Evaluation and Assessment of Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children
Collecting information about a child's development and characteristics is a complex process. Many providers use specific tests to measure a child's skills. Others rely on observation. This module covers strategies to collect information about children's physical, social, psychological, and behavioral development including why and how to use non-test strategies.
Topics include:
• Formal and informal information collection models and methods
• Advantages and disadvantages of standardized and non-standardized tests, tools and methods
• Program monitoring
A comprehensive model of information collection helps to:
• Determine the strengths and needs of a child and family
• Identify evidence-based practices
• Develop effective intervention plans and strategies
• Understand change over time
Objectives
In completing this module, you will be able to collect information to:
• Determine developmental and functional status of infants, toddlers, and young children
• Determine strengths and needs of children and families
• Use information collected to make informed decisions regarding eligibility, interventions, and outcomes
PART I: THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTING INFORMATION
Frameworks that Guide the Information Collection Process
Define the models in the sections below.
Traditional Models
Medical Model
Developmental Model
Contemporary Models
Social Model
Ecological Model
Intrinsic / Extrinsic / Skills, Tasks, ActivitiesInternational Classification of Functioning (ICF) Model
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. How do you collect information about children and families?
2. Which framework(s) make(s) the most sense to you? Why?
3. How will you structure information collection to ensure it aligns with the framework you have chosen? For example,
o Will you look for tools that include components that only focus on development and delay?
o Will you include tools that consider family perspectives?
o Will you include tools that map family and community resources?
Authentic Assessment
Note the key ideas related to authentic assessment.
Identifying the Purpose of Collecting Information
Complete the following chart then compare to the complete one on the next page:
1. Determine eligibility for services
based on / using2. Plan intervention
based on / using3. Determine change over time
based on / Using
Solution:
1. Determine eligibility for services
based ono Percent delay,
o Professional opinion, and
o Diagnosis / using
o Evaluation
o Standardized Tests
o 5 Domains of Development
2. Plan intervention
based ono Family needs, concerns, priorities
o Routines, activities, and learning
o Opportunities, expectations / using
o Family assessment
o Ongoing family input
o Family satisfaction surveys
3. Determine change over time
based ono Accomplishment IFSP outcomes
o Family satisfaction with services
o Comparison to peers / using
o IFSP review
o Family questionnaire or interview
o Assessment
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. Why do you collect information about children and families?
2. How many of these reasons are connected to legislative compliance?
3. How many of these reasons relate to improving services for children and families?
4. Is one more important than the other or are they equally important? Why?
The Process of Collecting Information
Complete the chart below by writing a description for each.
Validity / DescriptionSocial Validity
Convergent Validity
Consensual Validity
Treatment Validity
Recommended Practices
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. How do you ensure that the information you is valid (as explained above)?
2. Do you integrate what you read in the position statements and recommended practices into your work? How?
Aligning Contemporary Models and Purpose
Tiffany is a speech-language pathologist and a new early intervention provider. She has an evaluation for an 18 month old boy with communication and social emotional concerns coming up. She is planning on collecting the following information during the evaluation:
• Birth and medical history
• The family’s main concerns
• Who the main care givers are
• Where the child spends his time
• Assessment of the child’s current communication skills through standardized, norm referenced testing
Answer the following questions.
1. What model do you think Tiffany is using and why? Is there additional information Tiffany should collect for an evaluation under this model? What do you think the likely purposes of her evaluation are?
2. Read the Case Study for Allison, explain what information you would collect for an evaluation and assessment under each of the frameworks. What information collected was the same under each framework (medical, developmental, social, ecological, ICF)? Explain where they were different.
Medical / Developmental / Social / Ecological / ICFHow does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. Which framework (from the above list or other that is not listed) do you use most often when evaluating a young child with a delay or disability, plan intervention, or make decisions about needs?
2. Why do you use this framework?
3. What is the focus of evaluation and assessment under the framework?
Screening, Evaluation, and Assessment
Terminology
Write definitions for each term.
