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Title: AgeAppropriate Transition Assessment for Youth with Disabilities


1
Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment for Youth
with Disabilities
  • Gary M. Clark, Ed.D.
  • gclark_at_ku.edu
  • Virginia Department of Education's Training and
    Technical Assistance Center
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Richmond, VA
  • August 24, 2009

2
Part 1
  • Overview of Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment

3
IDEA 2004 clearly states
  • The term transition services means a
    coordinated set of activities for a child with a
    disability that
  • is designed to be within a results-oriented
    process that is focused on improving the academic
    and functional achievement of the child with a
    disability to facilitate the childs movement
    from school to postschool activities

4
IDEA 2004 clearly states
  • transition services means a set of
  • coordinated activities that
  • -- is based on the individual childs
  • needs, taking into account the childs
  • strengths, preferences, and interests.

5
IDEA 2004 clearly states
The IEP for students 16 and older (and younger
when appropriate), must have ..appropriate
measurable postsecondary goals based upon
age-appropriate transition assessments related to
training, education, employment, and, where
appropriate, independent living skills
6
What does age-appropriate mean?
  • Age-appropriateness in assessment refers to the
    appropriateness of
  • the content of the assessment (items, interview
    questions, checklist or rating scale response
    options, etc.),
  • the assessment environments used,
  • the assessment activities used,
  • the materials used, or
  • the instructions or format used.

7
IDEA 2004 clearly states
For students graduating or exiting school due to
aging out a local education agency shall
provide the child with a summary of the child's
academic achievement and functional performance,
which shall include recommendations on how to
assist the child in meeting the child's
postsecondary goals
8
Hidden in the IDEA 2004 Regulations on Related
Services it even states
  • (11) Recreation includes--
  • (i) Assessment of leisure function
  • (ii) Therapeutic recreation services
  • (iii) Recreation programs in schools and
    community agencies and
  • (iv) Leisure education

9
Assessment Considerations for Age-Appropriate
Assessment
  • Do we have a useful framework for appropriate
    planning (based on age, grade, maturity level,
    reading level, auditory comprehension, etc.)?
  • Are age-appropriate tools available?
  • Are family and students involved?
  • Are other school-based personnel involved?
  • What works for good planning and compliance?
  • What will teachers accept?

10
Does IDEA 2004 specify what acceptable
age-appropriate assessment means?
  • Although IDEA does not define what
    age-appropriate assessment is or what is
    acceptable under the law, we have to consider
    these factors
  • --Recommended professional practice
  • --Defensibility under question or challenge

11
Recommended Professional Practice
  • Practice recommended based on evidence-based data
  • Practice recommended based on field reports of
    successful practice (satisfaction)
  • Practice recommended based on professional
    publications advocating a practice that adheres
    to logic, theory, research findings, or
    successful program models

12
Defensibility
  • Defensibility in an IEP meeting, a due process
    hearing, or a law suit.
  • Defensibility involves appropriateness of
  • assessment content focus
  • disability impact on participation in the
    assessment
  • age-appropriateness
  • language and culture

13
What is acceptable to teachers?
  • Acceptable usually means that something is
  • good for students
  • fits the users philosophy or way of doing
    things
  • not complicated
  • not unreasonably time-consuming
  • reasonable in cost for what you get

14
Comprehensive Planning Individual Needs
Assessment Starts with the Questions
  • What do we need to know for planning?
  • Where can we get this information?

15
What do we need to know for transition planning?
  • Students personal interests and preferences
  • Family preferences for student
  • Self-determination knowledge and skills
  • Cognitive strengths
  • Academic strengths

16
What do we need to know for transition planning?
(contd.)
  • Community participation and community living
    skills
  • Vocational skills
  • Social skills
  • Physical and mental health status
  • Student and family support needs

17
Part 2
  • Overview of Transition Assessment Approaches
    Formal or Commercially Available Instruments

18
Where can we get assessment information?
  • Formal (standardized) and/or commercially
    available assessments
  • Informal (non-standardized)
    assessments

19
Clarifying the Difference Between Formal and
Informal Assessment
  • Formal or Standardized Assessment refers to
    instruments or approaches that have demonstrated
    validity and reliability data in measuring or
    assessing traits, interests, preferences, skill
    performance, or behavior. Norms may be featured.
  • Validity and reliability data are reported in
    correlation coefficients in the manual ranging
    from .00 (no validity, no reliability) to 1.00
    (perfect validity, perfect reliability)

20
Clarifying the Difference Between Formal and
Informal Assessment
  • Informal or nonstandardized assessment refers to
    instruments, approaches, or activities that are
    not based on any attempt to demonstrate validity
    or reliability, nor would they ever include
    norms.
  • Informal assessment is used as a subjective,
    intuitive, or clinical judgment of a selected
    trait, interest, preference, skill performance,
    or behavior.

