The Four Ws of Current Testing Practices: Who;What;Why;and to Whom

Abstract

A total of 579 professionals throughout Illinois completed a survey designed to shed light on which professionals use tests; which categories of children are most frequently tested; which tests are usually used and for what purpose. Analyses of the data revealed that learning disabled children are the most frequently tested group of children and that learning disabilities professionals, psychologists, and speech/language therapists constitute the three groups of practitioners who apparently utilize tests most often as a part of the assessment process. Finally, it appears that screening tests are being utilized by some professionals for diagnostic purposes. Since PL 94–142 mandates that special education placement be based on individualized test data, it behooves professionals to use appropriate tests in the decision-making process.

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The Four Ws of Current Testing Practices: Who;What;Why;and to Whom — An Exploratory Survey

Abstract

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References