Think of all the skills that children have to learn when they come into the world: smiling, turning over, responding to people, communicating, eating solid food, crawling, standing, and on and on. These skills are expected to emerge naturally over time and it is known more or less when they should. This timetable for skills to emerge is commonly…

The term "multiple disabilities" is general and broad. From the term, you cannot tell how many disabilities a child has; which disabilities are involved; or how severe each disability is. Many combinations of disabilities are possible. The different disabilities will also have a combined impact. That is why it is also important to ask:…

A comprehensive search identified 31 state statutes and regulations specific to functional behavioral assessments (FBA) and behavior intervention plans (BIP) in the special education context. A systematic tabulation of the state law provisions that exceed the rather narrow foundation requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act…

The purpose of this article was to describe a taxonomy of pretend play for children with disabilities based on a systematic review of the literature to characterize pretend play. Thirty-seven studies were identified as measuring pretend play in children with disabilities. Several inconsistencies were found in the measurement of pretend play across…

Given that the development of treatment fidelity assessment protocol is an integral but too frequently ignored aspect of clinical trials for psychological treatments, the Intensive Mental Health Program (IMHP) sought to build fidelity activities into training, program evaluation, and clinical recordkeeping from the outset of a 3 year study period.…

Extensive research over the past decade has indicated that there are more boys than girls who are struggling readers, but the degree to which there are more boys remains a point of contention. The focus of this article is to review the various definitions of reading disability, to examine how these different definitions translate into different…

In this article we identify the key survey data for examining the issue of equality in the lives of disabled people in the UK. Such data is essential for assessing change in quality of life over time and for the evaluation of the impact of policy initiatives. For each data source we consider definitions, data collection, issue coverage, sample…

The paper outlines a three dimensional model of person-environment congruence within a rehabilitation context. The model is then used in a discussion aimed at clarifying the concepts of disease, impairment, disability and handicap, and the relationship between the concept of functional assessment and the model. (Author/DB)

This paper addresses the issues of molar versus molecular assessment of integration of people with disabilities, definitions of integration, and assessment in measuring integration. Measures for four integration components are presented: (1) physical integration, (2) social integration, (3) relationships, and (4) social networks. (Author/DB)

This brief article defines portfolio assessment; explains its use with students having disabilities; and provides 60 references to journal articles, monographs, reports, and conference papers, chosen to represent a cross-section of research-based, practitioner-oriented, and theoretical positions. (DB)

This paper discusses the need to internationalize evaluation measures; unify criteria for rehabilitation scales; and refine the definitions of impairment, disability, and handicap. A model based on the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicap (ICIDH) scales is presented, depicting the components of somatogenesis,…

Quality of life issues in social skills assessment of persons with disabilities are discussed in terms of definitions, measures, applications to social skills assessment, and future needs. It is argued that broader measures need to be used in social skills assessment in order to evaluate quality of life changes. (CR)

Historical highlights in career assessment of exceptional students are followed by an analysis of the current status. Recommended practices are considered in light of definitions, purposes, goals, process and methods, and assessment personnel. (CL)

The need for a more systematic and objective approach to determining the extent of employment handicap resulting from disability is considered. A computer-based approach, implemented in a large public corporation, is described, and areas of further research are noted, specifically the need for a less simplistic definition of employment handicap.…

This paper on performance assessment of children with disabilities clarifies terminology, proposes a set of critical issues for discussion, outlines historical and current trends, examines reasons for current interest in performance assessment, and reviews problems and considerations in performance assessment. (JDD)