Utility and Validity of Authentic Assessments and Conventional Tests for International Early Childhood Intervention Purposes: Evidence from U.S. National Social Validity Research

Authors

  • Deborah D. Lee The Pennsylvania State University, USA
  • Stephen J. Bagnato University of Pittsburgh/Office of Child Development, USA
  • Kristie Pretti Frontczak B2K Solutions, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2015.03.04.2

Keywords:

Authentic assessment, early care and education, early childhood intervention, developmentallyappropriate, assessment for developmental disabilities, early childhood special education

Abstract

The reported U.S. incidence of delay/disability in young children, and thus need for services, is far higher than those currently receiving early intervention supports and services [1]. Government representatives and policymakers in the U.S. have concluded that traditional tests fail to capture sufficient numbers of young children who must access early intervention supports at a critical life moment [2], even though state regulations often mandate their use. The early intervention field regards authentic assessments as a more effective alternative. However, few U.S. studies have been conducted to compare and validate the use of either conventional tests or authentic assessments for early intervention purposes. National social validity research in the United States by Bagnato et al. [3,4] revealed that authentic assessments fulfill the qualities/needs of the early childhood intervention field better than conventional tests. However, no national studies had been conducted to examine the qualities and patterns of use for authentic and conventional measures among interdisciplinary professionals. Based on an expanded national internet survey in the current follow-up research, we compared the qualities/patterns of use among professionals for both types of measures in the early childhood intervention field. Overall, median ratings indicate that the top authentic assessments are more valid/useful than the most popular conventional tests to accomplish most early intervention purposes. Based on the results, we share the implications as “practice-based research evidence” to guide international policymakers, professionals, and parents to advocate, choose, and use “best measures for best practices.”

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Improving the Health of People with Disabilities. Atlanta: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities 2014.

U.S. Department of Education. To assure the free appropriate publication education of all children with disabilities: Individuals with disabilities education act, section 618 report. Washington: Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 2001.

Bagnato SJ, Neisworth J, Pretti-Frontczak KL. LINKing authentic assessment and early childhood intervention. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing 2010.

Bagnato SJ, Goins DD, Pretti-Frontczak KL, Neisworth JT. Authentic assessment as 'best practice' for early childhood intervention: National consumer social validity research. Topics Early Child Spec Educ 2014; 34: 116-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0271121414523652 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121414523652

Fujiura G, Yamaki K. Trends in demography of childhood poverty and disability. Except Child 2000; 66(2): 187-199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290006600204

World Health Organization and UNICEF. Early childhood development and disability: A discussion paper. Geneva: World Health Organization 2012.

World Health Organization and UNICEF. Developmental difficulties in early childhood: Prevention, early identification, assessment and intervention in low- and middle income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization 2012.

Felitti V, Anda R, Nordenberg D, Williamson D, Spitz A, Edwards V, et al. Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults. Am J Prev Med 1998; 14(4): 245-258. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8

Bagnato S, McKeating-Esterle E, Bortolamasi P. Evidence-base for team assessment practices in early intervention. Pittsburgh: TRACE Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Assessment, Early Childhood Partnerships, Children’s Hospital/University of Pittsburgh; US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute 2007.

Yeh Ho H, Bagnato S. Research foundations for the use of social-emotional indicators to determine access to early intervention services. Washington: USDOE, OSEP, TRACE Center for Excellence 2007.

Fevola A, Bagnato S, Matesa M, Lehman C. Research review for characteristics of presumptive eligibility promoting early intervention access. Pittsburgh: TRACE Center for Excellence 2006.

Benn R. Conceptualizing eligibility for early intervention services. In: Bryant D, Graham M, ed. by. Implementing early intervention. 1st ed. New York: Guilford Press 1994; pp. 18-45.

Shonkoff J, Meisels S. Defining Eligibility for Services Under PL 99-457. J Early Interv 1991; 15(1): 21-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105381519101500104 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/105381519101500104

Bagnato S. Authentic assessment for early childhood intervention. New York: Guilford Press 2007.

President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE). A new era: Revitalizing special education for children and their families [Internet]. Jessup: Education Publications Center, US Department of Education; 2002. Available from: http://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/calls/2010/ earlypartc/revitalizing_special_education.pdf

Neisworth J, Bagnato S. The MisMeasure of Young Children. Infants Young Child 2004; 17(3): 198-212. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00001163-200407000-00002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00001163-200407000-00002

Macy M, Bagnato S, Macy R, Salaway J. Conventional Tests and Testing for Early Intervention Eligibility. Infants Young Child 2015; 28(2): 182-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/IYC.0000000000000032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/IYC.0000000000000032

U.S. Department of Education. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Final Regulations. Pittsburgh: Federal Register 2011.

