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VB-MAPP Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program

What is it??? Developed by Dr. Mark Sundberg Based on the B.F. Skinner’s functional analysis of language/verbal behavior A criterion-referenced assessment Designed to provide a representative sample of a child’s existing verbal and related skills 170 Milestones from 16 skill areas over 3 Developmental levels (0-18, 18-30, 30-48 months) Also includes: Barriers Assessment Transition Assessment Task Analysis Placement & Writing IEP Goals

For whom is this appropriate? Students with language delays that significantly impact their learning Young children Students with moderate to severe learning impairments Individuals with developmental language abilities at or below 48 months. (4 years)

Who can give this test? The assessment uses verbal behavior terms so it is important for the tester to have a functional understanding of behavioral principles, VB, basic linguistic structure, etc. But it doesn’t have to be an SLP… And it doesn’t have to be just one person. After reviewing this assessment, do you feel you have the skills necessary to administer this assessment?

What is it good for? Ascertaining developmental language abilities and needs Documentation of student progress over time Identifying factors that may hinder a child’s progress Highlighting factors for consideration in determining least restrictive environment “The VB-MAPP Milestones Assessment is designed to identify the existing language and related skills for children with autism and other developmental disabilities” (p15).

What does it measure? 16 Milestones – Levels 1, 2, & 3 Mands Tacts Intraverbals Echoics Motor Imitation Reading (Textual Behavior) Spelling (Transcription) Listener Responding Listener Responding by Function, Feature, and Class (LRFFC) Visual Perceptual/Match to Sample (VP-MTS) Independent Play Social Behavior & Social play Spontaneous Vocal Behavior Classroom Routines & Group Skills Linguistic Structure Math Review each area – from the study guide

How do I give this test? Each item should be administered using the procedures laid out in the guide. (see codes above) Formal administration of test items Direct observation of child Interviews with parents and others who know the child well Can be done over several sessions There are no time limits for completing the whole assessment The parent can be present during the assessment Formal testing and observations can be conducted in a classroom, home or community. See the Tips for the Tester on pg 19 & 20

Materials A list of suggested materials is presented on pages 21 & 22 of the guide. You can find most all of the materials needed in a preschool classroom. We also have the ABLLS kit in each district that contains a number of useful materials. From your study guides we saw that there would be a need to get Child-specific reinforcers, pictures of family members and most people did not have access to an Environmental Sounds activity. We have assessment kits in the district, but you can also find a lot of the materials in your room. Materials linking guide (website) Materials powerpoint (website)

Milestones Assessment 170 Measurable learning & language Milestones 3 Developmental Levels 0-18 months 18-30 months 30-48 months Pages 6- 14 give an overview of the 16 Milestones Areas – you reviewed them with the study guide. Share comments regarding skills in Levels 1, 2, 3 from what was observed while completing the study guide.

Milestones Assessment Scoring Assign a score of 0, ½, 1 based on criteria given in the guide If a skill is obviously too easy for a child it can be marked without thorough testing. If a student misses 3 skills in a row it is reasonable to stop testing in that area. Scores are recorded for each item and for the whole section in the protocol and transferred onto the Master Scoring Form

There is room for up to 4 assessments on this form Use a different color for each administration The circle below each section is used to indicate that the skill was tested but that the child didn’t receive any points for that section Pg 23 Sample

Early Echoic Skills Assessment (EESA) by Barbara Esch Anyone can administer this subtest, but an SLP may obtain the most optimal results Ask the child to repeat each test item Enter the appropriate point score 1 point – all sounds are correct .5 point - if echoic response is recognizable but incorrect consonants, missing consonants or extra syllables 0 points – no response, incorrect vowels, deleted syllables Give up to 3 trials, scoring the best response

BARRIERS ASSESSMENT Identifies factors which may be impeding a child’s progress towards learning and language acquisition. 24 factors, described with scoring instructions beginning on page 99 of your manual Identified factors can be directly addressed through learning objectives, etc. “Once a specific barrier has been identified, a more detailed descriptive and/or functional analysis of that problem is required.” You all looked at the 24 areas with your study guide – any comments/questions? You all looked at the 24 areas. Any comments Failure to make conditional discriminations – yikes – lots of mumbo jumbo -- wear a coat, but today it is hot, so don’t wear a coat but refuses – just can’t handle that or isnt attending to the subtle differences in a request. So use to doing something in a rote way that it is hard to break out of.

Barriers Assessment Scoring Assign a score from 0 to 4 based on criteria identified for each barrier. Transfer scores from each barrier to the Barriers Assessment Scoring Form So we would want to focus on those areas that are high – barriers – and need to be reduced – over time we would like to see the barriers reduced.

Sample Barriers Assessment A score of 1 suggests that an occasional problem exists and should be monitored. A score of 2 suggests that a moderate problem exists and further analysis and possibly an intervention program should be considered. A score of 3 indicates that a persistent problem exists and is in need of a behavioral analysis and formal intervention program. A score of 4 indicates a severe problem exists and there is a need for analysis and formal intervention. Sample pg 101

TRANSITION ASSESSMENT There are 18 measurable areas identified on that can help educators and parents make decisions and set priorities. Looks at 3 main categories of performance (p128) VB-MAPP scores and academic independence Learning patterns Self-help, spontaneity, and self-directions Does not attempt to determine placement for a child, repeatedly states that this is the responsibility of the IEP team In general, higher scores indicate a greater potential for success and independence in a less restrictive environment “The general goal is to base the decision on the child’s ability to learn and make meaningful progress in the chosen setting” (146). “The purpose of the Transition Assessment is to provide those making decisions with data about the child that might assist in the process” (146).

