Assessment For Transition Planning – The Transition Assessment Toolkit: Section B

1. Assessment For Transition Planning – The Transition Assessment Toolkit: Section B Prepared by Winston E.Dennis Lead Transition Teacher Wake County Public School System Raleigh, North Carolina, 2007

2. Section B: Types of Transition Assessment for Teacher Use

3. Introduction: Overview of Transition Assessment • Critical to: • Determining student preferences, interests, needs and strengths; career interests, transition goals, curricular needs, students’ future living and working environments • Facilitating a results-oriented process • Promoting movement toward goal achievement • Should synthesize transition data into a clear, comprehensive, understandable transition profile

4. Introduction: Overview of Transition Assessment • Ultimately about gathering and using information for goal setting – in school and post-school. • Long-term process beginning in middle school and continuing through post-school • A means to document and track students’ growth, development and changing knowledge and abilities • Reflected in the quality of IEP/Transition planning goals and objectives.

5. Transition Assessment – Who are Involved in the Process • Participants include: • Students • Parents • General and special education personnel • General and vocational special-needs educators • Related services personnel • Community transition service agency personnel • Assistive technology specialists • Rehabilitation counselors • Employers and employee co-workers • Financial-aid personnel • Relevant others

6. Competencies for Conducting TA • Competencies include: • Function as a member of an interdisciplinary team. • Select, adapt, or develop methods to determine students’ preferences, interests, needs , strengths. • Select, adapt or develop valid assessment activities in authentic contexts. • Develop assessment sites and methods to conduct behavioral observations across settings. • Conduct ecological analyses • Recommend accommodations, assistive tech. devices and services for students needing support

7. Competencies for Conducting TA • Competencies include: • Interpret, communicate, and use assessment data to develop transition goals and activities in the IEP. • Work in concert with students and parents throughout all phases of the assessment process. • Train students and families to assume responsibility for ongoing assessment and transition planning. • Follow up students to validate processes used. • Research, understand and interpret new policies that support transition assessment.

8. Guidelines for Transition Assessment Processes • ·       Tailor assessment methods to information needed and decisions to be made regarding transition planning and various postsecondary outcomes. • ·         Specific methods should be appropriate for learning characteristics of the individual, including cultural and linguistic differences. • ·         Methods must incorporate assistive technology or accommodations that allow an individual to demonstrate his or her abilities and potential.

9. Guidelines for Transition Assessment Processes • ·        Methods must occur in environments that resemble actual education/training, employment, independent living, or community environments. • ·         Methods must produce outcomes that contribute to ongoing development, planning, and implementation of “next steps” in an individual’s transition process. • ·         Methods must be varied and include a sequence of activities that sample an individual’s behavior and skills over time.

10. Guidelines for Transition Assessment Processes • ·       Data must be verified by more than one method and by more than one person. • ·         Data must be synthesized and interpreted to students with disabilities, their families, and transition team members.

11. Steps to Ensure Comprehensive Transition Assessment • ·     Determine a shared vision for the student’s potential future. • ·         Review past records and existing information for transition-related information. Identify areas of additional information needed. • ·         Identify potential formal and informal assessments that can be used for each area. Use a comprehensive planning and curriculum program, or checklist across the domains of work, living, personal-social current and future environments to ensure coverage of all areas.

12. Guidelines for Transition Assessment Processes • ·Use specialized assessors for recommended instruments, where necessary. • ·         Schedule formal assessments to be given by qualified evaluators and informal assessments that occur across the student’s multiple settings. • ·         Present scores and interpretations in written form and discuss with team. Ensure that all members understand the results and their implications regarding potential outcomes and goals. • ·         Assemble all assessment information into a comprehensive and clear transition profile.

13. Guidelines for Transition Assessment Processes • ·Assemble all assessment information into a comprehensive and clear transition profile. • ·         Assess profile for additional information gaps; when information is insufficient, retest and reevaluate contradictory results. Use consensus to reestablish/confirm a shared vision of the student’s future. • ·         Schedule ongoing assessments, particularly in areas where the student is receiving training or intervention procedures to ensure that the program is successful and that the student is achieving desired short-term goals.

14. Guidelines for Transition Assessment Processes • ·Monitor areas that are subject to change as a result of growth and development, maturing interests, and life experiences. • ·         Periodically, reevaluate ongoing assessments to ensure their continued usefulness. Examine and utilize new procedures and formats if they seem more appropriate. • ·         Review team membership, making changes when necessary to ensure useful contributions as student’s transition training settings change. Promote and facilitate positive and effective contributions from team members.

