A critical evaluation of educational assessment tools and practices for autism

Function and outcomes of assessment Pre-academic and Academic Strengths and Weaknesses Informs educational planning Monitors academic progress over time Allows for evaluations of specific interventions Up to date information requires regular assessment Type of assessment Formal assessment Standardised tests in reading, maths, writing and subject specific areas Informal assessment Interviews with teachers and parents Work samples Curriculum based assessment

Assesses: Can the child follow the pace of instruction in learning Can the child generalise academic information to another setting How the child learns What the child learns Identifies: Identifies adaptations needed for the child to learn effectively Identifies levels of frustration and tolerance Identifies frequency of learning break required Identifies the most appropriate educational methods for the child Assessment Tools for Pre-academic and Academic Tool, author, year Age Range Time to Format Accessed from administer WIAT-11 4-86 years 45-120 mins Pearson Administered 1-1 Wechsler Individual http://www.pearsonassessments.co norm-referenced Achievement Test-Second Ed m/haiweb/cultures/enus/productdetail.htm?pid=015 measures academic Wechsler (2001) 8983-505 achievement WJ-III 2-90 years 30-120 mins Riverside Publishing Administered 1-1 Woodcock Johnson Tests of http://www.riverpub.com/products/wjIII norm-referenced Achievement Third Edition Complete/index.html measures reading ability Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather (2001) KTEA-II 4 to 25 30mins for Pearson Administered 1-1 Kaufman Test of Educational years younger http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB norm-referenced Achievement- Second Edition children /Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAa32215 measures academic Kaufman & Kaufman (2004) achievement

Function and outcomes of assessment Assesses Attention/concentration Memory Problem solving Verbal skills Identifies gaps in learning Strengths/weakness Academic progress Academic level in relation to norms

Tool, author, year DAS-11 Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition Elliott (2007) K-ABC-11 Kaufman Assessment Battery for ChildrenSecond Edition Kaufman & Kaufman (2004)

Age Range 2 -18 years

Time to administer 60-90 mins

Cognitive Functioning Strengths and Weaknesses Allows comparison to norms Allows progress to be tracked Standardised test to not allow for deviations such as breaks, reinforcers or the individuals learning style Test rely on child paying attention to the assessor Use of nonverbal tests decrease the reliance on receptive language and may be fairer on children with ASD Results may not be a true reflection of ability Assessment Tools for Cognitive Functioning Standardised Verbal IQ tests Format administered 1-1 norm-referenced measures cognitive abilities administered 1-1 norm-referenced measures cognitive and processing ability

Type of assessment Standardised verbal IQ tests Non-verbal IQ tests

Accessed from

Pearson Assessment& Information http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/ enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8338-820 Pearson Assessment & Information http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIW EB/Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAa21000

3-18 years

30-75 mins

WPPS1-111 Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence-Third Edition Wechsler (2002) Tool, author, year CTONI Comprehensive Test of Nonverbal Intelligence Hammill, Pearson, & Wiederholt (1997) Leiter-R Leiter International Performance Scale Revised Roid & Miller (1998) UNIT Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test Bracken &McCallum (1998) Tool, author, year NEPSY-11 NEPSY, Second Edition Korkman, Kirk & Kemp (2007)

2-7 years

30-60 mins

Pearson Assessment & Information administered 1-1 http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultu norm-referenced measures intelligence res/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8989-317

Age Range 6-91 years

Time to administer 60 mins

Non-verbal IQ Tests Format administered 1-1 norm-referenced measures nonverbal reasoning administered 1-1 norm-referenced measures nonverbal cognition administered 1-1 norm-referenced measures nonverbal intelligence

Accessed from

Ro-Ed http://www.proedinc.com/Customer/default.aspx

2-21 years

90 mins (2 sessions)

Western Psychological Services http://portal.wpspublish.com/portal/page?_pagei d=53,114601&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

5-17 years

10-45 mins

Riverside Publishing http://www.riversidepubli shing.com/products/unit/i ndex.html

Age Range 3-17 years

Time to administer 30-60 mins School age

Processing Tests Format administered 1-1 by clinician norm-referenced measures neurological status

Accessed from

Pearson Assessment & Information http://www.pearsonassessments.com/H AIWEB/Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=NEPSYII&Mode=summary

Function and outcomes of assessment Assesses: ability to plan and organise ability to anticipate and be ready for an event form goals follow the steps necessary to complete goals sustain attention shift attention use working memory show cognitive flexibility show cognitive planning Tool, author, year DAS11 BRIEF Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy (2000) NEPSY CAS Das Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System Naglieri & Das (1997) Age Range Time to administer 10-15mins per form

