In this study, we used a paired-choice assessment protocol to identify the relative reinforcing value of stimuli and activities for a child with severe disabilities when she failed to settle to sleep at night. The results of this assessment indicated that the child preferred the mother's attention relative to other activities presented. Assessment…

The development of a microcomputer assessment system is described with respect to establishing its reliability, validity, utility, and cost-effectiveness. Using the system, nonprofessionals, in less than an hour, generated an in-depth inexpensive comprehensive individualized 5-10 page behavior assessment which was judged superior in quality by…

In this article we outline components of the Competent Learner Model (CLM). Based on principles of applied behavior analysis, the model provides empirically based assessment, instruction, and evaluation for students with developmental disabilities, including autism.

Static and dynamic assessments conducted on 44 young handicapped children (mean age=68.75 months) demonstrated that dynamic assessment can provide information on a child's instructability. Graduated prompt assessment identified learning potential not identified by static tests. Mediation assessment identified learning potential not identified by…

In school settings, students are typically evaluated using group achievement tests, IQ scales, and college entrance exams that focus more on rote-verbal skills (e.g., vocabulary, mathematical facts) than on higher level executive functions (e.g., abstract thinking, problem solving). However, recent neuropsychological findings suggest that…

The manual describes seven tools for use in screening and assessing the developmentally disabled infant and young child in the home. Instruments are said to have met four criteria (easy adaptation to the home setting, minimum training required to administer, speed of administration, and minimum equipment needed). Five categories of information are…

A method is described for estimating changes in the rate of development because of an early intervention program as applied to developmentally disabled children. The clinical usefulness of the technique described seems to outweigh the potential for admitted but unavoidable methodological imperfections. (Author)

A study with 10 developmentally delayed children between the ages of 52 and 80 months found that test-retest samples resulted in greater variability for lexical and morphological measurements than split-half transcripts. It was also found that 50-utterance sample segments contained 70-80 percent of the lexical information found in 100-utterance…

Research is cited to corroborate the lack of conceptual models for building a functional psychological evaluation system for developmentally disabled persons. A model is proposed for individualized evaluation/assessment using a functional approach and based on the cognitive-behavioral perspective. The model can be used to determine directions in…

The document summarizes proceedings of an August 1980 conference on early intervention programs for developmentally disabled children attended by representatives of public instruction, federal and state model programs, early childhood staff from university affiliated facilities, instructors from colleges and universities and graduate students.…

Describes minimal requirements for functional intervention-based eligibility assessment of preschool children with possible developmental disabilities. The methodology is intended to help derive logical, natural, and meaningful discrepancies in behavior or performance through contextual analysis of child-related, environmental, and instructional…

A study examined the role of functional analysis as the basis for development of behavior management programs for three preschool boys with developmental disabilities. The maintaining factors for all three boys were relatively easily identified during formal functional analysis assessment and effective intervention programs were designed and…

The paper discusses a method of integrating parent report with teacher report on the Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI) and the Burks Behavior Rating Scale (BBRS) to aid in the assessment and placement of young children with behavior disorders and developmental delay. Two samples of children were used to collect the data: 3 to 6 year old…

The perceptions of parents of 113 developmentally delayed preschool children were compared with mental ages derived from the Cattell Infant Intelligence Scale and the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale. With the parents as informants, an Alpern-Boll Developmental Profile was completed. Findings demonstrated a high degree of correlation between the…

This article proposes assessment targets and protocols for children with profound developmental disabilities who are nonsymbolic communicators. Targets include children's actual or perceived communicative behaviors, their communicative partners, and their communicative environments. Protocols consist of interviews, observations, structured…