Transition Assessment Scoring Assign a score from 0-5 based on criteria identified for each item Some scores come from the Milestones or Barriers assessment Transfer scores from each item to the Transition Scoring Form

Sample Transition Assessment “The results from the three categories should be weighed differently” (146). Decisions are the sole responsibility of the child’s IEP Team In general if a child scores: 0-2 may need more individualized & intense teaching sessions, higher teacher/student ration 4-5 may benefit from a classroom with lower teacher/student ratios, teaching format closer to that used for typically developing children, but still uses behavioral methodology

Task Analysis Located in the Protocol It is not a required piece of the assessment Broken down into the same 3 developmental areas Presented in the same color as each area of the Milestones assessment Contains approximately 900 skills covering 16 areas of the VB-MAPP Gives a breakdown for most of the milestones being assessed in Levels 1, 2, & 3 Serves as an ongoing learning and language skills curriculum guide

Interpreting the Results "The results of the Milestones Assessment, the Barriers Assessment, and the Transition Assessment provide a comprehensive overview of the child and can be used to design an individualized intervention program.  These three assessments identify what skills a child needs to acquire, and what language and learning barriers need to be reduced or removed in order to move the child forward" (Guide p147). 

Three steps are shared when interpreting the VB-MAPP results. First, you need to identify the general level of the child. Second, you need to analyze the scores in each of the skill areas and their relation to the child’s performance in other areas. You should look for strengths and weaknesses. The third step is to look for a balance across all of the skills areas for each level.

Interpreting the Results Chapters 8, 9 & 10 provide information on how to interpret the results and use them to: Determine the general level of the child Look for strengths and weakness Look for balance across skill areas Determine appropriate teaching style Determine intensity of the intervention Write IEP goals “By identifying milestones, the focus of the intervention program can be sharper and the direction clearer, making it easier to write IEP goals” (26). What do you think?

VBMAPP Sample Level 1 Profile Focus primarily on: Establishing mands, echoics, motor imitation, listener discriminations, tacts and visual perceptual and matching skills. Play & Social Skills Spontaneous Vocalizations More intensive teaching format may be recommended Common profile for many young children with language delays – Pg 148

VBMAPP Sample Level 2 Profile Still an early learner but beginning to show some solid learning and language skills Focus primarily on expanding the skills they have in a variety of ways Teaching style should still primarily consist of intensive teaching format. NET and less structured teaching methods should be gradually introduced Common profile for many young children with language delays – Pg 148

VBMAPP Sample Level 3 Profile Demonstrating a solid foundation of skills Allows for more advanced language, social and academic instruction Intervention should focus on expanding, teaching and generalizing a variety of skills Common profile for many young children with language delays – Pg 148

Tips & Tricks to Share Located on the website New 240 Word List Intraverbal Subtest Verb list VBMAPP Ipad App – some of you looked at that resource. Projects the Autism Teacher Leaders are workign on

Reflection Comments Positives Negatives/Challenges gives good information once you get it Includes tools to look at behavior and transitions Negatives/Challenges Criteria is not in the protocol Cumbersome – sometimes hard to understand Have to come up with lists of words to check for

How are they Similar & How are they Different??? ABLLS-R vs VB-MAPP How are they Similar & How are they Different???

A BRIEF HISTORY Teaching Verbal Behavior to the Developmentally Disabled (1990) Dr. Mark Sundberg Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) (1998) Dr. Mark Sundberg & Dr. James Partington Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills-Revised (ABLLS-R) (2006) Dr. James Partington Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) (2008) Dr. Mark Sundberg

SIMILARITIES Authors who have partnered closely together Both focus strongly on assessment of verbal operant skills, with other skills assessed on an almost secondary basis Both measure multiple facets of language Both are criterion-referenced assessments Both are assessed through observation, interview and direct administration of test items. Both have partial mastery options for specific skills

SIMILARITIES (cont.) Both include graph formats for charting a child’s progress Both are designed to be administered periodically (often annually but does not have to be) to a single child and change over time noted on the original graph Both contain one protocol and one guide. Both are copyrighted.

DIFFERENCES VB-MAPP has 170 milestones across 16 skill areas ABLLS-R has close to 500 individual skills assessed over 25 areas VB-MAPP addresses developmental milestones ABLLS-R addresses discrete skills VB-MAPP presents milestones in a hierarchical manner ABLLS-R presents some skills in a developmental hierarchy but not all VB-MAPP allows you to stop administering items is student is not able to complete 3 sequential skills ABLLS-R all test items should be administered or considered

DIFFERENCES (cont.) VB-MAPP scoring criteria must be referenced in the manual ABLLS-R scoring criteria is right on the form VB-MAPP includes the barriers and transition assessments ABLLS-R does not, though does look at some of the equivalent components of these assessments VB-MAPP includes specific echoics to test, but does not list out other specific items ABLLS-R has assessment items lists in the appendices VB-MAPP presents IEP development guidelines ABLLS-R presents criteria in a way that can be fairly easily translated to measureable instructional objectives for IEPs

Assignment Additional Resources Reflection 10 pts (on website, brief summary of at least 2 resources) Final Reflection 10 pts (on website – compare & contrast the two tools, which do you think you would use, do you see any strengths or weaknesses to the tools, etc.) Final Test 20 pts – will be sent Monday June 3rd and should be sent in by Friday June 7th. Due Date is June 7th for all of these items.

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