Executive Functioning Strengths and Weaknesses this assessment addresses a very important criteria from the autism disorder spectrum, particularly for individuals with Aspergers Syndrome

Type of assessment standardised tests naturalistic observations teacher and parent interviews

Assessment Tools for Executive Functioning Format

Accessed from

5-18

see Assessment Tools for Cognitive Functioning Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. administered 1-1 http://www4.parinc.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=BRIEF norm-referenced measures executive functioning

3-17 years

45-60 mins

see Assessment Tools for Cognitive Functioning Riverside Publishers administered 1-1 http://www.riversidepublishing.com/products/cas/index.ht norm-referenced ml measures cognitive processes

Function and outcomes of assessment Functional communication looks at: responses to instructions requests Verbal pragmatic communication looks at: function and form of communication, responsiveness to speech, length of utterance echolalia, use of pronouns discourse management, register variation and presupposition Non-Verbal pragmatic communication looks at: rate of communication, use of communicative gaze and gestures, quality of vocalizations, responsiveness to speech and gestures, range of communicative functions expressed identifies gaps in both functional and pragmatic communication Develop a speech language program to address the childs specific needs Tool, author, year CASL Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language Carrow Wolfolk (1999) Age Range 3-21 years Time to administer 30-45 mins

Speech and Language Strengths and Weaknesses Can be used in different contexts e.g. school, home, class, playground Can be used with different people e.g. peers, siblings, parents Standardised test may not be suited to the needs of children with ASD Standardised test results may not transfer to home or social settings which are far more dynamic environments than that in which the assessment was delivered

Type of assessment Naturalistic and structures observations Standardised tests for verbal children

Assessment Tools for Speech and Language Format administered 1-1 norm referenced assesses global language skills

Accessed from

Pearson http://psychcorp.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/ enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAa3580

CELF-Pre2 Clinical Evaluation of

3-6 years

30-45 mins

administered 1-1 norm referenced

Pearson WEB/Cultures/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8034-945

Language Fundamentals Preschool Second Ed Wiig, Secord, & Semel (2006) PLS-4 Preschool Language Scale-4 Zimmerman, Steiner, & Pond (2002) TOLD: P-4 Test of Language Development: Primary4 Newcomer & Hammill (2008) CCC-2 Childrens Communication Checklist Second Ed Bishop (2003)

assesses comprehensive language skills

birth to 4 years

20-45 mins

6-19 years

60 mins

4-17 years

5-10 mins

TOPL Test of Pragmatic Language Second Ed PhelpsTerasaki, & Phelps-Gunn (2007) TOPS Test of Problem Solving Elementary Third Ed Huisingh, Bowers, & LoGiudice (2005)

6-19 years

45-60 mins

administered 1-1 norm referenced assesses receptive and expressive language in young children administered 1-1 norm referenced measures language skills in preschoolers administered 1-1 norm referenced measures communication skills of children and adolescents using sentences administered 1-1 norm referenced pragmatic language used to evaluate social language skills administered 1-1 norm referenced assesses critical thinking abilities based on childs

Pearson http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/enus/Product detail.htm?Pid=015-8659-406

Pearson http://psychcorp.pearsonassessments.com/ HAIWEB/Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAa19075&Mo

Pearson http://www.pearsonpsychcorp.com.au/productdetails/80/1/47

Pro-Ed www.proedinc.comhttp://www.proedinc.com/ customer/productView.aspx?ID=4169

6-12 years

35 mins

Linguisystems http://www.linguisystems.com/products/product/ display?itemid=10362

language strategies, using logic and experience

Sensory and Motor Issues Function and outcomes of assessment Strengths and Weaknesses Type of assessment Assesses: Sensory-motor deficits occur in Standardised tests Factors effecting the individuals independence in daily 70% of individuals with ASD Non-Standardised tests life: underlying the importance of Parent interviews Physical strength these assessments Direct observations of the child Visual perception skills Wide variety of norm based tests available allowing progress Fine and gross motor skills to be tracked and comparisons Sensory deficits and excesses to be made to peer group. Cognition Interventions can assist Identifies: individuals to become more strengths and weakness in function informing independent the development of future programs Can be used to develop skills at home as well as at school Can assist with transition from home to school Helps to break down tasks into manageable steps Assessment Tools for Sensory and Motor Issues Tool, author, year Age Range Time to Format Accessed from administer PDMS-2 Birth -7 45-60 mins Pro-Ed Inc. norm-referenced, Peabody years clinician administered http://www.proedinc.com/customer/productView.asp Developmental x?ID=1783 Motor Scales SecondEd Folio & Fewell (2000)

