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York Region District School Board

2.5 Educational and Other Assessments

What Types of Assessment Tools Are Used Within the Board?

 

 (a) Applied Behaviour Analysis Assessments Tools

  • Can be used with individuals with autism or individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders, of any age, whose language skills are not commensurate with the language skills of a 2-4 year-old typically developing child
  • Time required to complete assessment varies
  • The ABLLS-R is a criterion-referenced assessment tool, tracking instrument, and curriculum guide designed to identify language and learning areas an individual may need more support in
  • ABA Facilitators meet with parents or caregivers and when appropriate students, to share assessment results
  • Partington, J. W. (2010). The assessment of basic language and learning skills-Revised. Pleasant Hill, CA: Behavior Analysts

  • Can be used with individuals with autism or individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders of any age
  • Time required to complete assessment varies
  • The AFLS is a criterion-referenced assessment tool, tracking instrument, and curriculum guide designed to assess functional skills needed to achieve more independence
  • ABA Facilitators meet with parents or caregivers and when appropriate students, to share assessment results
  • Partington, J. W., & Mueller, M. M. (2012). The assessment of functional living skills guide: Essential skills for independence at home, school, and in the community. Walnut Creek, CA: Behaviour Analysts, Inc

  • Can be used with individuals with autism or individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders of any age
  • Time required to complete assessment varies
  • The essential skills for living is a comprehensive functional skills assessment, curriculum guide, and tracking instrument. Designed to support with assessing essential skills for learning and wellbeing
  • ABA Facilitators meet with parents or caregivers and when appropriate students, to share assessment results
  • McGreevy, P., Fry, T., & Cornwall, C. (2012). Essentials for Living. Winter Park, FL: Patrick McGreevy

  • Can be used with any individual, of any age, displaying behaviours of concern
  • Time required to complete the assessment varies
  • An FBA is a problem solving process for addressing behaviours that are of concern to a student’s learning and wellbeing
  • Applied Behaviour Analysis Facilitators meet with parents or caregivers, and when appropriate students, to share assessment results
  • Indirect and direct assessments are conducted to assess reasons why a student may exhibit behaviours of concern. These may include:
    • a review of the student’s OSR
    • interviews and questionnaires
    • direct observation, data collection, and data analysis of behaviours of concern, as well as the events that occur prior to (antecedents) and following (consequences) behaviours of concern
    • analysis of variables that may be influencing the behaviour of concern
  • Once the reasons why a student is engaging in behaviours of concern are determined, strategies may be put in place to decrease behaviours of concern and teach the student appropriate ways to access their needs and wants
  • The effect of strategies on the behaviours of concern are also monitored through data collection and shared with parents or caregivers, and when appropriate with students
  • Cooper, J.O., Heward, W. L., Heron, T. E. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall

  • Can be used with any individual, of any age, to learn more about student preferences
  • Time required to complete the assessment varies
  • Indirect and direct assessments are conducted to assess student preferences. These may include, ranking items on a list based upon report from individual or someone who knows the individual well, single-stimulus, paired-stimulus, multiple-stimulus with or without replacement, free-operant, in-the-moment reinforcer analysis
  • Once identified, preferred items and activities are often then used as positive reinforcement to support in skill acquisition programs or self-regulation programs
  • ABA Facilitators may meet with parents or caregivers, and when appropriate with students, to share assessment results, especially if preferred items need to be approved by parents. However as preferences change from moment to moment it may not be necessary or feasible to report these findings regularly
  • Pace, G. M., Ivancic, M. T., Edwards, G. L., Iwata, B. A., & Page, T. J. (1985). Assessment of stimulus preference and reinforcer value with profoundly retarded individuals. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18(3), 249–255
  • Fisher, W., Piazza, C. C., Bowman, L. G., Hagopian, L. P., Owens, J. C., & Slevin, I. (1992). A comparison of two approaches for identifying reinforcers for persons with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 491–498
  • DeLeon, I. G., & Iwata, B. A. (1996). Evaluation of a multiple-stimulus presentation format for assessing reinforcer preferences. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(4), 519–532
  • Roane, H. S., Vollmer, T. R., Ringdahl, J. E., & Marcus, B. A. (1998). Evaluation of a brief stimulus preference assessment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31(4), 605–620
  • Leaf, J. B., Leaf, R., Alacalay, A., Leaf, J. A., Ravid, D., Dale, S., et al. (2015). Utility of formal preference assessments for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 50(2), 199–212