Screening
Evaluation
Use the chart below to take notes about each purpose.
To make a diagnosis / To identify atypical development / To determine eligibility / To determine program effectivenessHead Start/Early Head Start
Medicaid and EPSDT
Social Security
IDEA, Part C and B
Assessment
A comprehensive process used to:
Use the chart below to take notes about screening, evaluation, and assessment for Part C and Part B:
Screening / Evaluation / AssessmentPart B:
Tools: / Part B:
Tools: / Part B:
Tools:
Part C:
Tools: / Part C:
Tools: / Part C:
Tools:
Assessment
Family Assessment
Consider the following chart. Make any edits you think appropriate:
Action Step / Who? / Resources? / When?Find a tool to use with this specific family / Provider / Assessment toolkit and pediatrician input / Week one
Set an appointment with mother, explaining the purpose for the assessment in ways that support her / Provider and Mother / Phone, email, or in person / Week one
Meet with mother in the child’s home or a location selected by the mother to implement the tool / Provider and Mother / Mother’s input on the best location / Week two
Compile and analyze results / Provider / Family assessment tool / Week two
Share results with mother in a supportive way / Provider and Mother / Mother’s input on best way to share information / Week three
Answer the question,
1. What unique elements to the family assessment would you have to consider with Kaila's family?
How does this work for me?
Take the self assessment, Family Centered Care Self Assessment Tool—Provider Tool (www.familyvoices.org/work/family_care?id=0005). Answer the following questions:
1. What did you learn about information collection and family centered-care?
2. Write down 2 ways your evaluation and assessment procedures will change to become more family-centered.
Answer the following questions
1. What is the difference among screening, evaluation, and assessment under IDEA, Part C?
2. What is the criteria that can be used by states and jurisdictions to determine that a child and family is eligible to receive early intervention?
3. What is a family assessment and why is it important?
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. What are some special considerations when screening, evaluating, and assessing for infants and toddlers?
2. What are 2 things you would be sure to include in your information collection process?
Using Observation
Note the key ideas related to observation.
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. What are the similarities and differences in your processes?
2. What three strategies, polices or procedures for your educational or early intervention administration or policy makers would support a more comprehensive, interdisciplinary, culturally and linguistically appropriate evaluation and assessment process in your system?
PART II: COLLECTING INFORMATION: METHODS, STRATEGIES TOOLS
Methods and Strategies
Review, Interview, Observation, Tools and Tests
Use the chart below to make notes about RIOT.
Sources / Information CollectedChart eviews
nterviews and Report
Naturalistic bservations
Standardized and ools and Tests
Cultural Considerations
Note some of the cultural considerations for RIOT.
Answer the question:
Considering the types of information that is important to gather, how can it be gathered in a family-centered and culturally and linguistically competent manner?
Models
Use the chart below to make notes about each model.
Bottom-up / Top-down / Routines based / Judgment basedFramework
Description
Answers
Focus
Note key ideas for each model.
Bottom-Up (Impairments, Activity Limitations)
Domain specific tools:
Top-Down (Body Function/Structure, Activity, Participation)
Routines Based (Activity, Participation)
Use the chart below to make notes about RBI tools.
Tool / DescriptionRBI Report Form
RBI Implementation Checklist
MEISR
SHoRE
STARE
VECTOR
Informal Worksheet
Ecological Inventory
Asset Based Context Matrix
Judgment Based (Activity, Participation)
Use the chart below to make notes about the tools.
Tool / DescriptionSystem to Plan Early Childhood Services (SPECS)
The ABILITIES Index
Temperament and Atypical Behavior Scale (TABS)
Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional
The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI)
Methods, Strategies, and Tools: Summary and Reflection
Choose a framework of development and disability and one or more of the models of collecting information and the RIOT strategies to plan an evaluation on a child you will be seeing. If you do not have an upcoming evaluation or assessment, use the Allison Case Study.
Explain your methods and what frameworks and models you employed and your rationale.
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. What methods of collecting information do you currently use?
o What are the benefits and drawbacks of the method you currently use?
o Why did you chose these methods?
