Special Education Assessments

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test–Third Edition (WIAT-III)

This assessment is designed for people ages 2-90+ years. It is administered individually and takes about five minutes per test to administer. The skills measured with this assessment are letter/word identification, reading fluency, passage comprehension, computation, math fluency, math reasoning, spelling, writing fluency, writing samples, as well as other skills in an extended battery. It is a comprehensive academic achievement assessment typically administered to students being considered for special education.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Academic

Achievement

Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III)

This assessment is designed for people ages 4:0 to 50:11 years. It is administered individually, with administration time varying according to the individual. It measures numerous skills, including word reading (phonological awareness and decoding skills), reading comprehension, numerical operations, math reasoning, spelling, written expression, listening comprehension, and oral expression. This test is typically administered to students being considered for special education.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV)

WISC-IV (2004) is recognized within the field of intelligence testing as an intellectual/general aptitude assessment battery (consisting of 10 foundation subtests and 5 supplemental subtests) designed to assess the cognitive abilities of children within the age range of 6 years of age to 16 years and 11 months of age. The WISC-IV has a brief format and an extended neuropsychological format and is also available in Spanish for Spanish-speaking English language learners. It is typically administered to students who are being considered for special education.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Intelligence

Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III)

The WJ-III COG is designed to measure specific intellectual abilities and skills across the entire life span (2–90+ years of age). The Woodcock-Johnson III represents a complete set of specific tests and tasks designed to measure a particular domain because it includes both a cognitive and an achievement battery. This provides a direct comparison of both an individual’s cognitive skills and performance with his or her achievement performance.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition (Vineland-II)

"A student diagnosed with intellectual disabilities must show a deficit in adaptive behavior, or basic living skills" (Education.com, 2019) . The Vineland-II is one of the most recognized measures of adaptive behavior. It has both caregiver and teacher survey forms that examine a student’s adaptive behavior across the domains of general communication (receptive, expressive, and written), daily living skills (personal, domestic, and community), socialization (interpersonal relationships, play and leisure time, and coping skills), and motor skill development (fine and gross).

Behavior

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS-3)

The ABAS-3 gives a complete picture of adaptive skills across the lifespan. It is particularly useful for evaluating those with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, neuropsychological disorders, and sensory or physical impairments. It has a behavior rating scale typically completed by parent, caregiver, and/or teacher, as well as a self-rating option for adults. The system is also available in Spanish.

(Pearson, 2019)

Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Sixth Edition (Beery VMI)

The purpose of this assessment is to assess visual-motor skills in children and adults that can lead to learning, neuropsychological and behavior problems. It is designed for people with an age range from two years to 100 years. Administration can be individual and group. Visual motor tests require five minutes each and the short and full format tests take 10–15 minutes each. This assessment helps to develop a better understanding of a child's current level of development using age norm information.

(Pearson, 2019)

Perceptual

Processing

Test of Visual Perception Skills-4TH Edition (TVPS-4)

The TVPS-4 is the latest update of the standard comprehensive assessment of visual analysis and processing skills. It now includes 18 items in each of the following seven perceptual areas: visual discrimination, visual memory, spatial relationships, form constancy, sequential memory, visual figure-ground, and visual closure. The TVPS-4 is individually administered, is untimed, and takes about 25 minutes to complete.

(Therapro, 2019)

Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-4 (CELF-4)

This assessment is designed for people from ages five to twenty-one years. It evaluates a broad range of language skills such as recalling and formulating sentences, word classes, word definition, understanding spoken paragraphs, semantic relationships, etc.

As an alternative, the CELF-5 provides a streamlined, flexible approach to language assessment. It offers a more robust assessment of pragmatics using observations and interactive activities.

(Indiana University Bloomington: Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, 2019)

Speech &

Language

Goldman-Fristoe 3

This assessment measures articulation of consonant sounds, determine types of misarticulation, and compare individual performance to national, gender-differentiated norms. (Indiana University Bloomington: Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, 2019)

It is designed to help diagnose speech sound disorders and plan effective intervention for a diverse client population. It is designed for people from two years of age to 21 years.

(Pearson, 2019)

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL-3)

"Developmental assessments are used to find strengths and weaknesses in very young children who are thought to be experiencing delays" (Education.com, 2019). The DIAL-3 is a norm-referenced screening instrument. It is meant to identify young children (ages 3 to 6 years, 11 months) at-risk or with delays in one or more of the following five developmental areas: cognitive/basic concepts, language, motor, self-help, and social-emotional. DIAL-3 tasks are individually administered, and a parent questionnaire is also completed at the time of the screening.

(CLAS: Culturally Linguistically Appropriate Services, n.d.)

Early Childhood

Development

Denver Developmental Screening Test II

The purpose of this assessment is to screen for developmental problems to confirm suspected problems using an objective measure; to monitor children at risk for developmental delay. it is designed for children from birth to six years of age. It is administered by a trained professional and takes about 20-30 minutes to administer and interpret. The ease of use and simple equipment that is needed and comes with the testing kit making this screening tool advantageous.