BOT-2 Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Ed Bruininks & Bruininks (2005)

4-21 years

45-60 mins

AGS Publishing norm-referenced, clinician administered http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIW EB/Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAa58000 performance items, including fine-motor and gross-motor tasks

Adaptive Behaviour Function and outcomes of assessment Strengths and Weaknesses Type of assessment Assesses: can be used across different settings Semi-structures interview The level of support required by the child to perform everyday e.g. home/school with teachers and parents tasks and activities involving independence, caring for self and behaviours may present differently in Standardised questionnaires adaptive skills one setting from another therefore Identifies: results of assessments my not be areas for support in daily life, play, school, home and social transferable to other settings. participation Relies partly on information being how the child functions independently recalled by someone who knows the child well level of supervision required in different settings These skills will vary with age so re areas of deficit that need to be targeted assessment will be required allows planning for development of specific skills e.g. going to the shop informs transition planning Assessment Tools for Adaptive Behaviour Tool, author, year Age Range Time to Format Accessed from administer VABS-ll 3-22 years 20-60 mins Pearson Clinical Assessment administered 1-1 Vineland Adaptive teacher parent/ http://psychcorp.pearsonassessments.com/HAI norm referenced Behaviour Scalescaregiver WEB/Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=Vineland-II measures selfSecond Ed Sparrow, Birth-90 sufficiency and Cicchetti, & Balla years adaptive behaviour (2005) parent/ caregiver

Function and outcomes of assessment Assesses: social skills Identifies: a benchmark for the childs social skills and social understanding

Tool, author, year SRS Social Responsiveness Scale Constantino & Gruber (2005) SSRS Social Skills Rating System Gresham & Elliot (1990)

Age Range 4-18 years

Time to administer 15-20 mins

Social Functioning Strengths and Weaknesses Good results are achieved by accessing many factors together rather than in isolation Targeted interventions can be implemented The childs behaviour can change depending on the environment they are in and the individuals they are interacting with Assessment Tools for Social Functioning Format 65-item parent/caregiver, teacher questionnaire Parent, teacher, and older student questionnaires

Type of assessment A multi-modal assessment approach using standardised and non-standardised tools Rating scales Behavioural observations Functional assessments

Accessed from

3-18 years

10-25 mins

Western Psychological Services http://portal.wpspublish.com/portal/pag e?_pageid=53,70492&_dad=portal&_sch ema=PORTAL Pearson http://psychcorp.pearsonassessments.c om/HAIWEB/Cultures/enus/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAassrs&Mo de=summary

Socio-Emotional Assessment Function and outcomes of assessment Strengths and Weaknesses Assesses: Can target specific symptoms Emotional problems including anxiety, mood disorder, depression and e.g. sleep patterns, appetite bi-polar concerns Identifies: A measure of the individuals socio-emotional well-being

Type of assessment

Function and outcomes of assessment

Educational Placement Evaluation Strengths and Weaknesses

Assesses: The fit between the childs needs and the school program Identifies: Areas where the childs needs are not being met

Type of assessment Classroom observations Review data and progress notes

Functional Behaviour Assessment Function and outcomes of assessment Strengths and Weaknesses Assesses: Gives information about a specific Challenging behaviours and the causes underlying it behaviour Identifies: Interventions can be implemented to The function of a specific behaviour decrease the target behaviour and replace it with more desirable When and where the behaviour is more likely to occur behaviours Data collection allows for analysis over time

Type of assessments Direct observations in different environments, with different people and at different times Rating scales Interviews Looking at childs records

References
(2009). Retrieved from Texas Statewide Leadership For Autism Training: http://www.txautism.net/manual.html Gavin, K. M., Owings-Fonner, N. M., Ziegert, A. Z., Carr, C. M., & Thomas, T. S. (2008). Resources: Life journey through autism series. Retrieved from Organization For Autism Research: http://www.researchautism.org/resources/reading/documents/AssessmentGuide.pdf Schetter, P., & Strong, K. (2009). Autism assessment and education planning for children. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtJnNO6L15o Wilkinson, K., & Twist, L. (2010). Autism and educational asessment: Uk policy and Practice. Slough: NFER.