21
Types of Standardized or Commercially Available
Assessments
  • Academic achievement tests
  • Intellectual functioning assessment
  • Adaptive behavior scales
  • Aptitude tests
  • Interest inventories
  • Personality scales

22
Types of Available Assessments (contd.)
  • Quality of life scales
  • Prevocational/ employability scales
  • Vocational skills scales
  • Self-determination scales
  • Transition planning assessments (preferences,
    interests, and needs)

23
Age-appropriate Transition Planning
Assessments--Selected Examples
  • AIR Self-Determination Scale, high school
  • Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment-III, ages
    8-25
  • Arcs Self-Determination Scale, Grades 9-12
  • BRIGANCE Employability Skills Inventory, Grades
    5-12
  • BRIGANCE Life Skills Inventory, Grades 7-12
  • Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scales (ESTR-R
    and ESTR-III), ages 14-21

24
Transition Assessment Scales, (contd.)
  • LCCE Performance Knowledge Batteries, ages
    12-19 (middle and high school)
  • Responsibility and Independence Scale for
    Adolescents, ages 12-19
  • Transition Skills Inventory (TSI), high school
  • Transition Behavior Scale (2/e) (TBS), Grades
    11-12
  • Transition Planning Inventory (TPI), Grades 8-12

25
AIR Self-Determination Scale
  • Has a parent, teacher and student version
  • Web-based and free
  • Available online at http//education.ou.edu/zarr
    ow/

26
Ansell-Casey Life Skills
  • Web-based and free
  • English and Spanish versions
  • Youth and caregiver forms
  • Scored for you
  • Can obtain class summaries
  • Available from www.caseylifeskills.org

27
Arcs Self-Determination Scale
  • Adolescent version
  • Web-based and free
  • Must use the procedural manual to score (see
    www.beachcenter.org/education.../self-determinatio
    n.aspx)
  • Available online at http//education.ou.edu/zarr
    ow/ or www.beachcenter.org/.../beach_resource_deta
    il_page.aspx?

28
BRIGANCE Life Skills Inventory
  • Target population Grades 7-12 Reading grade
    levels, 2-8
  • Over 1400 items across subscales of Speaking and
    Listening, Functional Writing, Words on Common
    Signs and Warning Labels, Telephone Skills, Money
    and Finance, Food, Clothing, Health, Travel and
    Transportation
  • May be administered individually or in groups,
    oral or written
  • Contains supplemental rating scales in the areas
    of speaking skills, listening skills, health
    practices and attitudes, self concept, and auto
    safety

29
BRIGANCE Employability Skills Inventory
  • Target population, Grades 5-12 requires reading
    or listening comprehension of high school level
    material
  • Approximately 1,400 items across six areas
    Career Awareness and Understanding, Job Seeking
    and Knowledge, Reading Skills, Speaking and
    Listening Skills, Pre-employment Writing, and
    Math Skills and Concepts
  • Supplemental rating scales provided

30
Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scales
  • ESTR-J designed for mild disabilities of any age
  • ESTR--III designed for moderate to severe and
    multiple disability groups of any age
  • Rating scales format, completed by school and
    parent jointly or separately
  • 47 items rated on a two point scale (Yes,
    performs skill independently or consistently No,
    does not perform skills or does not perform
    skills independently or consistently

31
Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scales, contd.
  • A worksheet for indicating student preferences
    and interests across the five subscale areas
  • Subscales include
  • Employment
  • Home Living
  • Recreation and Leisure
  • Community Participation
  • Post Secondary Education

32
Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scales, contd.
  • Scores provided on each subscale and a Total
    Performance Score (percentage of Yes ratings)
  • ESTR-III provides item response options
    indicating Yes, with supports
  • No estimation of completion time in manual

33
Life-Centered Career Education Competency
Assessment Batteries
  • Curriculum-based assessment related to LCCE
    Curriculum, organized into 3 major components
    Occupational Guidance and Preparation,
    Personal-Social, and Daily Living
  • Knowledge Battery contains 200 multiple-choice
    items covering 20 of the 22 LCCE competency areas
  • Performance Battery contains 105 open-ended or
    actual performance tasks related to 21 of the 22
    LCCE competency areas