2. After reading this part of the module, are you considering changing or adapting your information collection system for evaluation and assessment? Why or why not?
Tests, Measures, and Tools
Determining the Appropriate Tools
Note key ideas for determining appropriate tools.
Purpose and Design
Use the chart below to make notes about the tools.
Purpose / Definition / ExamplesDescriptive
Discriminative
Evaluative
Predictive
Standardized Tools
Use the chart below to make notes about the tools.
Norm-Referenced / Criterion-Referenced / Observation / By ReportPsychometric Characteristics of Standardized Tools
Use the chart below to make notes about each characteristic.
Characteristic / MeaningValidity
Accuracy
Responsiveness
Standard Error of Measurement
Confidence Intervals
Minimum Detectable Change
Reliability
Item Response Theory and Rasch Analysis
Scores
Define the following:
Raw Score
Standard Scores
Norm-Referenced
Use the chart below to make notes about the following scores.
Score / DescriptionZ Scores
T Score
Index or Quotient
Percentiles
Stanine
Age Equivalents
Note the key ideas to remember regarding age equivalents.
Criterion-Referenced
Define criterion-referenced.
• How will you use cut off scores?
After watching “Norm- versus Criterion-Referenced Scoring: Advantages and Disadvantages”, respond to the following questions:
1. How would you use norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, or both for the purposes below:
o Identify risk for developmental delay or disability?
o Determine a diagnosis, disability category, or comprehensive developmental profile?
o Determine eligibility for service?
o Plan or modify intervention?
o Determine change over time?
o Determine program effectiveness?
Modifying Standardized Tool Administration or Scoring
Types of Modifications
Use the chart below to make notes about the following modifications.
Type / ExamplesContent or Administration
Timing
Scoring
Application
Consequences of Modifications
What Should We Do?
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. What kinds of modifications have you used in the past?
2. How do you think these modifications affected your scores?
3. What will you do in the future to account for these modifications in your interpretation of results?
Tests, Measures, and Tools: Summary and Reflection
What impact does culture and language have in the evaluation and assessment process?
Review Kavon's case study. Using the Toolkit feature to search for tools, what would you use? Using the search feature, choose a tool to use during the evaluation. Identify and review at least one article that examines the tool you chose.
Consider:
o Purpose of the your evaluation
o Tools
o Reason for selection
o Additional sources of information
o Extraneous answers
How does this work for me?
Reflect on the questions below:
1. How do you select tools that match your purpose for evaluation?
2. How does reading the latest literature regarding tools help you choose the best tool for evaluation or assessment?
3. What 3 journals will you begin to scan for information about screening, evaluation, and assessment tools?
PART III: USING INFORMATION
Decision-Making
Complete the following for both traditional and contemporary decision-making models.
Purpose / Traditional / ContemporaryPurpose
Method
Framework
Comments
Contemporary Practice Models of Decision-Making
1. Collaborative Decision-Making
Note the team considerations related to each question.
What abilities/skills (outcome/goal) does the child need/want to develop?
What are the barriers/the supports to the accomplishment of these abilities/skills?
Whose expertise is needed to overcome barriers and/or capitalize on supports?
Who on the team has the skills and expertise to help the student reach the goal; to overcome the barriers; to integrate the supports?
How should intervention be provided?
Where should intervention be provided?
When should the intervention be provided?
Why should the intervention be provided?
What evidence is available?
2. Clinical Reasoning (Modified from Dunn, 2009)
Using the chart below, make note of the questions you would ask.
Narrative ReasoningScientific Reasoning
Pragmatic Reasoning
Ethical Reasoning
3. Therapeutic Process
Using the chart below, make note of the questions you would ask.
Hypothesis Generation / Assessment Information / Intervention Plan4. Participation Driven Decision-Making
Using the chart below, make note of the questions you would ask.
Engagement / Interaction / SatisfactionReview Jake case study.
1. Using one of the decision making models, determine eligibility, and make recommendations based on Jake case study.