Allan J. Selected Assessments That Are Used For Young Children Who Are Visually Impaired [Internet]. Tsbvi.edu. 2015 [cited 9 November 2015]. Available from: http://www.tsbvi.edu/instructional-resources/3294-selected-assessments-that-are-used-for-young-children-who-are-visually-impaired/

Meisels S, Marsden DB, Wiske MS, Henderson LW, 2014. Early Screening Inventory-Revised, 2008 Edition. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.

Newborg J. Battelle Developmental Inventory: Second Edition. (BDI-2). Itasca, IL: Riverside 2004.

Bricker D, Squires J. Ages & Stages Questionnaires: A Parent-Competed, Child-Monitoring System (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. 2000.

Bricker DD, Pretti-Frontczak KL. The assessment, evaluation, and programming system for infants and young children: Vol. 3 AEPS measurement for three to six years. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. 1996.

Bricker D, Yovanoff P, Capt B, Allen D. Use of a curriculum-based Measure to Corroborate Eligibility Decisions. J Early Interv 2003; 26(1): 20-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105381510302600102 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/105381510302600102

Bricker D, Clifford J, Yovanoff P, Pretti-Frontczak K, Waddell M, Allen D, et al. Eligibility Determination Using a Curriculum-Based Assessment: A Further Examination. J Early Interv 2008; 31(1): 3-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1053815108324422 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815108324422

California Department of Education, Child Development Division. Desired Results Developmental Profile: Infant and Toddler Instrument. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education 2006.

Division for Early Childhood. Promoting positive outcomes for children with disabilities: Recommendations for curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation. Missoula: National Association for the Education of Young Children 2007.

Ford D. Culturally Responsive Classrooms: Affirming Culturally Different Gifted Students. Gifted Child Today. 2010; 33(1): 50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/107621751003300112

Bracken B. Riverside Early Assessment of Learning (REAL). MN: Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt-Riverside Publishing Co. 2014.

European Commission. Support for children with special educational needs (SEN). Brussels: Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion 2013.

Kamerman S. Early childhood care and education and other family policies and programs in south-east Asia. Paris: UNESCO 2002.

Kim G, Umayahara M. Early Childhood Care and Education: Building the Foundation for Lifelong Learning and the Future of the Nations of Asia and the Pacific. ICEP 2010; 4(2): 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/2288-6729-4-2-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/2288-6729-4-2-1

Simeonsson R. ICF-CY: A Universal Tool for Documentation of Disability. J Policy Pract Intell Disabil 2009; 6(2): 70-72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-1130.2009.00215.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-1130.2009.00215.x

Simeonsson R, Leonardi M, Bjorck-Akesson E, Hollenweger J, Lollar D, Martinuzzi A, et al. ICF-CY: A universal tool for practice, policy, and research. (Document P107). Washington: World Health Organization (WHO) 2015.

Pan Y, Hwang A, Simeonsson R, Lu L, Liao H. ICF-CY code set for infants with early delay and disabilities (EDD Code Set) for interdisciplinary assessment: a global experts survey. Disabil Rehabil 2015; 37(12): 1044-1054. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2014.952454 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2014.952454

Kronk R. Mapping ICF-CY content to the VABS and ABAS-II [MS]. University of Pittsburgh 2004.

Kronk R. ICF-CY profiles for young children with specific disabilities: Mapping item content. Conference Proceedings of the International Society for Early Intervention (ISEI). New York: International Society for Early Intervention 2011.

de Miranda-Correia L. Special education in Portugal: the new law and the ICF-CY. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 2010; 9: 1062-1068. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.286 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.286

Hwang A, Liao H, Chen P, Hsieh W, Simeonsson R, Weng L, et al. Applying the ICF-CY framework to examine biological and environmental factors in early childhood development. Taiwan Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi 2014; 113(5): 303-312. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2011.10.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2011.10.004

Downloads

Published

2016-01-07

How to Cite

Lee, D. D., Bagnato, S. J., & Frontczak, K. P. (2016). Utility and Validity of Authentic Assessments and Conventional Tests for International Early Childhood Intervention Purposes: Evidence from U.S. National Social Validity Research. Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment, 3(4), 164–176. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2015.03.04.2

Issue

Section

Special Issue - Early Identification: Promising Practices to Support Young Children with Disabilities and their Families