34
Life-Centered Career Education Competency
Assessment Batteries, contd.
  • Completion time for each complete battery is
    2.5-4 hours
  • Knowledge Battery is standardized with norms
  • Designed for grades 7-12, students with mild
    cognitive disabilities, moderate-severe learning
    disabilities, and mild-moderate behavior
    disorders

35
Responsibility and Independence Scale for
Adolescents
  • Ages 12-20, mild disabilities or students at risk
  • Subscales Domestic Skills, Money Management,
    Citizenship, Personal Planning, Transportation
    Skills, Career Development, Self-Management,
    Social Maturity, and Social Communication
  • Scaled scores and percentile ranks based on norm
    groups
  • Administration time, 30-45 minutes

36
Transition Behavior Scale (2nd ed.)
  • Designed for any disability group, ages 14
    through postsecondary age mild to severe levels
    of disability
  • Two versions (Student self-report version and
    School version completed by one or more teachers
  • Subscales include Work-Related Behaviors,
    Interpersonal Relations, Social/Community
    Expectations

37
Transition Behavior Scales (2nd ed.), contd.
  • 6-point rating scale
  • Estimated completion time is 15-20 minutes
  • Scores in percentile ranks are based on national
    norms

38
Transition Planning Inventory(Updated and
Computer Versions)
  • Designed for any disability group, grades 8-12
    mild to moderate levels of disability
  • Updated Version (print version) is complemented
    by the Computer Version
  • 9 subscales include Employment, Further Education
    and Training, Daily Living, Leisure, Community
    Participation, Health, Self- Determination,
    Communication, and Inter- personal Relationships

39
Transition Planning Inventory (UV and CV) contd.
  • 46 items repeated with adjusted language across
    three forms Student, Home, and School
  • Items reflect knowledge or skills competencies
    that are rated on a scale of 0-5 as to the extent
    of agreement or disagreement with the competency
    statements for a student.
  • Student form has 15 open-ended items eliciting
    open expression of interests, preferences, and
    goals in a variety of areas.

40
Transition Planning Inventory (UV and CV) contd.
  • There is a brief section in the Student and Home
    forms requesting preferences and interests
    related to likely or preferred post school
    settings (employment, postsecondary education and
    training, and living arrangements).
  • A Profile and Further Recommendations form
    accompanies the three respondent forms to serve
    as a summary/comparison document for agreement
    across raters and to identify gaps or
    discrepancies in the information obtained.

41
Transition Planning Inventory (UV and CV) contd.
  • Administration of either version of the TPI may
    be self-administration, guided self-administration
    , or oral administration.
  • The Administration and Resource Guide provides
  • --Guide to administration options
  • --Interpretation guidelines and case studies
  • --Appendices with special resources, including
    blackline masters of items and their
    descriptions, translations of the TPI in Spanish,
    Chinese, Japanese Korean, a modified version of
    the TPI for students with severe
    cognitive/communication problems, and a set of
    over 500 sample IEP goals keyed to the 46 items

42
Transition Planning Inventory (UV and CV) contd.
  • Computer Version presents items one per screen
    and users may print out a Profile form showing
    each item scores across raters with mean scores
    for each item and/or a form showing the rank
    order of items by the means across raters.
  • TPI kits are accompanied by two supplements
    Informal Assessments for Transition Planning
  • Case Studies in Assessment for Transition
    Planning

43
Transition Skills Inventory
  • Curriculum-based assessment embedded in NEXT
    S.T.E.P. Student Transition and Educational
    Planning
  • Self-evaluation tool for planning, with parallel
    forms completed by a teacher and
    parent/guardian/advocate
  • 76 items over four major areas Personal Life,
    Jobs, Education and Training, and Independent
    Living

44
Part 3
  • Overview of Transition Assessment Approaches
    Informal Activities and Instrument Types

45
Types of Non-standardized or Informal Assessments
  • Interviews and surveys
  • Behavioral observation
  • Situational assessments
  • Rating scales
  • Curriculum-based assessments
  • Person-centered planning procedures
  • Environmental or ecological assessments
  • Medical appraisals

46
Interviews
  • A structured interview is more than just two
    people talking. It is structured question-asking
    for a predetermined purpose. It does allow for
    probing unanticipated responses or for
    clarification.
  • An unstructured interview may be planned,
    partially planned, or completely spontaneous.
    Although it is usually conversational, it is
    still an opportunity for purposeful
    question-asking.

