This report provides analysis and discussion of the 1996 Rhode Island State Assessment Program performance for grade 4 in mathematics, writing, and health education. It addresses the effects of accommodations and the inclusion of all students in these state assessments, examining some of the characteristics of tests administered to students with disabilities. The study found that approximately 95 percent of students with disabilities participated in the assessments; that the most commonly used accommodations for students receiving special education services were oral presentation, resource room setting, and repeated directions; that there was no evidence that use of accommodations resulted in an unfair advantage; that extended time was the most used accommodation by all students, and this accommodation resulted in higher performance than any other accommodation; and that students with disabilities consistently performed lower than peers without disabilities. (DB)