Chapter 10 Assessment and the IFSP/IEP Process

1. Chapter 10Assessment and the IFSP/IEP Process

2. Assessment of Young Children • There are six interrelated steps: • Screening • Determining eligibility • Determining services • Planning the program • Monitoring progress • Evaluating the program

3. Assessment of Young Children (continued) • Criterion-referenced assessment • A child’s progress is measured against a preset standard. • These are helpful in planning. • The child is not compared to other children.

4. Assessment of Young Children (continued) • Norm-referenced tests • A child is compared to other children of the same age. • These are not as helpful with young children. • It is used as a screening process to begin further testing.

5. Assessment of Young Children (continued) • IQ tests • Most are norm-referenced. • The purpose is to attempt to determine how much a child knows, how well the child solves problems, and how quickly a child can perform a variety of mental tasks. • Scores should be used with caution. • High scores as a young child are not a determining factor of future intelligence.

6. The Process of Early Identification • Case finding • Identifying children early to prevent further developmental delays • Child Find • Established in the 1960s • To publicize information to families on disability services and where to find help

7. The Process of Early Identification (continued) • Screening • This is a process to identify children. • It uses low-cost, easily administered tests to identify children. • Screening tests need to be reliable and valid. • Results are not a diagnosis. • Follow-through is essential.

8. The Process of Early Identification (continued) • Partnerships with families • Listen to the parents. • Parents know their child best and usually see a problem first. • Ignoring parents can only delay a diagnosis and early intervention.

9. The Process of Early Identification (continued) • Cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences • Assessment must be conducted in a child’s native language. • Assessments must be designed for use in the native language, not just translated. • Assessments should be given by a cultural mediator, fluent in both languages. • Multiple forms of information should be collected. • Test items should measure a child’s strengths and weaknesses.

10. The Process of Early Identification (continued) • Types of screening instruments • DIAL 3 • Denver II • ESI-R • ASQSE

11. The Process of Early Identification (continued) • Who does the screening? • Professionals and paraprofessionals screen. • Depending on the screening, a certain level of training may be required. • Little training is required for the Snellen Eye Screening, but specialized training is required for a hearing screening.

12. The Process of Early Identification (continued) • Limitations of screening • It is only a snapshot of the child at that time. • The child was probably in a new place with new people and had difficulty focusing. • Use results to begin the evaluation process.

13. Teachers’ Role in Early Identification • Teachers’ qualifications • Teachers see the children daily and understand child development. • They are trained to notice the differences in development.

14. Teachers’ Role in Early Identification (continued) • Teacher as observer • The teacher is trained to observe all children and record what they see. • They are able to note differences in daily interactions as well as see problems over the long run. • Teachers use facts when recording observations and not opinions or subjective statements.

15. Teachers’ Role in Early Identification (continued) • Systematic observations • Teachers need to develop a system to collect observation data. • All observations should include: • Child’s name • Date and time • Setting • Initials of observer

16. Types of Observations • Checklists • This is a list of skills in which the observer records whether the child can or cannot do a skill. • Often this is done throughout the day, not in a contrived setting.

17. Types of Observations (continued) • Frequency counts • These are tally marks collected every time a child does a behavior. • Duration measures • When a behavior occurs, the observer notes the time and then notes the time when the behavior ends.

18. Types of Observations (continued) • Anecdotal notes • These are short, concise notes taken about a child while doing an activity. • These notes then are turned into recording that a parent can read and comment on.

19. Types of Observations (continued) • Running record • This is a narrative recording of everything a child did, said, and responded to. • They involve complete concentration of the observer on the one child.

20. Types of Observations (continued) • Logs, journals, and diaries • These are similar to running records, yet not as formal. • A teacher may use these for one-on-one planning. • Notes to teacher not necessarily to be shared with parents.

