Three studies investigated the effectiveness of the Computer Assisted Reading Diagnosis, a diagnostic system based on "rauding" theory (a collection of theories, constructs, and equations developed to describe, explain, predict and control the ability to comprehend relatively easy sentences) and a causal model of reading achievement.…

This article discusses development of the Blind Rehabilitation Services Functional Outcomes Survey during a research project on the rehabilitation of adults with visual impairments. It describes the development process, the methods used in establishing survey reliability and validity, and the results of intermediate analyses of the data. (Contains…

This study tested the predictive validity of the Communication Composite of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales with 58 children (ages 17 to 34 months) functioning at the prelinguistic stage of language development. Evaluation of expressive vocabulary 1 year later found that the Communication Composite and all tested clusters were…

The D-48, a nonverbal test of general intelligence, was administered to 250 Mexican American and Anglo American community college students. Analysis of D-48 scores indicates no significant differences due to ethnicity or gender; adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability; and significant correlations with grade point average and…

Investigates the stability of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition (SB:FE) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) by testing a sample of 65 children from low socioeconomic status families. Mean scores for the group were roughly equivalent, correlation coefficients were high, and change scores for the majority of…

Psychometric properties of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) were examined. Findings suggested that the CDI reflects the progress of language development within the age range 10 to 27 months. Findings support caution in using results to identify individuals at risk for language deficits, to compare groups with different…

This study investigated the reliability and construct validity of a peer nomination form used to identify 670 Hispanic students of outstanding talent from three southwestern school districts. Results indicated adequate reliability, and suggestions are offered for improving the instrument's validity. (DB)

The scale-level factor structure of the adolescent form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-A) was examined in a clinical sample of 358 adolescents receiving psychiatric services. Nine factors accounted for 75.6% of total variance in scale and subscale raw scores. Findings support use of the MMPI-A for assessment of…

Examines the relationship and predictive power of the Early Language Milestone Scale-2 (ELM-2)and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II). Both scales were administered to 90 infants at risk for developmental delay due to prematurity and low birth weight. Results of the ELM-2 correlated with BSID-II scores of infants 12 months of age.…

Finds that graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) experience eight interrelated types of communication concern (self, task, impact, role conflict, teaching, area knowledge, procedural knowledge, and time management). Shows that GTA variables of expected duties, prior teaching experience, newness to area, foreign or domestic birth, and age are likely…

This article examines assessment instruments, measurement considerations, and factors that affect understanding of a child's creativity. It compares strengths and weaknesses of methods of assessing creativity and lists more than 60 standardized assessment measures. Procedures for using formal and informal measures in the decision-making process…

A study investigated the psychometric validity of current language impairment, communication activity limitation, and quality of life measures for differentiating 18 typical adults from 18 adults with chronic aphasia. Results indicated there existed significant relationships among some demographic variables and performance on the measures,…

A study involving 257 Navajo Indians and Mexican American elementary students, used the Raven Progressive Matrices to examined the concurrent validity of the DISCOVER assessment. Results provided some evidence for concurrent validity and showed that, through the use of the DISCOVER assessment, 22.9 percent were identified as gifted. (Contains…

This study examined the connections between children's self-representations at age 5 and their self-perceptions, socioemotional competence, and peer acceptance at age 8. Findings generally revealed the expected connections between the positiveness of self at age 5 and self-perceptions and socioemotional functioning 3 years later, supporting the…

This volume is the fourth in a series for college faculty and advanced graduate students, "Survival Skills for Scholars." It offers practical advice for developing, using, and grading classroom examinations, focusing on traditional multiple-choice and constructed-response tests rather than alternative assessments. (SLD)