  • Can be used with individuals with autism or individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders, of any age, whose language skills are not commensurate with the language skills of a 4-year-old typically developing child
  • Time required to complete assessment varies
  • The VB-MAPP is a criterion-referenced skills assessment, tracking system, and curriculum guide designed to assess language, learning and social skills
  • ABA Facilitators meet with parents or caregivers and when appropriate students, to share assessment results.
  • Sundberg, M.L. (2008) VB-MAPP Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program: A Language and Social Skills Assessment Program for Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities. Guide, AVB Press

(b) Blind/Low Vision and Deafblind Assessment Tools

  • No specific age range
  • An Assistive Technology Assessment is performed with students who are functioning with a visual impairment to determine what technological tools will assist them with accessing print comfortably and to efficiently engage in written communication. The assessment results help to provide information about the basic visual skills exhibited by a student as they relate to vision loss and identifies the type of equipment found to be essential for the student to meet their current literacy goals at school.

  • No specific age range
  • A Functional Vision Assessment (FVA) is performed with students who have been identified by a medical professional as having a visual impairment. The results of this assessment will determine how well the student is using their residual vision and whether they require support for visual access to the curriculum. The assessment results help to provide information about the visual strengths and needs of the student. The assessment will take note of visual skills being used and will highlight those skills that may be absent or not functioning at optimal levels. Students with a profound visual impairment or additional disabilities may require a Functional Sensory Assessment to be conducted.

  • No specific age range
  • A Learning Media Assessment (LMA) is conducted with students who are blind or have visual impairments to determine the best learning media needed to develop appropriate educational programming. The assessment results help to provide information on the efficiency with which a student gathers information from various sensory channels (i.e., vision, tactile, auditory) and highlights the types of general learning media and accommodations a student is most comfortable using to accomplish learning tasks and to access the curriculum.

  • No specific age range
  • An Orientation and Mobility Assessment is conducted to better understand a student’s skills as they relate to travel and independence. Orientation and mobility training is designed specifically for students who are blind or who have a visual impairment. It is the study of how to move about environments, purposefully, safely, efficiently, and confidently while maintaining an understanding of one’s position in space. Orientation and Mobility (O&M) plays a vital role in human development

(c) Deaf and Hard of Hearing

  • Auditory Perception Test for the Hearing Impaired (APT/HI)
    • 3 + years
    • Assesses functional auditory skills of children loss that are building blocks for language and academic development
  • Auditory Skills Assessment (ASA)
    • 3.6 – 7.11 years
    • A screener tool for early identification of young children who might be at risk for auditory skill deficits and/or early literacy skill difficulties.
  • Common Objects Token Test (COT)
    • 3 + years
    • A sentence level test for children with hearing loss that measures auditory speech perception skills. It is a closed set task but of higher complexity, aimed to assess a child's transition between open and closed set tasks.
  • Compass Test of Auditory Discrimination
    • School Age
    • Assesses a child's auditory discrimination abilities, which can affect phonological awareness and auditory processing of verbal information
  •  Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP), 2nd Edition
    • 7-24 years
    • Assesses phonological processing skills, including phonological awareness, phonological memory and rapid memory
  • Developmental Test of Auditory Perception (DTAP)
    • 6-18 years
    • Battery of 5 items that measure different, but related, aspects of auditory perception; phonemes in isolation, word discrimination, rhyming sounds, tonal patterns and environmental sounds
  • EARS; Evaluating Auditory Responses to Speech
    • 3 + years
    • Developed to follow emerging auditory skills following cochlear implantation. The test battery includes open and closed set speech perception tests, as well as parent and teacher questionnaires
  • Functional Listening Evaluation (FLE)
    • School Age
    • Assesses how listening abilities are affected by noise, distance, and visual access in a natural listening environment. It can also be used to demonstrate the benefits of HAT
  • Identifying Early Phonological Needs In Children with Hearing Loss
    • All Ages
    • Assesses spontaneous use of first level phonological patterns, using a list of 25 common words. Targets consonant features such as manner, place and voicing, as well as vowels, diphthongs, and basic word patterns
  • Listening Comprehension Test - 2
    • 6 – 11 years
    • Assesses strengths and weaknesses in specific listening skill areas related to classroom listening situations
  • Listening Comprehension Test - Adolescent
    • 12 – 18 years
    • Assesses strengths and weaknesses in specific listening skill areas related to classroom listening situations
  • Little EARS Auditory Questionnaire
    • Birth – 2 years
    • A parent questionnaire that evaluates auditory behaviours that are observable as a reaction to acoustic stimuli. Follows the auditory development of children from 0 to 24 months
  • Oral Passage Understanding Scale (OPUS)
    • 5 – 21 years
    • Assesses listening comprehension, a skill that is essential for classroom learning. The examiner reads a passage and related questions aloud
  • Phonological Awareness Test (PAT 2)
    • 5 – 9 years
    • Assesses phonological awareness abilities and phoneme-grapheme correspondence