47
Strategies for an Interviewer
  • Come prepared with a set of questions on a form
    or some notes for targeting questions for a
    structured interview.
  • Be flexible. Follow up on specific questions,
    getting clarification as needed return to list
    of questions.
  • Conduct interview in person, if possible.

48
Strategies for an Interviewer
  • Make the purpose of any structured interview
    clear.
  • Provide the person a copy of the questions before
    the interview, if possible, especially if some
    require recall of specific facts or events.

49
Strategies for an Interviewer
  • Write down enough information during the
    interview so you can remember the persons
    responses. Complete notes later. Use tape
    recorder only with permission.
  • Avoid leading the person to answer a certain way
    or inserting personal biases.
  • Allow sufficient response time to permit person
    to respond fully.

50
A survey or questionnaire is structured
question-asking in a written format. It assumes
sufficient reading and writing ability to respond
to survey questions.
51
Survey Development Strategies
  • Have a clear purpose in mind for the survey.
  • Develop a pool of questions.
  • Revise questions to make sure they are clear,
    direct, and simple to read.
  • Provide limited writing response formats when
    possible (i.e., Yes/No, Sometimes).

52
Survey Development Strategies
  • Have two or more colleagues read the draft and
    critique it for clarity and intent.
  • Revise the draft as needed and try it out with
    8-10 persons from the intended survey population
    .
  • Revise as necessary and prepare the final version.

53
Behavior Observations
  • You can observe an awful lot just by watching.
  • Yogi Berra
  • Bartlett, 1994, P. 754

54
Behavior observations as an informal approach may
be highly subjective, but can be useful when
behaviors are documented and verified as reliable.
55
Strategies for Developing Systematic Behavioral
Observation Protocols
  • Behaviors must be observed and recorded by one or
    more observers.
  • Behaviors observed must be measurable (frequency,
    duration, or intensity).
  • Behaviors must be precisely defined as discrete
    behaviors.

56
Strategies for Developing Behavioral Observation
Protocols, contd.
  • Select a measurement system (e.g., event
    recording, duration recording, or interval
    recording).
  • Decide when and where the observation(s) will
    take place, how many observations will be done,
    and who will act as observer(s).

57
Strategies for Developing Behavioral Observation
Protocols, contd.
  • Select a data-recording system (e.g., narrative,
    tally sheet forms, timing sheet forms,
    audio/video recording, wrist counters,
    stopwatches, etc.).
  • Select a data-reporting system (charts or graphs).

58
Situational assessment is the arrangement of
conditions or the use of existing conditions to
assess desired behaviors.
59
Strategies for Conducting Situational Assessments
  • Consider using situational assessment to collect
    data on a variety of behaviors (learning,
    working, social, or leisure environment).
  • Develop the situational environment to strive for
    authentic assessment.
  • Make it more motivating for students than tests,
    surveys, interviews, etc.

60
Strategies for Conducting Situational
Assessments, contd.
  • 3. Make it ongoing for a period of time to
    increase reliability of assessment data.
  • Plan situations carefully and monitor the
    situational environments frequently.

61
Strategies for Conducting Situational
Assessments, contd.
  • 5. Try to minimize time involvement for student
    and staff.
  • 6. Remember that the presence of an observer or
    evaluator in the situational assessment can
    change the environment.

62
Rating scales try to quantify performance,
behaviors, characteristics, beliefs, attitudes,
or opinions that indicate some level or degree of
assessment in relation to a formal rubric or
predetermined standard.
63
Strategies for Developing Rating Scales
  • Develop items that contain objective, behavioral
    statements that do not reflect value judgments,
    outdated priorities, or gender or cultural bias.
  • 2. Keep items unidimensional (avoid multiple
    behaviors, characteristics, etc.)
  • 3. Ensure clear and logical distinctions in the
    rank ordering of the levels within the scaling
    for the items.
  • 4. Maintain the same scaling format for all
    items, if possible.

64
Strategies for Developing Rating Scales, contd.
  • 5. Use a scale with at least four points on it.
  • 6. Evaluate a newly developed scale by having two
    or more colleagues review it for clarity and
    agreement of item content and scaling.
  • Pilot the scale on at least 10 students.

65
Curriculum-based assessment attempts to measure
educational attainment based on student progress
in the local school curriculum or a single
teachers instructional program. It is
criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced.
66
Curriculum-Based Assessment
  • Advantages
  • CBA permits direct assessment of instruction from
    a specific curriculum
  • Assessment activities may be individualized or
    used with groups.
  • Results have immediate relevance for instruction
    and determining modifications of instruction
    and/or accommodations.

