Standardized Test Description

Guidelines for Standardized Test Description AssignmentSED 607The purpose of this assignment is to add to your knowledge about standardized test that are commonly used with students with intellectual disabilities and moderate to severe disabilities.DIRECTIONS:After review of a list of instruments used to assess students with moderate to severe disabilities provided by the instructor, you will be assigned an instrument to review. I have a limited set of titles available through my office. If possible, you should check to see if the test is given in your district, if you can borrow a copy for review. You will need to do outside research on your instrument, utilizing assessment reference manuals, special education and educational psychology journals, and other scholarly sources. There are also on-line databases, such as Mental Measurements Yearbook, PsychInfo, and ERIC, where you can find articles or evaluations/critiques of your instrument. You can also search the web for information, but make sure that you use credible sources.Include the following information in your written report:General Test Information:AuthorPublisherAddress of PublisherPhone Number of PublisherFax # of PublisherPrice of TestDescription of the Instrument:Purpose of testSpecific features of testType of test (standardized, non-standardized, criterion-referenced, norm-referenced, etc)Administration time (approximately XXX minutes/hours)Type of administration (individual/group)Who administers this test (licensed psychologists, diagnostician, SLP)Age/grade levelsSubtest InformationScoring Information (i.e., what type of scores are obtained)Discussion and Critique of Instrument:Strengths and applicability of the testLimitations of and cautions regarding the testAppropriateness for use with students with mental retardation and severe disabilitiesYour discussion and critique of the instrument should be very detailed and thorough. You must describe in-depth the applicability of this instrument to individuals with intellectual disabilities and moderate to severe disabilities. Provide information on the normative sample. If this is not available, the implications of this lack of availability must be discussed. Specific Details to Consider in Discussion and Critique:Provide specific information about the normative sample. To know if this assessment applies to your particular student population, you need to have information about: the number of individuals in the normative sample, % of different ethnicities, what part of the country were included, whether rural and urban populations were included, % of normative sample at different ages, % gender, socioeconomic status and how identified, language background of individuals in normative sample, whether individuals with disabling conditions were included. Remember that any modifications in completing the assessment outside of the printed directions invalidate the use of normative comparisons. So, think how students with severe disabilities (i.e. students who use augmentative communication devices, students with sensory impairments, students with physical impairments, students who do not have linguistic or symbolic communication, students with limited receptive communication) could perform on this test and what sort of accommodations/modifications would be needed. If modifications are needed, can you use as a norm-referenced assessment or should standard scores be reported? Unless you have been overwhelmingly convinced that the assessment has been validated and normed for your particular population, “the results should be interpreted with extreme caution.”