  • Boehm Test of Basic Concepts - Preschool
    • 3 – 5.11 years
    • Assesses understanding of basic concepts important for language and cognitive development, as well as success in school
  • Bracken Basic Concept Scale - Receptive & Expressive
    • 3 – 6.11 years
    • Assesses basic concept knowledge related to language and cognitive development, as well as academic achievement
  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool (CELF-P)
    • 3.0 – 6.11 years
    • Assesses receptive and expressive language ability. It explores the foundations of language form and content including word meanings, word and sentence structure, and recall of spoken language
  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals - 4
    • 6 – 22 years
    • The basic foundations of content and form that characterize mature language use are assessed including word meanings; semantics; word and sentence structures; morphology and syntax; as well as the recall and retrieval of spoken language (memory)
  • Comprehensive Test of Spoken Language (CASL-2)
    • 3 – 21 years
    • Measures oral language processing skills of comprehension and expression in semantics, syntax, pragmatics and supralinguistics
  • Expressive One Word picture Vocabulary Test (EOPVT)
    • 2 – 80 +
    • Measures expressive vocabulary knowledge on a labeling activity
  • Expressive Vocabulary Test
    • 2.6 0- 90.11 years
    • Measures expressive vocabulary knowledge with two types of items; labeling and synonyms
  • Language Processing Test - 3 Elementary
    • 5 to 11 years, 11 months
    • Assesses a student’s ability to attach meaning to language and effectively formulate a response. The test moves hierarchically from easiest to most difficult and it progressively increases the demand on the student’s language processing 
  • Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-4)
    • 3 – 21 years
    • Measures the receptive/listening vocabulary for spoken words in English
  • Preschool Language Scale (PLS-5)
    • 0 – 7.11 years
    • Composed of two subscales - Auditory Comprehension and Expressive Communication:
      • The Auditory Comprehension (AC) subscale is used to evaluate how much language a child understands.
      • The Expressive Communication (EC) subscale is used to determine how well a child communicates with others
  • Receptive/Expressive Emergent Language Test (REEL-3)
    • 0 – 3 years
    • Records parental observations of child behavior, in order to identify conditions that may affect language development, and areas for intervention
  • Receptive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test
    • 2 – 80 +
    • Assesses receptive/listening vocabulary in English
  • Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale
    • 0 – 3 years
    • Identifies preverbal and verbal language development problems in the areas of; gestures, play, language comprehension and expression
  • Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test – Primary (SPELT-P)
    • 3 – 6 years
    • Assesses early developing morphological and syntactic forms on an expressive cloze task
  • Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test
    • 4 – 9.5 years
    • Expressive language test to assess a child’s ability to produce specific grammatical structures in sentences using pictures.
  • Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language (TACL- 4)
    • 3 – 10 years
    • Assesses auditory comprehension across three categories: word meanings, grammatical morphemes, and elaborated sentences. The student’s knowledge of specified lexical and grammatical forms is measured
  • Test of Early Communication and Emerging Language (TECEL)
    • 0 – 2 years
    • Assesses the earliest communication behaviours, and emerging language abilities in infants and toddlers
  • Test of Expressive Language (TEXL)
    • 3 – 12 years
    • Measures a child’s expressive language skills, and ability to produce vocabulary, grammatical morphemes, and elaborated phrases
  • Test of Language Development 3 – Primary
    • 4 – 9 years
    • Assesses expressive and receptive competencies in major components of linguistics
  • Test of Narrative Language (TNL 2)
    • 4 – 15.11 years
    • Measures the child's narrative language abilities (i.e.; ability to understand and tell stories)
  • Test of Pragmatic Language (TOPL-2)
    • 6 – 18.11 years
    • Assesses the effectiveness, and appropriateness, of a student's pragmatic language skills
  • Test of problem Solving – 2 & 3
    • 6-11 years
    • 12-18 years
    • Assesses expressive language, thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are presented with pictures/passages about contemporary issues and asked open-ended questions, such as; evaluating, analyzing, and clarifying
  • The Elementary WORD Test - 2
    • 7 – 11 years
    • Assesses vocabulary and semantic abilities across a variety of subtests (associations; synonyms; semantic absurdities; antonyms; definitions; flexible word use)
  • The WORD Test 2 Adolescent
    • 12 – 17 years
    • Measures facility with language and word meaning across six semantic and vocabulary skill areas reflective of curriculum vocabulary and everyday language use (see above)
  • Token Test for Children
    • 3 – 12.5 years
    • Measures receptive language using auditory commands that vary in length and complexity. The test measures comprehension of colours, shapes, location and time as well as various aspects of language content and form

