Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs

Abstract

This article begins with the state of assessment in the 1960s and traces changes through the end of the century. The birth of 20,000 children with rubella syndrome began the focus on the assessment of young children with disabilities. The author's personal challenge in this process led to an unanticipated career in the field of assessment. The strengths of multiple measures, including standardized, norm-referenced measures and informal, functional measures, were all touted as essential in the assessment process. The author recognizes the many events that contributed to her involvement in developing assessment measures and in broadening the assessment mission. The role of the past and its linkage and contributions to the future are conveyed throughout the article.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bricker, D.D. (1976). Educational synthesizer. In M. A. Thomas (Ed.), Hey, don't forget about me! Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Brooks, P.H. , & Baumeister, A.A. (1977). A plea for consideration of ecological validity in the experimental psychology of mental retardation: A guest editorial. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 81, 407-416.

Cattell, P. (1940). Infant intelligence scale. New York: Psychological Corp.

DuBose, R.F. , & Langley, M.B. (1977). The developmental activities screening inventory . Boston: Teaching Resources.

Fewell, R.R. (1986a). Supports from religious organizations and personal beliefs. In R. R. Fewell & P. F. Vadasy (Eds.), Families of handicapped children: Needs and supports across the life span (pp. 297-316). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Fewell, R.R. (1986b). The measurement of family functioning. In L. Bickman & D. Weatherford (Eds.), Evaluating early intervention programs for severely handicapped children and their families (pp. 263-307). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Fewell, R.R. (1992). Play assessment scale. Unpublished manuscript , University of Miami School of Medicine.

Folio, M.R. , & DuBose, R. F. (1974). Peabody developmental motor scales (Monograph No. 25). Nashville, TN: George Peabody College, IMRID Behavioral Research Institute.

Fraiberg, S.M. (1959). The magic years. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

10.

Gesell, A. , & Amatruda, C.S. (1947). Developmental diagnosis (2nd ed.). New York: Paul B. Hoeber.

11.

Haeussermann, E. (1958). Developmental potential of preschool children . New York: Grune & Stratton .

12.

Lawrence, T.M. (1971). Precision teaching in perspective: An interview with O. R. Lindsley. Teaching Exceptional Children, 3(3), 114-119.

13.

Robbins, N. (1971). The teaching of a manual sign as a diagnostic tool with deaf-blind children. Fourth International Conference on Deaf-Blind Children. Watertown, MA: Perkins School for the Blind.

14.

Sparks, N. (1999). A walk to remember. New York : Warner Books.

15.

Stutsman, R. (1948). Merrill Palmer scale of mental tests. Chicago: Stoelting.