Multiple and Severe Disabilities Assessment

Multiple and Severe Disabilities
For students with multiple and severe disabilities there are several tools that can be used for both educational and non educational purposes to aid in the students success.

Hearing Assessment

Diagnostic tools

Hearing aids are used by children in, as well as outside the classroom. Children may be given a hearing aid at any point in their life by a medical professional. In the classroom the E.A. can help ensure that the student is always comfortable using their hearing aid. They may have to become familiar with the child's hearing aid in case they may need assistance adjusting it.

Parents who have children that are hearing impaired, deaf in one or both ears, can go visit a specialist. The specialist may recommend that the child have electrodes implanted, in order that they may achieve better or some hearing.

Doctors may use an assessment test that uses beeps to measure the hearing level or loss in a person.
This test will not effect the Educational Assistant in the classroom.


Non Diagnostic tools


Infants are often assessed by testing the way an infant responds to sound. This type of assessment can include observation of behaviour, reflex audiometry, and play audiometry. This assessment is normally preformed with infants so it does not often effect the educational assistant.

Sign language is a tool used by people who may have hearing impairments. This tool may be particularly vital for the student to understand and communicate in the classroom. Educational Assistants working with students that have hearing impairments need to have a good relationship with their interpreter. As well as having a good understanding of sign language. Sign language can be a great asset to Educational Assistants working with hearing impaired students.



Visual Assessment

Diagnostic tools

Electrophysiological tests are assessment tools that doctors use to measure the optic pathways. The tests are searching for electrical activity in the pathways. When certain electrical activity is found this indicates that the person does not have good hearing capabilities.

Eye doctors use a visual acuity test to determine the persons visual level. The doctor will ask the person to read the charts that contain random letters and numbers, it is placed six meters away from the patient. they must read the chart with each eye individually, as well as with both eyes. After the test a score is obtained that is made up of two numbers. If the score is 6/6 it means that the person has good vision. If the score is 6/60 it means, they can only read something 6 meters away.

Doctors will use a functional test to assess a persons vision. This test assess the persons ability to track moving objects. A large visual field is used wear objects are moved around, they also track eye hand coordination, as well as the ability to use other faculties that require visual development.


Non Diagnostic tools

The braille alphabet is used by people who have visual impairments in order to help them read more successfully. This is a tool that can be used in the classroom. Educational Assistants should be very familiar with the braille system if they are working with students who have visual impairments.

A talking alarm watch can be used by people who have visual impairments. They might find it helpful to keep them on track. Students can use this to help them keep an orderly day.

The eye stick modern cane is a tool that has ultrasonic waves to measure the distance between the person and objects. The cane is not effected by rain, weather or climate problems and can measure them as well. It also delivers information about hazards to the person such as changes in the flow level. All the information is sent from the cane to a Bluetooth connection, and converted into a voice message.

Psychological -Educational Assessment
for Multiple and Severe Disabilities -Several tests are required for accurate results
-Assessment data is used to create an IEP as well as to offer the child placement
-Children with multiple and severe disabilities require the most natural setting possible for any kind of assessment
-Parent/guardian involvement is important in supporting the child and helping them to feel at ease
-Parents/guardians may also have important information for the assessment
-Children with multiple and severe disabilities can be so individual that not one testing method or tool can be used to gain an accurate assessment
-Tools and methods used in the assessment may very greatly according to the needs of the child.
-Some common methods or tools may not be used because of possible physical disabilities that may be present
-Unfortunately the assessments used can often show bias or inaccurate results, this may be because the standardised tests may not always be suited for the complex disabilities with severe or multiple disability cases
-Infant scales have proven to be good predictions for later development in children with multiple or severe disabilities
-The most common practise now is to use a functional approach (gathering skills relevant to the family and child using the child’s individual response mode in a natural setting)
Functional approach assessments include:
direct observation
informant interviews
adaptive behaviour scales
measures of paralinguistic communication
behaviour
alternate measures of communication
observational checklists
Parent interviews can be critical to an assessment (Winzer)

In the province on Ontario all diagnoses made regarding psychiatric health during assessments must be made by a person certified by The College of Psychologists. All diagnostic assessments must be conducted by, or supervised by, a registered Psychologist. “The Registered Health Professions Act (RHPA), formally recognises Psychologists as one of the Health Care Providing Professionals who may lawfully diagnose in the Province of Ontario. This same Act makes it illegal for anyone to diagnose or deliver Psychological Services who is not certified by The College of Psychologists of Ontario.” (Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board) Diagnostic assessments can also often be conducted by a person who is familiar with the student so that the student feels the most comfortable. The performance of the student on the assessment may be affected by the presence of an unfamiliar person. Diagnostic psychiatric assessments must always be at least over seen by a psychologist, but may be conducted by another person. Often it can be very difficult for any student to have a psychological assessment through school recommendation, in result of, the long waiting list in many regions of Ontario. Therefore, the timing of this assessment for students with multiple and severe disabilities will depend on the particular students needs, when a psychiatric test is deemed useful, as well as when the student makes it through the waiting list.            
Assessments are conducted in the most natural settings possible for the student as to not disturb their normal routine or to interfere with their performance on the assessment. Educational related assessments can be done in the students regular classroom or learning environment. The student’s regular environment can vary greatly depending on the students needs and placement.      The Role of the Educational Assistant regarding Psychological Assessments
Educational Assistants may be expected to assist in the primary assessment if needed. They may also be asked to monitor the student progress throughout the school day, keeping accurate records of the student’s progress and behaviour. E.A.’s may be asked to implement or preform regular activities with the student in order to increase the student’s progress. The Educational Assistant should also be responsible for understanding the student’s needs, and how to respond appropriately. They might also be asked to use a range of assessment tools, however the range of tools used during the psychiatric assessment of a student with severe or multiple disabilities is so vast the E.A. should be prepared to familiarise themselves with each student and the tools used on an individual basis.     

This article about a little boy named Ben, it covers a mother’s journey through the diagnoses and assessment of her son.   http://bloom-parentingkidswithdisabilities.blogspot.ca/2012/08/more-than-words-part-2.html

References

Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board: Special education plan 2005-2006http://www.smcdsb.on.ca/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/Archived/Parents%20and%20Students/Special%20Education/Spec%20Ed%20Plan%2005-06.pdf