A Preliminary Psychometric Analysis of a Measure of Information Technology Literacy Skills - Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals - Vol. 40(4)

Oct 15, 2026

Information technology (IT) literacy skills are increasingly necessary for adolescents because many postschool pursuits demand computer competence. For adolescents with disabilities, the need is heightened by generally poorer postsecondary employment outcomes compared with peers without disabilities. The study examines psychometric properties of the Envision Information Technology Literacy (EITL) scale using pretest and posttest responses from students with and without disabilities (N = 150). Results indicate promising validity and reliability, and practice implications are discussed for high school career courses and age-appropriate transition assessment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Background: IT literacy and career transition

IT Literacy

Rationale for the study

Purpose of the study

A Preliminary Psychometric Analysis of a Measure of Information Technology Literacy Skills Allison R. Lombardi, PhD 1, Margo V. Izzo, PhD2, Graham G. Rifenbark, BA 1, Alexa Murray, MA2, Andrew Buck, MA2, and Victor Johnson, BA2 Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals 2017, Vol. 40(4) 235–243 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2016 Reprints and permissions: [sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav](sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav)[ ](sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav)[DOI: 10.1177/2165143416682476](DOI: 10.1177/2165143416682476)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/2165143416682476)[cdtei.sagepub.com](cdtei.sagepub.com) Abstract Information technology (IT) literacy skills are increasingly important for all adolescents to learn, as the majority of postschool pursuits will require at least some amount of computer skills. For adolescents with disabilities, this urgency is perhaps more pronounced, as this subpopulation typically experiences more dismal post-school outcomes than their peers without disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Envision Information Technology Literacy (EITL) scale based on pretest and posttest responses of students with and without disabilities (N = 150). Findings show promising validity and reliability of the EITL scale. Implications for practice are discussed with regard to uses in high school career courses and as an age-appropriate transition assessment. Keywords career readiness, technology, transition, information technology literacy, age-appropriate transition assessment, psychometrics In today’s world, the Internet is quite possibly the main tool used by adults to search for employment opportunities. To search for jobs online, adults must recognize and use online communication tools, web browsers, and Internet portals and databases to find information, while simultaneously evaluating the credibility and quality of such information. Currently, there are no systematic processes and procedures for teaching adults or adolescents these skills. Moreover, computer skills are increasingly important for all high school graduates to have. Nearly all students will need to use technology in workplace settings to some extent in their adult life, regardless of their pursuit of employment or postsecondary education after high school (Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2009; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2004) . Thus, computer skills, or information technology (IT) literacy, encompass important skills required for 21st-century learning; are considered part of the “T” in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives; and may help students tobe better prepared for college and careers. For these reasons, it is increasingly important to embed IT literacy into high school classrooms. For adolescents with disabilities, post-school employment outcomes are more dismal than for their peers without disabilities (National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, 2014; Sanford et al., 2011) . It is arguably more critical to teach students with disabilities adequate IT literacy skills prior to entering their post-school adult life. To do so, it is important to develop effective, useful curricula and assessments for educators to implement as part of transition programming and services for students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of a measure of IT literacy, the Envision Information Technology Literacy (EITL) scale. Potentially, if a valid and reliable measure of IT literacy is established, high school educators will more easily embed IT literacy into instruction for all students, with and without disabilities. Furthermore, secondary special educators maybe able to measure IT literacy as part of the age-appropriate transition assessment process. IT Literacy The Partnership for 21st Century Learning (2009) considers information, media, and technology skil

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

To examine the psychometric properties of the Envision Information Technology Literacy (EITL) scale using pretest and posttest responses from students with and without disabilities.

What did the study find about the EITL scale?

Findings show promising validity and reliability of the EITL scale based on the study sample (N = 150).

How is IT literacy linked to career readiness and transition assessment?

The text explains that IT literacy supports employment-related tasks such as using online communication tools and evaluating information credibility, and it may be used in high school career courses and age-appropriate transition assessment.

Oct 15, 2026

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