Chapter 16 Early Childhood Assessment

Assessment of Young Children Establish family priorities Familiar environments Assessments should Provide information Be socially valuable Be based on a wide foundation of information Decisions based on team members consensus

Legislation PL Services to 3- 5-year-old children with disabilities Discretionary program for infants and toddlers Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) IDEA 1997 Mandated services from birth to two Services delivered in natural environments

Purposes Early screening for developmental delays Determine service eligibility Planning interventions Program monitoring Evaluation

Areas Addressed Family’s strengths and needs, priorities, values, and traditions Child’s strengths and delays Physical factors Language and communication skills Gross and fine motor skills Social and emotional development Self-help and adaptive skills School readiness

Issues Natural environments Ongoing assessment linked to intervention Demand for ecological assessment

Current Practices Informal curriculum-based Familiar physical and social environments Family members are equal contributors

Screening The Ages and Stages Questionnaires AGS Early Screening Profiles Developmental Observation Checklist System (DOCS) Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning–3 The Denver Developmental Screening Test (Denver II) Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning

Screening for Social-Emotional Development Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social Emotional The Vineland Social-Emotional Early Childhood Scales (SEEC) Temperament and Atypical Behavior Scale (TABS) Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ)

Ecological Assessment Interrelationships between child, family, and environments Identify patterns and sequences of behaviors

Family Interview and Rating Scales Infant-Toddler and Family Instrument (ITFI) Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale Family Strengths Profile Parenting Stress Index (PSI) Ways of Coping Inventory Family Needs Survey

Direct Observation Developmental checklist Narrative recording Observation instruments Play Observation Scale Social Interaction Assessment/Intervention ECO

Play-Based Assessment Considered an alternative Play environments are natural environments Transdisciplinary play-based assessments

Curriculum-Based and Criterion- Referenced Assessment The Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP) Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System (AEPS) for Infants and Children The Caroline Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs The Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development-Revised The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI)

Norm-Referenced and Dynamic Assessment Bayley Scales of Infant Development–II The Batelle Developmental Inventory (2nd ed.) Preschool Learning Assessment Device (PLAD)

School Readiness Brigance K & 1 Screen–Revised The Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning–3 (DIAL–3) Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA–3) Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA–3) Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT–III) Test of Early Language Development(TELD–3) Test of Early Written Language (TEWL)

Individualized Family Service Plans Resources available to family Target outcomes Reviewed at least every 6 months

Program Monitoring and Evaluation Frequent assessments Individual goals addressed in group setting Imbedded in enjoyable activities Minimize developmental problems Evaluate programs for utility, feasibility, propriety, and technical adequacy