘Toi 2’ corresponds to a question. The numbers ‘3’-‘4’
represent answer items, and the number symbols ‘1’-‘4’ represent multiple-choiceanswers for an answer item.
Document structure diagrams and corresponding invisible 2-dimensional
codes are printed on white paper by an LED printer (OKI Data Corporation).
Braille characters and braille lines may also be embossed on the same paper over-Fig. 3. Document Structure Diagram (left), and Ordinary Text with 2-Dimensinalcodes (right)

lappingly for newly blind test-takers. When any part of a document structure
diagram is touched by a digital audio player with a 2-dimensional code scanner,
the invisible code is scanned, and the corresponding speech sound is reproduced.
2.2

Multimodal Tests of Speech Sounds on Ordinary Texts

For dyslexic test-takers and partially sighted test-takers who can read someprinted characters, multimodal tests of speech sounds on ordinary texts were
designed.
In a test-booklet of multimodal tests of speech sounds on ordinary texts,
normal characters or large-print characters are printed overlappingly with corresponding invisible 2-dimensional codes. Fig. 3 (right) is an example of a pageof a test-booklet.
Similarly to the document structure diagrams, when any part of the texts istouched by a digital audio player, the invisible code is scanned, and the corresponding speech sound is reproduced. Paragraph numbers are prepared so that
test-takers can reproduce the speech sound of each paragraph.

3

Evaluation Experiment

3.1

Experimental Design for Partially Sighted Subjects andDyslexic Subjects

The experimental design is a repeated 3x3 Graeco-Latin square method.
The partially sighted subjects are 9 partially sighted high school students
including some fresh graduates. The median of their corrected visual acuity
is 0.08. They are divided into three subject groups. The dyslexic subjects are
9 dyslexic adults. Only one of them is a high school student because it wasdiﬃcult to find dyslexic high school students in Japan. They are also divided

into three subject groups. There are three testing media: large-print-format test,
auditory test of speech sounds on document structure diagrams, and multimodal
test of speech sounds on ordinary texts. The speech sounds are recorded as
natural voice. Problems are from three study subjects: Japanese, English, andmathematics. The test procedure is administered without time limits.
3.2

Experimental Design for Braille User Subjects and Nondisabled
Subjects

The braille user subjects are 15 students from a high school for the blind. The
nondisabled subjects are 21 high school students. Both of them are divided into
three subject groups. There are three testing media: braille-format test, auditory
test of speech sounds on document structure diagram with recorded humanvoice, and auditory test of speech sounds on document structure diagram withcomputer-synthesized voice for the blind subjects. The nondisabled subjects takeordinary text tests instead of braille-format tests. Problems are from the same
three study subjects: Japanese, English, and mathematics. The test procedure
is administered without time limits.
3.3

Results on Distributions of Score

In Fig. 4 (1), Fig. 4 (2), and Fig. 4 (3), the box-and-whiskers plots of distributionsof score of three testing media for each study subject are shown. The box-andwhiskers plots are sorted by the median of score.
The vertical lines on the right-hand side of plots represent the results ofScheﬀe’s method of pair wise multiple comparison. There is no significant diﬀerence among box plots tied by a line or significant diﬀerence between them nottied by a line.
We can see similar tendencies of the testing media among the three study
subjects.
As a result of Scheﬀe’s method of pair wise multiple comparison, there areno significant diﬀerences among the distributions of score concerning the testing
media for each subject group in each study subject except the distributions ofscore for nondisabled in English.
As a result of Mann-Whitney’s test, we can see that learning achievementlevels are almost similar among the four subject groups for Japanese, English andMathematics because there are no significant diﬀerence among distribution ofscore for braille-format test of the blind group, that for large-print-format testof the partially sighted group, that for large-print-format test of the dyslexic
group, and that for ordinary format test of the nondisabled group.
3.4

Results on Distributions of Answering Speed

In Fig. 5 (1), Fig. 5 (2), and Fig. 5 (3), the box-and-whiskers plots of distributionsof answering speed of the testing media for each study subject and the results

BlindDocument Structure
BrailleBlind
BrailleDocument Structure

Partially Sighted
Ordinary Texts
Large-Print-Format

Partially Sighted
Ordinary Texts
Large-Print-Format

Document Structure

Document Structure

Dyslexic
Large-Print-Format

Dyslexic
Large-Print-Format

Ordinary Texts

Ordinary Texts

Document Structure

Document Structure

Non-Disabled
Normal Test
Document Structure

Non-Disabled
Normal Test
Document Structure
0

50

100
(points）

(1)

0

50

100
(points）

(2)

Blind
BrailleDocument Structure
Partially Sighted
Ordinary Texts
Large-Print-Format
Document Structure
Dyslexic
Large-Print-Format
Ordinary Texts
Document Structure
Non-Disabled
Document Structure
Normal Test
0

50

100
(points）(3)