15. Defining Transition Domains 1. Current and Future Working Environments • Career assessments focus on development of career maturity • Early – general abilities and interests • Later – specific aptitudes and career attitudes needed for success • Vocational assessments focus on specific jobs • Specific aptitudes, needs, work habits and behaviors, personal and social skills, attitudes, work tolerance, work adjustment, physical abilities, and dexterity

16. Defining Transition Domains 2. Current and Future Living Environments - Domestic skills assessments - Community skills assessments - Independent and advocacy skills assessment 3. Current and Future Personal-Social Environments - Assessment of marriage and sexuality needs - Assessment of personal-social skills

17. Types of Transition Assessment • 2 Broad Types: Formal Assessments Informal Assessments

18. What are Formal Assessments • Standardized instruments that have been tested with data to show reliability and validity measures supporting their use. • Designed to determine a person’s relative standing within a group for a general trait or characteristic. • Some require prior training with strict rules of administration and who can be assessors. • Should be valid for persons assessed. • Generally standardized and norm-referenced; may also be criterion-referenced.

19. What is Informal Assessment • A process for identifying a student’s strengths, preferences and needs. • Generally lacks formal reliability and validity measures • Primary strength: its direct relevance to instructional planning, and the design of educational supports. E.g. informal assessments can be done in any environment in which a student is participating. • Requires more subjectivity to complete. • Should be given more than once and by more than one person to strengthen their validity.

20. What is Informal Assessment • May lack reliability over time and over evaluators. • Vital complement to standardized tests. • Provides authentic information about how students perform in specific environments. • Can be developed or modified to focus on specific skills relevant to a student’s daily life rather than to generic traits or abilities. • Can be used in conjunction with accommodations. • Can be conducted by professionals, parents, employers, co-workers, peers, and student themselves.

21. Formal Assessments Standardized (e.g. multiple choice) Given annually, one shot Single setting One correct response Norm-referenced    Test/teacher driven      Paper/pencil      “Teacher proof” Informal Assessments. Non-standardized e.g. performance portfolio Ongoing, cumulative Variety of settings Open-ended, multiple possibilities Student-centered, criterion-referenced Student-driven Performance Teacher-mediated Differences Between Formal and Informal Assessment

22. Formal Assessments narrow measure of skill separate from curriculum and instruction comparison to others produces undesirable anxiety involves short-term memory not a valid predictor of performance summative measure provides continuous feedback Informal Assessments real world, integrated application integral to curriculum and instruction comparisons to self and goals produces confidence in ability to self assess involves long term memory measures real world applications formative and summative measures provides continuous feedback. Differences Between Formal and Informal Assessment

23. Similarities Between Formal and Informal Assessments Both assessments: • Measure of student learning and achievement • Chart progress • Are accountability measures • Are used to adjust and improve instruction • Provide feedback on learning • Evaluate teachers and schools • Compare student performance        ·      (Source: Appalachia Educational Laboratories (1999).

24. Types of Formal Transition Assessments General Skills Tests Academic achievement Cognitive functional assessments Adaptive behavior scales Personality and behavioral – Emotional Status Assessments Transition knowledge and skills inventories Determination of Current and Future Working Environments Aptitude tests Interest inventories Prevocational/employment scales Vocational skills assessment

25. Types of Formal Transition Assessments Determination of Current and Future Living Environments Quality - of - life inventories Self-determination scales Personality scales Current and Future Personal-Social Environments Social skills inventories

26. Assessment Sources Criterion referenced tests (measures against defined and objective criteria) Standardized achievement tests Curriculum based assessments Diagnostic tests Alternative evaluator results Transition assessments Medical/Health information Behavior Intervention Plan results Recent state and district- wide assessments

27. Assessment Sources Grades and comments from report cards Progress and previous goals and objectives General curriculum progress Classroom performance Systematic observations Attendance records Disciplinary records Others

28. Academic Achievement Tests • Not directly related to transition, but impact transition decisions • Examples include: • Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III • Brigance Inventory of Essential Skills • State- and District-wide assessments • Considerations: • Students w/disabilities may lack experience in acquiring academic skills • Academic assessments may not address academic skills needed for postsecondary environments • Consider student response to testing situations and accommodations.