67
Curriculum-Based Assessment
  • Disadvantages
  • It is difficult to develop valid and reliable
    curriculum assessments.
  • CBA within the general education curriculum may
    or may not be appropriate and useful.
  • Creating partnerships for CBA with general
    educators may be difficult.

68
Person-centered planning is a group process
beginning with structured question-asking that
provides immediate planning implications. It is
flexible in question-asking and clarifying
responses.
69
Strategies for Conducting Person-Centered Planning
  • Make and keep the focus of the group on the one
    person for whom planning is needed.
  • Have a structure but make the process flexible
    and dynamic.
  • Make sure the facilitator is not only comfortable
    with the PCP process, but skilled.

70
Strategies for Conducting Person-Centered
Planning, contd.
  • 4. Be alert to different assessment perceptions
    of group members and use reliability checks on
    summative information.
  • Use a colleague to record information that
    emerges from the group so the facilitator can
    concentrate on keeping the group focused.
  • Involve the student and family as much as
    possible in both the assessment and the planning
    components.

71
Environmental assessments focus on the setting(s)
in which a student is expected to perform and
identify the specific expectations/demands of the
setting for that student.
72
Environmental Assessments
  • Advantages
  • Permit an assessment of a variety of
    environmental expectations and conditions for an
    individual
  • Permit a matching of environmental demands with
    individual preferences, strengths, and needs.

73
Environmental Assessments
  • Disadvantages
  • Time-consuming process
  • Require skilled environmental assessment
    personnel
  • Require both structured and individual features
    in the assessment protocol

74
Medical/Health Appraisals
  • Advantages
  • Provide health information that could keep
    student from harm as well as help in maintaining
    health and/or preventing problems
  • Permit better communication with parents and
    health professionals in IEP planning for health
    monitoring and accommodations
  • Inform planning and decision-making process for
    employment, postsecondary education and training,
    and independent living

75
Medical/Health Appraisals
  • Disadvantages
  • May lead to unanticipated medical evaluations for
    families
  • May require specialized health professionals to
    administer or interpret some assessments or data
  • Health conditions may change, requiring periodic
    appraisals

76
Captured text message from audience
  • If I die, let me die during Gary Clarks
    workshop because the transition from life to
    death would be so subtle.

77
Part 4
  • Using Resources in Informal Assessments for
    Transition Planning

78
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82
Iowa Transition Assessment Model
  • http//www.transitionassessment.northcentralrrc.or
    g/

83
Assess for Success A Practitioners Handbook on
Transition Assessment (2nd ed.)
  • Sitlington, Neubert, Begun, Lombard, Leconte,
    2007
  • Corwin Press

84
Bottom Line Reminders for Informal Assessment
  • Informal assessments can differ in
    appropriateness. Choose carefully.
  • Informal assessments that go into more depth to
    get specific information are more likely to
    provide more reliable results than more general
    informal assessments.
  • Get confirmation of data whenever there is any
    question about accuracy or defensibility.

85
Conclusion/Wrap Up(Finally!)
86
Virginia Assessment Challenges?
  • Administrators still may not be fully supportive
    of the concept of transition services, including
    assessment.
  • Teachers lack knowledge and understanding of
    assessment for transition planning and tying
    assessment to goals and monitoring criteria.
  • Schools still not sure whose responsibility
    transition assessment is.
  • Many teachers are not convinced the assessment
    efforts will lead to appropriate services.

87
Guiding Principles
  • start early
  • comprehensive
  • balance ideal v. real
  • student participation
  • family involvement
  • diversity considerations
  • supports/services
  • community-based
  • interagency cooperation
  • timing
  • capacity-building
  • ranking of needs
  • valuable for every student

88
Key Points in Assessment
  • Process must look at the whole student, across
    academic and functional achievement, using
    age-appropriate instruments. Indicator 13 in
    state monitoring looks at these basic compliance
    issues.
  • Use or develop a system that works for you but is
    in compliance (legally) and defensible
    (educationally and legally).

89
Key Points in Assessment, contd.
  • Interpret what you obtain from formal and
    informal assessments in light of what the
    student, parent(s), and the school have agreed
    upon for postsecondary outcome goals.
  • Resources are available--use them.
  • Effective planning comes out of good assessment.

90
Overriding Theme
  • The more we know about the receiving settings and
    the students competence to deal with these
    settings,
  • the more likely we can increase the students
    chances for success.

91
Doing quality transition age-appropriate
assessment and planning takes new learning for
everyone.
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