  • Goldman-Fristoe Test of ARticulation - 2
    • 2 – 21 years
    • Assesses the ability to articulate individual speech sounds in words and sentences. Information is used to establish appropriate speech articulation goals
  • Structured photographic Articulation Test (SPAT D2)
    • 3 – 9 years
    • Assesses articulation of consonant sounds in single words. Information is used to establish appropriate speech articulation goals

(d) Educational (In-School) Assessment Tools

  • K- Grade 9  skills assessed
  • Comprehensive assessment for students in grades K-9 tests for reading/ELA and mathematics and can be used for monitoring progress, providing ongoing assessment, and writing IEPs.
  • *This assessment is used when students don’t have sufficient academic skills to be assessed using the WIAT-III or WOODCOCK III

  • 0 – 7 years
  • Assessment tools determine skill in a large number of functional levels. It assesses skills in areas: psychomotor, self-help, general knowledge, comprehension, communication, and academics

  • 0 – 3 years, 3 – 6 years
  • Use of this checklist will provide a developmental profile regarding the child’s performance in five general areas: Self-Help, Motor Development, Communication, Social Skills, and Learning/Cognitive.
  • *typically used with students experiencing significant motor, communication and learning concerns and age equivalents are generated

  • 4 – 25 years
  • Measures skills in the areas of decoding, reading, reading comprehension, written language, oral language and mathematics

  • Measures mathematics skills in three areas: basic concepts, operations and applications. It provides diagnostic information in a number of mathematical areas.

  • 4 – 21 years
  • Measures mathematics skills in three areas: basic concepts, operations and applications. It provides diagnostic information in a number of mathematical areas.

  • 2 – 90 years
  • Measures the receptive/listening vocabulary for spoken words in English

  • 4 years – 50 years
  • Measures reading, math, written language and oral language skills

  • 5 – 95 years
  • Consists of a number of subtests. Typically, assessments do not include all of the subtests, but only those which are relevant to a student’s age and needs are selected for use. Subtests include measures of reading/oral fluency, mathematics, written language skills, and general knowledge/information

  • 4-79 years
  • Measures a student’s basic skills, reading comprehension, oral reading fluency and listening comprehension skills

(e) Physical Therapy and/or Occupational Therapy Assessment Tools

  • 2 – 18 years
  • A screening tool for visual motor integration deficits. The Beery VMI series also provides supplemental Visual Perception and Motor Coordination tests, which use the same stimulus forms as the Short Format and Full Format tests

  • K- Grade 9  skills assessed
  • Comprehensive assessment for students in grades K-9  tests for reading/ELA and mathematics. and can be used for monitoring progress, providing ongoing assessment, and writing IEPs. 
  • *This assessment is used when students don’t have sufficient academic skills to be assessed using the WIAT-III or WOODCOCK III