29. Intelligence and Cognitive Tests • Not high priority assessments in transition planning for most. • Often used for decisions on exceptionality, eligibility, placement • Examples include: • Stanford –Binet Intelligence Scales – 5 • Test of Nonverbal Intelligence • Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale –III (WAIS-III) • Tests can provide information on: • Processing and learning efficiency • Choice making for postsecondary education or occupation

30. Adaptive Behavior Scales • Measure the way individuals adapt to demands of their physical and social environments. • Provide assessment of current daily living, communication, social and independent-living behaviors, and areas needing special planning or intervention at all critical transition points • Used most frequently with individuals with developmental disabilities. • Examples include: • AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scales • Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. • Students’ abilities rated across a number of life-skill areas

31. Personality and Behavioral-Emotional Status Assessment • Carefully selected such assessments may: • More reliably reflect areas for IEP goal for school interventions • Highlight areas of strengths or needs to address during planning • Provide critical considerations in employment placement decisions • Indicate areas for guidance, counseling, and maybe, referral. • Examples include: • Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale – 2 • Social Skills rating System • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Test

32. Aptitude Tests and Interest Inventories • Helps with identification of career interests • Indicate areas of ability associated with specific academic and occupational skills • Guide vocational education/instruction decisions and some post secondary employment or education/training options. in areas of • Examples include: • Career Ability Placement Survey (CAPS) • Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) • Mc Carron-Dial system • Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory • Self-Directed Search

33. Formal Assessments: Current and Future Working Environments • Interest Assessments • Designed to suggest current and potential areas of interest. • Indicate areas of ability associated with specific academic and occupational skills • Guide vocational education/instruction decisions and some post secondary employment or education/training options. in areas of • Examples include: • Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory - 2 • Self-Directed Search (From E used for persons with reading difficulties) • Career Assessment Inventory • Harrington-O’Shea Career Decision Making System – R • Your Employment Selection • Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest Schedule – 3

34. Examples of Formal Transition-Referenced Assessment Instruments

35. LCCE Competency Assessment Knowledge Batteries (Brolin, 1992a) • . • Target Group: Mild cognitive disabilities; moderate to severe learning disabilities; mild to moderate behavioral disorders; Grades 7 – 12. • Features: a) Curriculum-based assessment related to LCCE curriculum; b) 200 multiple-choice items covering 20 of 22 LCCE competency areas; c) Standardized on a national sample.

36. Quality of Life Questionnaire (QSL.Q) (Schalock & Keith, 1993) • . • Target Group: Individuals with mild to severe cognitive disabilities, ages 18 and older. • Features: a) Subscales include satisfaction, Competence/Productivity, Empowerment/Independence, and Social Belonging/Community Integration; b) Items rated on a 3-point scale; c) Estimated administration time – 20 minutes; d) Administered in interview format for persons with communication skills, and two independent ratings for persons without communication skills.

37. Quality of Student Life Questionnaire (QSL.Q) (Keith & Schalock, 1995) • . • Target Group: All disability groups, ages 14-25; individuals with mild through severe disability levels. • Features: a) Subscales include Satisfaction, Well-Being, Social Belonging, and Empowerment/Control; b) Items rated on a 3-point scale; c) Estimated administration time – 15 minutes; d) Administered in interview format for most persons; alternative formats include a written format or obtaining independent ratings and averaging.

38. Responsibility and Independence Scale for Adolescents (Salvia, Neisworth, & Schmidt, 1990) • . • Target Group: Students with learning disabilities, at-risk students, or juvenile offenders; ages 12 through 19. • Features: a) Subscales include Domestic Skills. Money Management, citizenship, Personal Planning, Transportation Skills, Career Development, Self-Management, Social Maturity, and Social Communication. b) Provides scale scores and percentile ranks

39. Transition Behavior Scales, 2nd Edition (TBS-2) (McCarney & Anderson, 2000a, 2000b) • Target Group: Any disability group; mild to severe levels of disability, ages 14 through postsecondary. • Features: a) Subscales include Work-Related Behaviors, Interpersonal Relations, and Social/Community Expectations. b) Two versions; ratings are completed by student (Self Report Version) and/or one or more teachers (School Version); c) Items rated on a 6-point scale; d) Estimated completion time is15-20 minutes.