21. Types of Observations (continued) • Time sampling • Brief, periodic observations to determine the presence or absence of a behavior • Language samples • Verbatim recordings of what the child says or what sounds the child makes • Portfolio assessment • Samples of the child’s work collected over the year

22. Types of Observations (continued) • Cautionary notes for teachers • Avoid making diagnoses. • Avoid labeling a child. • Avoid jumping to conclusions. • Develop a good relationship with families. • Listen carefully. • Make careful judgments. • Be culturally sensitive.

23. IFSP vs. IEP • IFSP serves infants, toddlers, and their families (although recent changes to the law allow for the continuing use of or development of IFSPs for preschoolers) • IEP serves preschoolers and older children with disabilities • IFSP focuses on the FAMILY • IEP focuses on the CHILD, although parents are still central to the team

24. Individualized Family Service Plan • The IFSP is designed to work with families of infants and toddlers with disabilities to identify priorities, resources, and concerns. • Family is a key component. • Services are decided, and parents are given support to utilize these services. • A service coordinator evaluates the processes and ensures that the IFSP is working.

25. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • Pre-referral and case conferencing • A parent and teacher meet to discuss concerns, both share information, and a decision is made as to whether further screening is necessary.

26. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • Identification of needs • Children are screened to see where they are developmentally. • Strengths as well as concerns are noted. • Family input is given into prioritizing the findings.

27. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • Non-intrusiveness • The law protects families’ privacy by not allowing professionals to ask questions that invade their cultural beliefs and practices. • Families should not feel like they are in the hot seat through this process. • They should instead feel like a vital member of the team.

28. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • IFSP evaluation • It must be evaluated at least once a year. • Changes are made to goals that have been met, and goals not met are re-evaluated for the new year.

29. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • Service coordination • The service coordinator aligns all the services and serves as the mediator between the professionals and the parents. • Their job is also to help a parent find transportation to services needed by the child.

30. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • Parents as service coordinators • Parents should be praised if they want this role. • Training is required. • Leadership is a needed skill to help their child in the future, so encourage parents to take this step now.

31. Individualized Family Service Plan (continued) • Program-to-program transition • The law requires that planning for a new program is written into the child’s IFSP. • It should be as smooth as possible, and parents should have input.

32. IFSP Legal requirementsPart H of PL 99-457 and Part C of IDEA require that an individualized family services plan (IFSP) be developed for each child from birth to 3 years of age who is diagnosed as disabled, developmentally delayed, or at risk for delay.

33. IFSPs must include: • A statement of the child's present level of development in each domain; • A statement of the families' resources, priorities, and concerns relating to enhancing the development of the child; • A statement of the major outcomes expected to be achieved along with the criteria, procedures, and timelines to determine the degree of progress; • A statement of specific early intervention services to be provided;

34. IFSPs must include: • A statement of the natural environments in which early intervention services are to be provided and justification for services not provided in the natural environment; • The identification of a service coordinator who will be responsible for the implementation of the plan and coordination of service; • The steps to be taken to support the transition of the toddler with a disability to preschool or other appropriate services.

35. IFSPA Case Study (adapted from Kirk et al, 2003) • Concerns are raised about the child's development. • The family calls the area mental health agency, health department, or Developmental Evaluation Center (DEC) to make a referral. The IFSP must be completed within 45 days of referral. • A service coordinator (usually from mental health or health department) is assigned to quickly assess the child's current development, to complete intake information on the child and family, and to garner written parental permission to examine child's records from other professionals involved with the child and to receive a multidisciplinary assessment, if deemed necessary. • The screening suggests a potential problem and the child is referred for a multidisciplinary assessment at the area DEC. • At the DEC, they assess the child's motor, social, speech and language, and cognitive skills.

