Life Skills Assessment SpEd 556

Norm-Referenced Tests –Compare an individual’s performance to the performance of his or her peers –Emphasis is on the relative standing of individuals rather than on absolute mastery of content –Designed to separate the performances of individuals so that there is a distribution of scores

Norm-Referenced Tests Useful for eligibility decisions Students with DCD –Measures of intellectual functioning –Measures of adaptive behavior

Criterion-Referenced Tests Rather than indicating a person’s relative standing in skill development--measure a person’s development of particular skills in term of absolute levels of mastery Recommended for the purpose of assisting in planning appropriate programs for children Identifies the specific skills that the student does or does not have (mastery)

Criterion-Referenced Tests Information obtained from criterion- referenced tests facilitate the writing of objectives Test items sample sequential skills-- identifying where to begin instruction and to understand the instructional sequence

Brigance Assessments Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Basic Skills Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Skills Brigance Diagnostic Life Skills Inventory Brigance Diagnostic Employability Skills Inventory

Brigance Diagnostic Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills Assessment of 203 skill sequences in: Readiness Speech Listening Reading Spelling Writing Research and study skills Graphs & Maps Math Primarily used to: –Assess elementary and middle school students Prekindergarten to grade nine –Assess basic academic skills Measurement is: –Criterion-referenced Focus on the content rather than comparison to others

Brigance Basic Skills Math Skills Grade placement Numbers Number facts Computation Fractions Decimals Percents Time Money Measurement

Brigance Basic Skills Inventory may be used as: Assessment Instrument –Identify areas of strength and weakness –To identify basic skills within areas –Identify instructional objectives Instructional guide –Objectives stated in functional and measurable terms Record-keeping and Tracking System The instrument: –Gives continuity to your program of basic skills –Simplifies and combines the processes of assessing, diagnosing, record- keeping, and instructional planning

Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Basic Skills Administration –Too extensive to be administered in its entirety –Decide what assessment will provide the most valuable data within reasonable time –Initiate assessment at the skill level where student can be successful (refer to grade levels in manual) Student Record Book –Color coding Ongoing, graphic, specific, and easily interpreted record (see overheads)

Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Skills

Brigance Inventory of Essential Skills Two parts-- –Section A through T--basic academic skills –Sections U through Z--applied skills –Applied Skills Health & Safety Vocational Money & Finance Travel & Transportation Food & Clothing Oral Communication & Telephone Skills

Brigance Inventory of Essential Skills Includes: –186 skill sequences –10 rating scales Easy to follow format Has two forms (A&B) Easily adapted to accommodate different assessment situations

Brigance Diagnostic Life Skills Inventory Albert H. Brigance Curriculum Associates, Inc.

Brigance Life Skills Inventory Areas assessed: –Listening –Speaking –Reading –Writing –Comprehending –Computing Within context of everyday life situations

Brigance Life Skills Inventory Subscales –Speaking & listening skills –Functional Writing Skills –Words on common signs and warning labels –Telephone Skills –Money and finance –Food –Clothing –Health –Travel & transportation

Brigance Employability Skills Inventory Albert H. Brigance Curriculum Associates, Inc.

Brigance Employability Skills Inventory Subscales –Reading grade placement –Career Awareness and Self Understanding –Job seeking skills & knowledge –Rating scales Self concept, attitudes, responsibility, self-discipline, motor coordination, thinking skills, job-interview –Reading skills (in relation to employment) –Speaking & listening skills –Preemployment writing –Math skills & concepts

Checklist of Adaptive Living Skills

Checklist of Adaptive Living Skills (CALS) Criterion-referenced, individually administered measure ( infants to mature adults) –Tool for program planning Determine instructional needs Develop individualized training objectives Monitor progress of learners Can be used: – each time the learner’s long-term goals are evaluated –each time learner experiences major change in environment – each time there is need to select new or different skill areas for evaluation

Checklist of Adaptive Living Skills (CALS) 800 specific adaptive behaviors Four domains –Personal living skills –Home living skills –Community living skills –Employment skills Broad domains subdivided into 24 specific skills modules Items arranged in order of progressive difficulty

Life Centered Career Education Batteries (LCCE) Don Brolin Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

LCCE Knowledge Battery

Standardized, Criterion-Referenced Assessment Developed to be used with 7-12 grade students 200 multiple choice questions that cover 20 of the 22 competencies Sample of basic knowledge

LCCE Performance Battery Nonstandardized, criterion-referenced instrument Assesses 21 of the competencies Items are performance based

COACH

Selecting Curriculum Areas Communication Socialization Personal management Leisure and Recreation Selected Academics Home School Community Vocational

Additional Learning Outcomes Step 2 designed to identify learning outcomes beyond the priorities selected during the Family Interview (top 8 priorities) Additional learning outcomes may come from: –Coach items that were not previously prioritized –General education

General Supports Step 3 is designed to determine and document general supports that are necessary for the student to access and participate in his or her individualized education program They clarify what other needs to do to or for the student

Scheduling Matrix The purpose of this step is to explore scheduling possibilities by comparing the student’s educational program components to general class activities.

Assessment Overview Brigance Scales –Assess basic skills, life skills, employability skills (direct assessment with some indirect with rating scales) Checklist of Adaptive Behavior (CALS) –Criterion-referenced adaptive behavior assessment (indirect assessment) LCCE Batteries –Knowledge Battery-direct assessment of students’ knowledge of like skill issues –Performance Battery-direct assessment of students’ performance relative to life skills (with some rating scales) COACH –Assessment process that identifies & prioritizes student needs, additional learning outcomes, and general supports to include addressing how needs can be addressed in the general education classroom