40. Transition Competence Battery for Deaf Adolescents and Young Adults (Reiman & Bullis, 1993) • . • Target Group: Deaf adolescents and adults who communicate manually; ages approximately 14-25. • Features: a) Subsets include Job Seeking Skills and Work Adjustment Skills for Employment, Job Related Social/Interpersonal Skills, and Money Management Skills, Health and Home Skills, and Community Awareness Skills for Independent Living; b) Average readability level is 4.17; c) Administered individually or in small groups in approx. 4 hours; d) Multiple-choice format.

41. Transition Planning Inventory - Updated Version (Clark & Patton, 2006) • . • Target Group: All disability populations, ages 14-25; mild through moderate levels of disability. • Features: a) Areas covered include Employment, Further Education/Training, Daily Living, Leisure Activities, Community Participation, Health, Self-Determination, Communication, and Interpersonal Relationships; b) 0-5 rating scale completed independently by student, parent or guardian, and school representative; c) Administra-tion may be self, guided or oral; d) 46 inventory items plus open-ended items on the student form (optional on parent form) related to preferences and interests; e) profile sheet gives visual comparisons of respondents.

42. Limitations of Formal or Standardized Assessments • Developer’s initial intention may limit assessment to behaviors of specific populations e.g. individuals with specific disabilities • Limited predictive value due to artificial test situation • Lack of work cues and distractions • Lack of consideration of other unique factors of individuals and their responses to testing situations • Lack of consideration of job accommodations and assistive technology • Students may lack the vocabulary, language or reading ability to respond reliably. • Some instruments fall short of desirable levels of validity and reliability. • Tests may have English language or cultural bias.

43. Informal Transition Assessment • Non-Standardized Instruments include: • Leisure style inventories • Situational assessments – home, community, work settings • Observational reports • Curriculum-based assessments • Criterion-referenced assessments • Personal Futures Planning procedures • Structured interviews • Adaptive, behavioral, or functional skills inventories or checklists • Social histories Clark, 1996

44. Informal Transition Assessment • Non-Standardized Instruments include: • Rating scales for general/specific transition planning areas – employability, independent living, personality, social skills • Applied technology/vocational educational prerequisite skill assessments • Checklists for general/specific transition planning areas – self-determination • Portfolio assessments • Surveys • Work samples • Behavioral assessments • Interdisciplinary assessment • Student school records Clark, 1996

45. The Informal Transition Assessment Model - Purpose • Used to guide teachers and practitioners in: • Selecting and applying appropriate informal assessment procedures and instruments with transition-age students • Developing new assessments and modifying their own informal assessments, and • Using assessment information to develop individualized transition goals and make instructional and curricular decisions.

46. The Informal Transition Assessment Model - Assumptions • Student Involvement • Student, Family and Cultural Values • Collaboration • Natural environments • Ongoing assessment

47. Steps in the Informal Transition Assessment Model • Determine the purpose of the assessment. • Identify relevant behaviors and environments. • Verify Steps 1 and 2 based on input from student and important others. • Choose appropriate assessment procedures. • Modify procedures as needed. • Conduct the assessment. • Use assessment findings to identify transition goals and objectives. • Develop curricular plans to achieve goals.

48. Examples of Informal Transition-Referenced Assessment Instruments

49. BRIGANCE Employability Skills Inventory (Brigance, 1995a) • 1.Target Group: All disability populations, high school ages and adults; mild cognitive disabilities, with high school reading grade level. • 2.Features: a) Subscales include Career Awareness and Understanding, Job Seeking and Knowledge, reading skills, Speaking and Listening Skills, Pre-Employment Writing, and Math Skills and Concepts; b) Optional supplemental assessment through rating scales on self-concept attitudes, responsibility and self-discipline, motor coordination and job requirements, job interview preparation, job interview skills, and work experiences; c) Approximately 1400 items across six subtests; d) Requires reading or listening comprehension of high school material; e) Companion assessment to the BRIGANCE Life Skills Inventory.

50. BRIGANCE Life Skills Inventory (Brigance 1995 b) • 1.Target Group: All disability populations, high school ages and adults; mild cognitive disabilities, with reading grade levels 2-8. • 2.Features: a) Subscales include Speaking and Listening, Functional Writing, Words on Common Signs and Warning Labels, Telephone Skills, Money and Finance, Food, Clothing, Health, Travel, and Transportation; b) Administered individually and in groups, orally or written; c) Criterion-referenced assessment, providing specific knowledge and skill assessments for life skill items paired with instructional objectives; d) Learner Record Book provided to show color-coded record of performances and instructional objectives generated from the results; e) Companion assessment to the BRIGANCE Employability Skills Inventory.