Microcat(tm) 3.50: Computerized Testing System
MicroCAT is a computerized testing system designed to support the entire testing process. Available as a complete system or as separate modules, it is designed for the testing specialist. This program: * creates and maintains item banks that contain text, graphics, and digitized (scanned) images; * develops and creates printed test forms; * develops and administers computerized tests, from simple conventional tests to sophisticated adaptive tests; and * performs conventional item analysis, Rasch analysis, or 2- and 3-parameter logistic IRT calibration. The Item Banker Module includes everything necessary to create items -- with text as well as graphics -- and build tests. It also prints tests and item banks. Tests can be created by using predefined templates or customized templates created with MicroCAT"s test authoring language. The Computerized Testing Module contains the test administration program, the extensive yet easy-to-use test authoring language and its compiler, and computerized test templates. The templates allow the user to easily implement pre-programmed adaptive or conventional testing strategies by specifying the items to be used and a few test administration parameters. The versatile test authoring language lets the user create virtually any kind of computerized test required. The Custom Programming Kit contains the components necessary for extending the authoring language to create new procedures using the Turbo Pascal programming language. All Programs in the MicroCAT Testing System are licensed for use on one computer at a time; however, most will probably want to administer their computerized tests on more than one computer. Therefore, the Test Administration program is available with three types of licenses: * a single-machine license, which is standard with a MicroCAT complete system purchase; * an extended license -- academic or non-academic -- which allows administration on the user"s computerized tests on any number of computers at a single physical location -- within a college campus or organization"s building; and * the developer"s license which allows distribution of computerized tests outside of the licensed organization, and/or situations where compensation is received for use of the computerized tests whether at the developing organization or off-site. MicroCAT requires DOS 3.3 or higher with 640KB RAM, and 2MB hard drive space (for the full system).