Developmental assessment scales are important tools for determining developmental delays and planning preventive interventions. One broad assessment scale used to evaluate child development is the Battelle Developmental Inventories (BDIs). The BDI-2 has a standardized version in English with good psychometric properties and a translated version in…

In this study, the literature in disability and higher education was examined, with a specific focus on assessment instruments. Published articles (n = 203) on development of new or refinement of existing instruments were reviewed for traits measured and psychometric rigor reported. Findings showed instruments are intended for professionals and…

The "Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning, Fourth Edition" (DIAL-4), is an individually administered screening test of skills and associated rating forms designed to identify children ages 2 years 6 months to 5 years 11 months who may be in need of diagnostic assessment or intervention across five developmental…

As part of efforts throughout China to improve the outcomes of individuals with disabilities, the Shanghai government has launched a campaign to screen at least 95 percent of newborns. To assist in meeting this goal, the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), Third Edition, was translated into Chinese and the feasibility of a screening system…

Using Rasch analysis, the psychometric properties of a newly developed 35-item parent-proxy instrument, the Caregiver Assessment of Movement Participation (CAMP), designed to measure movement participation problems in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, were examined. The CAMP was administered to 465 school children aged 5-10 years.…

The 2007 reauthorization of Head Start requires Head Start programs to use child assessments and developmental screeners that are developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate, as well as valid and reliable in the language in which they are used. This can be a challenge, since very few child assessment tools are developed or tested…

Authentic assessment is a growing alternative to conventional testing. This research-to-practice article describes a framework for implementing authentic assessment. The R-E-A-L framework shows how roles, equipment, assessment tools, and location can be incorporated into early childhood practices.

This study provides preliminary analysis of reliability and validity of scores on the Screening Test for Emotional Problems, which was designed to identify students ages 5 to 18 years who are referred for wide-ranging emotional disturbances categorized under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (U.S. Department of Education,…

The inclusion of young children with disabilities has remained a function of the Head Start program since its inception in the 1960s when the United States Congress mandated that children with disabilities comprise 10% of the Head Start enrollment (Zigler & Styfco, 2000). Standardized, norm-referenced tests used to identify children with…

The paper describes development of the Minneapolis Preschool Screening Instrument (MPSI), a measure for identifying children needing preschool intervention. The measure was designed to be brief to administer, inexpensive and simple enough so that both professionals and nonprofessionals could quickly learn administration and scoring. A…

Ten psychometric criteria (such as item analysis, concurrent validity, and interexaminer reliability) were used to compare four preschool screening tests: "Comprehensive Identification Process", "Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning--Revised" (Dial--R), "Denver Developmental Screening Test", and…

The article describes the preschool screening test, "Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning" (DIAL), and reviews research findings on the test from 1973 through 1978. It is concluded that the DIAL is maintaining relatively high levels of criterion-related validity (both concurrent and predictive) when compared to other…

The evaluation of a parent-completed screening system, the Infant Monitoring Questionnaires, found: 86 percent to 91 percent agreement between classifications of infants made using standardized tests and the questionnaires, low under-screening and over-screening rates (0 percent to 11 percent), high inter-observer and test-retest agreement, and…

The use of multidomain instruments for screening or diagnostic purposes with handicapped infants and preschoolers is reviewed. Purposes of assessment and criteria for instrument utility are presented. Five multidomain screening tools and three multidomain diagnostic instruments are reviewed with respect to their validity, reliability, and utility.…

Results from the testing of 23 eighth grades with the Structure of Intellect (S.O.I.) Learning Abilities Test to discriminate among abilities and needs of different groups of children indicated the test could be used to identify children with potential learning problems, diagnose needs, and aid educators to select appropriate programs. (MC)