Assessment for ASD Programming November 2012IDEA Partnership1

Jointly Developed By: The Autism Society The IDEA Partnership Project (at NASDSE) With funding from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) November 2012 IDEA Partnership 2

Development Team The following role groups worked together to create the documents and tools for the ASD Assessment for Identification presentation: Behavior Analyst Educational Diagnosticians General Education Administrator Higher Education Occupational Therapist Parents Person on Spectrum Psychologists Social Worker Special Education Administrator Speech Language Pathologist Technical Assistance Providers November 2012 IDEA Partnership 3

Outline for Presentation Definitions Guiding principles Domains and areas of program assessment Assessment/Programming process Developing programming based on assessment/data collection Outcomes of program assessment November 2012IDEA Partnership 4

Definitions of Assessment & Evaluation Assessment is an ongoing, comprehensive process used to determine a student’s strengths and challenges in multiple areas Evaluation may be defined as a specific set of assessments designed to determine eligibility for services under IDEA November IDEA Partnership

Guiding Principles of Assessment Each individual has limitless potential Each student has an individual spectrum of characteristics, strengths and challenges that range from mild to severe across various domains Assessment tools should be chosen to gather specific information based on the individual’s characteristics, be appropriate across the spectrum, and across the age-range November IDEA Partnership

Guiding Principles of Assessment Assessment is comprehensive; it goes beyond academics into various domains, such as sensory, social, behavior, and so forth Information, observation, interviews, and interpretation by a skilled multidisciplinary team are each important to the assessment process The essential information in assessment goes beyond the score on a particular assessment measure cont November IDEA Partnership

Guiding Principles of Assessment It is Important to understand the overlap in assessment and program planning:  Use a variety of tools to create the program  Program to both the strengths and the challenges across environments  Behaviors occurring in multiple settings may be prioritized over those that are limited to a single environment  Determine priority or recommendations – looking ahead to the next environment, values of family, building toward transitions, and importance for successful adult life, etc. November IDEA Partnership

Let’s Watch This Video on a Girl with ASD 2R2lZAU 9 November 2012 IDEA Partnership

Let’s Watch This Video on a Boy with ASD s-ZtW8 10 November 2012 IDEA Partnership

Educational Definition (IDEA) 34 CFR §300.8(c)(1)(i) “Autism” means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and non-verbal communication and social interactions, generally evident before age 3, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. November IDEA Partnership

Educational Definition (IDEA) 34 CFR §300.8(c)(1)(i) Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in routine, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. November IDEA Partnership

Adverse Effect on Educational Performance… Academic performance Communication functioning Social functioning Pragmatic language Organizational skills Group work skills Problem solving skills Emotional regulation Hygiene Behavior Attention challenges Daily living skills/adaptive behavior Transition November IDEA Partnership

Evaluation: Eligibility vs. Program Planning EligibilityProgram Planning PurposeDetermine eligibilityLooks at child as individual; strengths and weaknesses EvaluatorTeam of expertsIEP Team LawConsent required No consent required – Review existing data ScopeChild Find – all areas related to disability Areas needed for program planning November IDEA Partnership

Areas of Program Assessment Academic Achievement  Alternate Assessment Adaptive Behavior Assessment Developmental Assessment Functional Behavioral Assessment November IDEA Partnership

Assessment Areas or Domains  Triad  Social  Restricted patterns of behavior  Communication  Associated characteristics  Sensory  Cognitive  Motor  Emotional vulnerability  Known biological factors November 2012 IDEA Partnership 16

Assess / Data Collection Translate Assessment Into IEP and Curriculum Objectives & Program Supports Selecting Intervention Strategies and Program Supports Embed Strategies into Classroom Activities (CAPS) UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures Progress monitoring November 2012 IDEA Partnership 17

November 2012 IDEA Partnership 18 UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures

Choose Assessment Measures Multiple measurements Formal and informal Strengths and challenges November 2012 IDEA Partnership 19

Assess / Data Collection UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures November 2012 IDEA Partnership 20

Assess/Data Collection Develop a collaborative team including parent/family and student Review existing data including placement evaluation information Administer assessments, including interviews and observations Evaluate student’s performance in a variety of settings and situations November 2012 IDEA Partnership 21

Assess / Data Collection UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures Translate Assessment Into IEP, Curriculum Objectives & Program Supports November 2012 IDEA Partnership 22

Translate Assessment into Goals and Objectives Identify student’s strengths, needs, and present levels of performance Consider values of family, community and culture Identify expectations of future environments Consider age and overall learning goals for all students of that age November 2012 IDEA Partnership 23

Assess / Data Collection UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures Translate Assessment Into IEP and Curriculum Objectives and Program Supports Select Intervention Strategies and Program Supports November 2012 IDEA Partnership 24

Select Intervention Strategies and Program Supports Designed for each student based on  Learning style  Assessment findings  Data response to previous interventions  Strengths and interests  Age  Identified benchmarks/objectives Examples include  PECS-- Social Narratives-- 5pt Scale  Touch Math -- Weighted Vests-- Visual Schedules November 2012 IDEA Partnership 25

Assess / Data Collection Translate Assessment Into IEP and Curriculum Objectives & Program Supports Select Intervention Strategies and Program Supports Embed Strategies into Classroom Activities (CAPS) UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures November 2012IDEA Partnership26

Embed Strategies into Classroom Activities Consider how interventions/strategies can be utilized throughout the various activities that occur in school  What activity?  When does it occur?  In which setting?  Who else is involved? (student or group)  Subject area November 2012 IDEA Partnership 27

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Assess / Data Collection Translate Assessment Into IEP and Curriculum Objectives and Program Supports Select Intervention Strategies and Program Supports Embed Strategies into Classroom Activities (CAPS) UCC Areas/ Items Choose assessment measures Progress monitoring November 2012IDEA Partnership 30

Progress Monitoring Describe type of data to collect Identify days and times to collect data Create/identify data Present data Review data Identify criteria for program changes November 2012 IDEA Partnership 31

Reflections! Questions? Discussion. November 2012IDEA Partnership32