Fig. 4. (1) Distribution of Score of Japanese, (2) Distribution of Score of English, and(3) Distribution of Score of Mathematics

of Scheﬀe’s method of pair wise multiple comparison are shown. The box-andwhiskers plots are sorted by the median of answering speed.
As a result of Scheﬀe’s method of pair wise multiple comparison, the distributions of answering speed of auditory tests of speech sounds on document
structure diagram are significantly slower than that of the other testing media
for each study subjects.
As a result of Mann-Whitney’s test, distribution of answering speed of ordinary format test for the nondisabled group is significantly faster than that ofother test media for the print disabled groups in each study subjects.
3.5

Discussion

The result of experimental evaluation of the new testing media shows that, in
addition to existing special accommodations such as large-print-format test andbraille-format test, the introduction of the two types of new auditory testing

BlindBrailleDocument Structure

Blind
BrailleDocument Structure

Partially Sighted
Large-Print-Format
Ordinary Texts

Partially Sighted
Large-Print-Format
Ordinary Texts

Document Structure

Document Structure

Dyslexic
Large-Print-Format

Dyslexic
Large-Print-Format

Ordinary Texts

Ordinary Texts

Document Structure

Document Structure

Non-Disabled
Normal Test
Document Structure

Non-Disabled
Normal Test
Document Structure
0

375
750
(characters/minutes）

(1)

0

375
750
(characters/minutes）

(2)

Blind
BrailleDocument Structure
Partially Sighted
Large-Print-Format
Ordinary Texts
Document Structure
Dyslexic
Large-Print-Format
Ordinary Texts
Document Structure
Non-Disabled
Normal Test
Document Structure
0

375
750
(characters/minutes）(3)

Fig. 5. (1) Distribution of Answering Speed of Japanese, (2) Distribution of Answering
Speed of English, and (3) Distribution of Answering Speed of Mathematics

media enables all test-takers with print disabilities to take the National Center
Test for University Admissions. Test-takers with print disabilities can get thesame score as nondisabled test-takers for Japanese, English and Mathematics
if the learning achievement levels of them are the same. Answering speeds ofthe nondisabled group are significantly faster. However, the disabled and thenondisabled can take a test fairly if we put adequate time limit of a test for eachtest-taker with print disabilities.

4

Conclusion

Utilizing invisible 2-dimensional codes and digital audio players with a 2dimensional code scanner, we developed two types of new auditory testing media:
auditory tests of speech sounds on document structure diagrams [3], and multimodal tests of speech sounds on ordinary texts.

The result of the experimental evaluation shows that, in addition to existing
special accommodations such as large-print-format test and braille-format test,
the introduction of the two new testing media enables almost all test-takers withprint disabilities to take the National Center Test for University Admissions.
When auditory tests of speech sounds on document structure diagrams become practical, the newly blind and the severely partially sighted can take the
National Center Test. Test-takers do not have to be able to read braille to takeauditory tests of speech sounds on document structure diagrams because theshape of the document structure diagrams helps enough to guide the positionsof 2-dimensional codes to scan. Actually, such newly blind students can take thetest in the experimental evaluation.
With multimodal tests of speech sounds on ordinary texts, the partiallysighted and the dyslexic can actively and eﬃciently read texts taking advantage of the modality characteristics of speech sounds and ordinary texts.
In addition, the easiness of administration and security management of the
new testing media is noteworthy. Tests can be administrated only with a digital audio player with 2-dimensional code scanner and paper booklets on whichdocument structure diagrams or ordinary texts and corresponding invisible 2dimensional codes are printed. When machine trouble happens, tests can becontinued with a replacement of a digital audio player. Price of a digital audio
player is reasonable (about 30 euro).
As a future work, the authoring system of computer-synthesized speech voices
and test-booklet with invisible 2-dimensional codes should be developed. We
want to make the two types of new testing media practical within 3 years.

References
1. Fujiyoshi, M. and Fujiyoshi, A.: Estimating testing time extension ratios for students
with disabilities from item cumulative curves, New Developments in Psychometrics:
Proceedings of the International Meeting of the Psychometric Society IMPS 2001
(2003) 265-272.
2. Fujiyoshi, M. and Fujiyoshi, A.: A new audio testing system for the newly blind andthe learning disabled to take the National Center Test for University Admissions,in K. Miesenberger et al. (eds.), ICCHP 2006, LNCS4061, Springer-Verlag (2006)
801-808.
3. Fujiyoshi, M., Fujiyoshi, A., and Aomatsu T.: New testing method for the dyslexic
and the newly blind with a digital audio player and document structure diagrams”,
in K. Miesenberger et al. (Eds.), ICCHP 2010, Part I, LNCS 6179, Springer-Verlag(2010) 116-123.
4. Mandinach, E., B., Bridgeman, B., Cahalan-Laitusis, C. and Trapani C.: The impact
of extended time on SAT test performance, College Board Research Report No.
2005-8, ETS RR-05-20 (2005) 1-35.
5. Ragosta, M. and Wendler, C.: Eligibility issues and comparable time limits fordisabled and nondisabled SAT examinees. ETS Research Report, RR-92-35 (1992)
1-33