(ELON University, 2015)

Content-Related

Validity

Content-related validity is the direct alignment of instruction with assessment. This is controlled by the classroom teacher by determining what information and content is covered during the instructional process.

For example, if you are constructing a quiz or chapter test covering material that has been taught, test items and questions that actually reflect taught material need to be used and should reflect both the range of the covered material as well as the practiced skill set(s).

Additionally, the types of questions, and the cognitive processing levels from Bloom's revised taxonomy, the students have practiced and demonstrated their learning with during the course of instruction should be used during a formal assessment.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

With construct-related evidence of validity, research support and evidence is collected and presented that is used to confirm a specific concept or construct that a test has been designed to measure (for example, giftedness).

In general, evidence is collected to support the connection between the concept and its measurement (in the case of giftedness, through aptitude and achievement test results), and collected evidence (such as observations, performance demonstrations, etc.) can be used to provide support for the validation of the construct.

A student is considered to be gifted when a high level of performance is demonstrated in the areas of aptitude and academic achievement.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Construct-Related

Validity

Criterion-related evidence of validity is collected and maintained in order to help establish and document the relationship between a test and another specified performance.

For example, screening tests (kindergarten and foreign language, for example), as well as college entrance tests (such as the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT)), identify current performance levels and examine the relationship of specific performance levels (e.g., at or below age or grade level) with a set criterion or potential academic outcomes. There is a goal of being strong indicators of future academic success.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Criterion-Related

Validity

Reliability, defined as the ability to evidence consistent results as part of a measurement procedure, reflects an essential attribute for any measurement process.

• We expect findings to be consistent, regardless of when a measurement or evaluation is conducted. For example, an oral thermometer designed to measure body temperature must consistently and reliably measure a patient’s temperature each time it is used. Similarly, if your test is reliable, then the same results should be obtained regardless of who administers the test.
• The greater the strength of the reliability associated with a measure, the more certainty will exist for the accuracy of the obtained findings and the subsequent decisions that are based on those results.
• Various factors can affect the reliability of a test. For example, the length of the test, the number of students in a sample, and the students themselves.
• Stability, or test–retest reliability, is the consistency and stability of results or findings that are generated from a measure or procedure over repeated administrations.
• Alternate form reliability is utilized when two parallel or equivalent forms of a test are developed, such as Form A and Form B.
• Internal consistency reliability examines the uniformity of individual items within a test and their overall cohesion in measuring a particular concept.
• Interrater reliability examines the consistency that is demonstrated between two or more raters who independently rate a demonstration, or project.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Reliability

Formative

Assessment

Formative assessment is an essential component in ensuring that students correctly reach the intended instructional goals. It provides essential student performance information to the teacher.

• It often occurs during the “real time” part of teaching and the ongoing learning experience for the student, where critical review, confirmation, and correction, if necessary, are provided.
• Formative assessment can involve several measures and/or procedures that are used to gauge student learning progress as well as to improve or enhance that progress. Feedback collection can include student-generated measures (e.g., exit slips, quick writes, thumbs up/down) as well as recognized teacher-controlled measures (e.g., observations, interviews, rubrics).
• Formative assessment provides an educator with evidence as to whether or not students really understand the presented material. If they do, then instruction can be continued; however, if they don’t, review, practice, or reteaching is likely needed before further progress can be obtained.

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

Summative

Assessment

Summative assessment is the use of a measure(s) to confirm and formally recognize student learning accomplishment.

• It serves as a formal measure and documentation of students’ accumulated progress and achievement.
• Tests are commonly used as a formal summative measure in the classroom setting, although any assessment measure can serve different assessment purposes and functions.
• The nature and function of an assessment is determined by its intended purpose. For example, a rubric could be used as a self-assessment (when it involves the learner in a personal review of the learning process and progress), formative assessment (when it is used to guide further instructional choices), or summative assessment (when it is used as a review of the final product).

(Witte, Woodin, & Bogan, 2015)

The following are examples of assistive technology that may be used for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, according to (Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, 2015).

• FM systems
• Infrared and audio induction loop systems
• Coupling accessories (for connectivity to media devices such as computers, TVs, tablets, smartphones, etc.) - There are many accessories for hearing aids or cochlear implants that can connect to media devices.
• Captioning
• Visual alerting devices - There are devices available to help individuals alert to sound using visual support.
• Real-time transcription
• Telecommunication

AT for Students who are

Deaf or Hard of Hearing:

The following are assistive technology options for people who are visually impaired, according to (Willings, n.d.):

• Non-optical low vision devices to access print on paper as well as electronic formats, such as acetate or color filters which darken the print as well as heighten the contrast of the print with the background paper, book stands and slant board which bring the work closer to the reader's eyes while reducing postural fatigue, and large print keyboards.
• Optical devices for near viewing such as magnifiers used to increase the size of the image and allows access to regular print materials both inside and outside the classroom.
• Screen enlargement and readers such as screen magnifiers which are designed to fit the monitor and can magnify up to 1.5X the original source and screen reading software like JAWS which reads the information on the computer screen. Additionally, within the accessibility options of the computer, modifications can be made, such as enlarging the pointer and making the icons larger.

AT for Students who are Visually Impaired