The Rasch scaling model has been used to advance the development and application of tests in various fields including education, medicine, and psychology. The Rasch model has the potential for overcoming several problems which currently plague developmental measures in early intervention. This manuscript introduces the Rasch model, discusses applications of the model to early childhood assessment, and summarizes preliminary research evidence.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Andrich, D. (1988). Rasch Models for Measurement. Newberry Park, CA: Sage.
2.
Bayley, N. (1969). Bayley Scales of Infant Development. New York: Psychological Corporation.
3.
Bashaw, W. (1982). Educational testing applications of the Rasch Model. In C. Reynolds & T. Gutkin (Eds.), The Handbook of School Psychology. New York: John Wiley.
4.
Boehm, A.E. (1971). Test of Basic Concepts. New York: Psychological Corporation.
5.
Bricker, D., & Gumerlock, S. (1985). A three-level strategy. In J. Danaher (Ed.), Assessment of Child Progress. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, TADS.
6.
Connolly, A., Nachtman, W., & Pritchett, E. (1971). Key Math Diagnostic Arithmetic Test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
7.
Eaves, R. (1985). Educational assessment in the United States. Diagnostique, 10, 5–39.
8.
Garwood, S.G. (1982). (Mis)use of developmental scales in program evaluation. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1, (4), 61–69.
9.
Hashway, R. (1978). Objective mental measurement, New York: Praeger.
10.
Kaufman, A., & Kaufman, N. (1983). Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
11.
Kamphaus, R., & Reynolds, C. (1987). Clinical and research applications of the K-ABC. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Lord, F. (1962). Estimating norms by item sampling. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 22, 259–267.
14.
Lord, F. (1980). Applications of item response theory to practical testing problems. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
15.
Mardell, C., & Goldenberg, D.S. (1972). DIAL: Developmental Indicators for Assessment of Learning. Highland Park, IL: DIAL., Inc.
16.
Mardell, C., & Goldenberg, D.S. (1975). For prekindergarten screening: DIAL. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 8, 140–147.
17.
Messick, S. (1983). Assessment of children. In W. Kessen (Ed.) Handbook of child psychology. New York: John Wesley & Sons.
18.
Passmore, D. (1973). Objective measurement in occupational education. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education. 10, (4), 15–21.
19.
Rasch, G. (1960). Probabilistic models for some intelligence and attainment tests. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
20.
Rasch, G. (1966). A item analysis which takes individual differences into account. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 19, 49–57.
21.
Sheehan, R. (1982). Infant assessment A review and identification of emergent trends. In D. Bricker (Ed.), Intervention with at-risk and handicapped infants (pp. 47–61). Baltimore: University Park Press.
22.
Sheehan, R., & Keogh, B. (1981). An examination of variability in the processing of young children's developmental data. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Los Angeles.
23.
Sheehan, R., & Klein, N. (1988). Infant assessment. In M. Wang, H. Walbeg & M. Reynolds (Eds.), Handbook of special education: research and practice (Vol. 3). Oxford, England: Pergamon.
24.
Thorndike, R. (1983). How can we practice what we preach? In H. Wainer & S. Messick (Eds.) Principles of modem psychological measurement Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
25.
Uzgiris, I., & Hunt, J. (1975). Assessment in infancy: Ordinal scales of psychological development. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
26.
Wilson, M. (Ed.). (1991). Objective measurement Theory into practice (Vol. 1). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing.
27.
Wright, B. (1977). Solving measurement problems with the Rasch Model. Journal of Education Measurement, 14, 97–116.