1. Assessment of Communication
Sam Morgan
Hunter College
SPED 746

2. What You should be Trying to Achieve in a communication evaluation
An assessment that is based in a child’s functional every day routines and activities so the results are applicable to it
One that yields strength based information that you can build on
One that gives you measurable goals and objectives based in functional and meaningful activities that can be included in the IEP
An accurate representation of what the child can do across a range of people and environments
12/4/2018

3. What Families Want in an Assessment
The assessment team should really try to
“connect” with our child.
The assessment team should get input from our
family and from the classroom.
The assessment should suggest how to set educational goals.
The assessment should rely on tools that are appropriate for our children.
Assessments should reveal our child’s strengths and suggest how to build on them.
Chen, Mar, Rowland, Stillman
12/4/2018

4. Use of Formal Tools and Measures
Norm referenced tools are typically not appropriate for children who are deaf-blind.
Structure requires certain types of interaction, materials that are not familiar to the child, a specific type of response and/or are not normed on children who are DB
Developmental ages do not yield information that is useful for program development but may be necessary to qualify children for services.
Tools you can use that may be useful
Communication Matrix
The MacArthur Communicative Developmental Inventories (based on typical language development, normed on deaf)
12/4/2018

5. Use a Tool that is valid or used in a valid manner
What do I need to do?
Multiple observations in a variety of environments with a variety of people
Interview parents, caregivers and a range of educators who work with the child.
Use a Tool that is valid or used in a valid manner
Make sure you are gathering information on Functions, Modes, Rates
Communication history
Current communication opportunities
Are there opportunities, recognition
Are communication partners competent
12/4/2018

6. Degree and nature of social interactions
What do I need to do
Social Opportunities with adults and peers, are there any and if so what communication is used in them.
Degree and nature of social interactions
Structured observations within functional routines and instructional activities
Preferences – what does the child like, what motivates them.
Emotional states
12/4/2018

7. Neurological Involvement and concerns
What Do I need to do
Sensory functioning
Medical
Functional in respect to communication (what do they and do they not access in the environment?)
Hearing and vision
Motor functioning
What are they able to access on their own, what do they need support to do and how much?
Neurological Involvement and concerns
CVI and Beyond
12/4/2018

8. Expressive Communication Modes
Oral/Motor Output
Vocalizations (cry, coo, babble, gurgle, grunt, laugh,
whine, scream)
Vowel sounds, consonant-vowel pairs, word-like jargon
Spoken words
Motor/Gestural Output
Body movements (head, limb, postural change, change
in body tone)
Facial expressions
Gestures
Eye gaze
Manual signs
12/4/2018

9. Expressive Communication Modes
Augmentative/Alternative Output
(requires motor/gestural selection behavior as well as comprehension of symbolic system)
Tactile symbols
Picture symbols
Object symbols
Written words
“High-tech” communication devices using one of above
symbolic systems
(Chen, Mar, Rowland, Stillman 2009)
12/4/2018

10. Receptive Communication Modes
Visual Input
Facial expressions
Gestures
Manual sign language
Object symbols
Picture symbols
Printed words
Auditory Input
Environmental sounds
Intonation/register of speech
Spoken words
12/4/2018

11. Receptive Communication Modes
Tactile Input
Handling/touch/movement
Specific touch cues
Object symbols
Tactile (hand-in-hand) signs
Brailled words
(Chen, Mar, Rowland, Stillman)
12/4/2018

12. What information do I want to have at the end?
Current level of communication skills with functional examples in a variety of environments and with a variety of people
What does this mean? Where is the child functioning?
Goals and next steps
How does this relate to instruction, social interaction, routines
What does it mean for the people who serve the child? How will they have to change and what will they have to learn?
12/4/2018

13. Qualitative Indicators of Progress
Increased consistency of response
Increased independence of response/decreased assistance required
Increased frequency of response
Increased duration of response
Increased clarity of response
Faster response time
Partial participation in one step of a routine
Ability to participate in an activity for longer periods of time
Sustained attention to a task
Increased stamina
Improved strength or accuracy of a motor response
12/4/2018

14. Use of Formal Tools and Measures
Norm referenced tools are typically not appropriate for children who are deaf-blind.
Structure requires certain types of interaction, materials that are not familiar to the child, a specific type of response and/or are not normed on children who are DB
Developmental ages do not yield information that is useful for program development but may be necessary to qualify children for services.
Tools you can use that may be useful
Communication Matrix
The MacArthur Communicative Developmental Inventories (based on typical language development, normed on deaf)
12/4/2018

15. Some questions you should be asking yourself throughout the process
How am I going to increase the child’s rate of communication?
Are the modes I am thinking of accessible to the child and how can they grow with the child
What future modes might the child use?
What are the staff (including you) that serve the child going to have to learn? How are they going to be supported to do so.
12/4/2018