36. The information is presented to the Consortium to determine, based on state guidelines and federal definitions, if: • the child is all right and needs no special assistance; • the child appears to be somewhat delayed but not to such a degree that assistance is needed now; evaluation should be done again in three to six months; • the child has a particular problem and should be in the intervention program; or • the family needs economic assistance, job training, or training in how to deal with the child and his or her disabilities. • The child is eligible for intervention services and the family agrees with the decision. • The service coordinator meets with the family and other service providers and/or family members, as requested by the family, to develop an IFSP. • If the assessment and information could not be completed and collected to allow for development of the IFSP within 45 days from referral, then an interim IFSP may be developed at any point within the first 45 days after referral.

37. Ideally, the IFSP team meeting includes: • the parents, • the service coordinator, • professionals involved in the assessment and care of the child, and • anyone else the parents wish to have input into the writing of the IFSP. In reality, the service coordinator and parents develop the IFSP. Input from others is usually obtained through the multi-disciplinary assessment; the IFSP is then sent to them for signatures.

38. The IFSP was designed to preserve the family's role as primary caregiver. • Well-constructed IFSPs fully support the family and encourage their active and meaningful involvement (Gargiulo & Kilgo, 2000).

39. Individualized Education Program • IEP is the educational plan for students once they reach the school system. • It looks more at the academic component than any other developmental domain.

40. The IEP Legal requirements: • The Individualized Education Plan (or Program) is an overall strategy to deliver services to preschool children and students, ages 3-21. • By law, the IEP must include certain information about the child and the educational program designed to meet his or her unique needs.

41. IEP should include: • Current performance: • This information usually comes from the evaluation results such as classroom tests and assignments, individual tests given to decide eligibility for services or during reevaluation, and observations made by parents, teachers, related service providers, and other school staff. • Annual goals that the child can reasonably accomplish in a year. • Goals may be academic, address social or behavioral needs, relate to physical needs, or address other educational needs.

42. IEP should include: • Special education and related services to be provided to the child or on behalf of the child. • This includes supplementary aids and services that the child needs. It also includes modifications (changes) to the program or supports for school personnel. • Participation with nondisabled children. • The IEP must explain the extent (if any) to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and other school activities.

43. IEP should include: • Participation in state and district-wide tests. • The IEP must state what modifications in the administration of these tests the child will need. If a test is not appropriate for the child, the IEP must state why the test is not appropriate and how the child will be tested instead. • Dates and places. • The IEP must state when services will begin, how often they will be provided, where they will be provided, and how long they will last.

44. IEP should include: • Transition service needs. • Beginning when the child is age 14 (or younger, if appropriate), the IEP must address (within the applicable parts of the IEP) the courses he or she needs to take to reach his or her post-school goals. • Needed transition services. Beginning when the child is age 16 (or younger, if appropriate), the IEP must state what transition services are needed to help the child prepare for leaving school

45. IEP should include: • Age of majority • Beginning at least one year before the child reaches the age of majority, the IEP must include a statement that the student has been told of any rights that will transfer to him or her at the age of majority. • Measuring progress • The IEP must state how the child's progress will be measured and how parents will be informed of that progress.

46. Individualized Education Program (continued) • The IEP team • Made up of professionals from various disciplines • Parents • Child’s teacher • An IEP team—multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary, or interdisciplinary

47. Individualized Education Program (continued) • Requirements of the IEP • Based on developmentally valid, nondiscriminatory assessment information. • List child’s present level of functioning. • Identify short-term objectives and long-term goals. • Specify the services to be provided and dates. • Ensure accountability. • Identify where and when services will be provided.

48. Individualized Education Program (continued) • Assessment • Must be done over a period of time • Must include more than one assessment showing a disability • Is used as a piece of the puzzle to identify areas of need for the child

49. Individualized Education Program (continued) • Long-term or annual goals • These are broad goals to accomplish throughout the year. • They are specific to that child. • Short-term objectives • These are the ministeps that will be taken to achieve the long-term goals.

50. Individualized Education Program (continued) • Specific services to be provided • Any specialized services that the child will need are listed here. • They may be a PT, OT, SLT. • It should also list where the services will take place. • Pull out • Naturalistic intervention