Formal

Bayley Scales of Infant Development

Purpose: / Assessment for infants and toddlers in the areas of mental and motor ability; infant behavior record is also included, but is considered informal. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 95)
Validity for children with visual impairments: / This test was not normed for children with visual impairments. No suggested adaptations are discussed in the manual. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 96) Many items require average visual functioning and test scores will not reflect child’s functioning accurately.

Revised Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development

Purpose: / Assessment for children ages 0-6; provides criterion-referenced data for instructional planning purposes. Evaluates gross and fine motor skills, behavior, social/emotional development self-help and speech. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 104-105)
Validity for children
with visual impairments: / Adaptations are not suggested in the manual, but the American Printing House for the Blind released a standardized, adaptive version of this test for children with visual impairments. This format is considered to provide a better portrayal of functioning of children with visual impairments. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 110)

The Oregon Project for Visually Impaired and

Blind Children –Fifth Edition
Purpose: / Assessment for children birth to age 6. Evaluates abilities in fine and gross motor development, cognitive functioning, language, social skills, vision, compensatory skills and self-help. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 121)
Validity for children
with visual impairments: / This test was specifically created for children who are blind or visually impaired. It is considered valid for this population, but is not as comprehensive as the Revised Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development when used with the accessible supplement. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 121-124)
Informal

Learning Media Assessment (LMA)

Purpose: / Assessment for any person of any age with a suspected or diagnosed visual impairment or one who is blind. Is designed to determine the appropriate learning media for children who are blind or visually impaired. This may be print, large or regular, tactile, braille, auditory or any combination of the above. Appropriate strategies are implemented based on the findings of the LMA. For example, a young child who will need braille as a mode of literacy in the future will benefit from tactile building activities during early childhood to promote braille literacy. The LMA identifies this mode. (Levack, p. 44-47
Validity for children with visual impairments: / This assessment is designed for persons who are blind or visually impaired. It is valid for this population. Persons with other disabilities, such as dyslexia or neurological difficulties benefit from the LMA too, as it provides information on the best mode of literacy, such as tactile or auditory.

Functional Vision Assessment (FVA)

Purpose: / Assessment used for any person of any age with a suspected or diagnosed visual impairment. Offers a framework for observing how children use any vision to function and perform daily tasks. Provides feedback to determine if the visual impairment is affecting the child’s learning process or infant/toddler development. Provides service providers, parents, and medical practitioners with information about the child’s quantity and quality of functional vision, which is used to make vital decisions in helping the child maximize the use of functional vision. Is used to supplement ophthalmologist’s report on medical functioning of the eye. (Levack, 36) The FVA is key in determining child’s eligibility for vision related services. (Levack, 45)
Validity for children with visual impairments: / This assessment is specifically designed only for children with visual impairments. Continued assessment of the child’s functional vision is imperative to ensure correct developmental and educational accommodations and strategies are implemented based off of the child’s functional vision.

Informal Assessment of Developmental Skills for Visually Handicapped Students

Purpose: / Assessment is for infants and toddlers and consists of checklists for evaluating cognition, language, psychomotor, social/emotional, and self-help. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 114) Information gathered helps direct service delivery planning.
Validity for children with visual impairments: / This assessment was specifically designed for children with visual impairments. No validity or reliability is reported and the informal nature of this test should be considered when interpreting results. (Bradley-Johnson, p. 116)

Reference

Allman, C. (2004). Making Tests Accessible for Students with Visual Impairments: A Guide for Test Publishers, Test Developers, and State Assessment Personnel. (2nd edition.) Louisville, KY: American Printing House for the Blind. Available from

Bradley-Johnson, S., (1994). Psychoeducational Assessment of Students who are Visually Impaired or Blind. Austin: Pro-Ed Inc.

Levack, N. (1998). Low Vision: A Resource Guide with Adaptations

for Students with Visual Impairments. Austin: TSBVI.