Assessment 101 Types

Sequence of Communicative Assessment 1. Screening and referral 2. Designing assessment protocol 3. Administering that protocol 4. Interpreting assessment findings 5. Developing an intervention plan 6. Monitoring progress and outcome Be able to put these in order for the test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Purposes of Assessment Preventive ( screenings) (catch a problem) Determine whether there is a problem or not Differiential Dx Baseline data – current level of f(x) Intervention goals Tracking Documenting progress If child fails assessment than a full assessment is administered. List two purposes for assessment for test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Purposes of Assessment Screening – collection of data to decide whether there is a liklihood that an individual does or does not have a problem that will require more in-depth assessment. (pass/fail) Can give a full assessment on one area of speech-language and quickly screen other areas – ex. PLS-4

Examples of Screenings Adolescent Language Screening Test (ALST) Bedside Eval Screening Test Boone Voice Program for Children Brief Test of Head Injury Clinical Eval of Language Fundamentals – Screen Fluharty Preschool Quick Screen of phonology Pragmatics, rec & exp language, vocab..etc Aphasia Voice Cognitive, linguistic, comm abilities Rec & exp morphology, syntax, phonology Lang – vocab, artic Articulation, phonological processes Know the def of a screening for test!!

Differential Dx Next Determine if there is a disorder or difference Differentiate between type of disorder What is the importance of a differential diagnosis. Thinking through what my diagnosis are.

Eligibility for Services Do they qualify? Prove they qualify – recent example Assessment results must demonstrate need

Baseline So they qualify for services…now what? Baseline – individual current functioning – both qualitative and quantitative data involved What client CAN and Cannot do Know the def of baseline…test

Intervention Targets/Goals Developmental appropriateness Targets that have the greatest impact on communication Client & family priorities Stimulability How can client’s strengths be used to facilitate/compensate in communication Two reasons why you chose the goals you picked for the target objectives for TEST

Tracking and Documenting Progress Progress on goals Effectiveness of tx Ongoing assessment necessary to note needs in adjustment of current goals or tx Dismissal possibilities Sometimes very difficult but personally and legally important In Audiology – tracking hearing levels is an essential part of ensuring someone gets the most benefit from their aids

Types of Assessment Norm-referenced Performance compared to ‘norm’ – may be required to establish eligibility Criterion-referenced Performance compared to set ‘criterion’; a person’s skill in a particular area Performance-based Describes skills/abilities within context of use – varied demands Dynamic instruments i.d. how much and what types of support are needed for individual improvement Norm and crieterion referenced test are used most in schools. MATCHING ON THE TEST

Norm Referenced Standardization – particular rules in giving test – scripted Normative sample Standard Scores – how scores fall against ‘normal’ peers Mean = 100 Standard deviation = apprx 15 pts Percentile rank Age-equivalent – read with care 2 standard deviation away from the norm is considered disordered.

Examples of Norm-referenced Arizona Battery for Comm Disorders of Dementia Boston Dx Aphasia Examination Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundatmentals Communication Activities of Daily Living Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language PPVT MacArthur communicative Development Inventories GFTA

Criterion-referenced Individual levels of acheivement or skill meet certain criterion Hearing assessment Three qualities: Clear standards of performance Reliable tasks that relate to the standard (measuring what it’s supposed to) Clear guidelines for interpretation of assessment and determining whether the individual has achieved the standard.

Criterion Referenced examples Apraxia Battery for Adults Assessment of Phonological Processes Burns Brief Inventory of Communicatiion and Cognition Contextual Test of Articulation Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment Minnesota Test of Differential Dx Multilevel Informal Language Inventory Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale Phonological processes are fronting, backing…rule braking stuff. Be able to discribe what a criterion reference is and know some examples

Performance-Based Performance in ‘authentic’ contexts such as home/work Variety of real contexts Good for tx design Artifact/portfolio analysis

Dynamic Assessment Analyzes how much and what type of support are needed to bring an individuals communicative performance to higher levels. Learning potential/stimulability