  • 0 – 7 years
  • Assessment tools determine skill in a large number of functional levels. It assesses skills in areas: psychomotor, self-help, general knowledge, comprehension, communication, and academics

  • 4.0 – 22 years
  • Comprehensive assessment of motor proficiency of as well as students without a physical diagnosis

  • 4 years to adult
  • Used to reflect the balance and mobility skills necessary for full
  • participation in the community

  • 5 years to adult
  • An evidence-based outcome measure designed to capture a student’s self-perception of performance in everyday living (school productivity, self-care and leisure)

  • 6 – 12 years
  • Evaluates manuscript and cursive handwriting skills using tasks requiring near-point copying, far-point copying, dictation, sentence composition and memory for alphabet and numerals

  • 0 – 3 years, 3 – 6 years
  • Use of this checklist will provide a developmental profile regarding the child’s performance in five general areas: Self-Help, Motor Development, Communication, Social Skills, and Learning/Cognitive. 
  • *typically used with students experiencing significant motor, communication and learning concerns and age equivalents are generated

  • 3 – 12 years
  • Evaluates student written productivity in the classroom

  • 5 – 7 years
  • Assesses visual-perceptual skills

  • 3 – 12 years
  • Can be used to identify children who are significantly behind their peers in motor development, assist in planning an intervention program in either a school or clinical setting, measure change as a result of intervention, or serve as a measurement instrument in research involving motor development

  • Birth – 5 years
  • Composed of six subtests that measure interrelated abilities in early motor development. It was designed to assess gross and fine motor skills in children.

  • 5 – 17 years
  • A measure that evaluates participation in the home, at school and in the community, alongside environmental factors with each of these settings

  • Birth - 14 years, 11 months
  • Assesses sensory system function and its effects on functional performance of daily activities. Nine factor groupings characterize responsiveness to sensory input: sensory seeking, emotional reactiveness, low endurance/tone, oral sensory sensitivity, inattention/distractibility, poor registration, sensory sensitivity, sedentary and fine motor/perceptual

  • 5 – 12 years
  • Parent and/or teacher rating scale that provides complete picture of children's sensory processing difficulties at school and at home

  • 5 – 21 years
  • Assesses visual-perceptual skills with the following subtest results: visual discrimination, visual memory, visual-spatial relationships, visual form constancy, visual sequential memory, visual figure-ground, visual closure

  • 6 months to 16 years
  • An assessment tool designed and evaluated to measure change in gross motor function over time or with intervention in children with Cerebral Palsy

  • Birth – 20 years
  • The PEDI-CAT is a computer adaptive test that measures abilities in three functional domains: Daily Activities, Mobility and Social/Cognitive. The PEDI-CAT’s Responsibility domain measures the extent to which the caregiver or child takes responsibility for managing complex, multi-step life tasks

  • 12 years to adult
  • Used in transition programs with adolescents starting at 12 years of age to measure and track the development of skills they need to acquire to manage their health and healthcare.

(f) Psychological Assessment Instruments

Psychological assessments are comprehensive assessments of the whole child that include all aspects of cognitive, social-emotional and behavioural functioning in addition to potential impact on mental health. Psychological services staff are regulated health professionals under the College of Psychologists of Ontario who provide evidence-informed, culturally responsive and identity affirming services, from a strengths-based approach with an emphasis on mattering, belonging and resiliency. These services include counseling, consultation and/or assessment. Psychological services staff are members of school teams with expertise in child and adolescent mental health, learning, social, and emotional needs. Psychological services staff use a student-centered anti-oppressive approach and value collaboration with educators, families, professional staff, community agencies, and students themselves to promote student mental health and well-being and support students who may be experiencing psychological distress.

  • Ages 3 – 16 years
  • The results provide information relating to typical childhood disorders, which can lead to accurate diagnosis and intervention planning for success in school and at home

  • Preschool to adult
  • Assesses adaptive functioning in areas of communication, Community Use, Functional Academics, Health and Safety, Leisure, Self-Care, Self-Direction, Social and Work

  • Ages 2 and older
  • Semi structured interview assessing individuals suspected of having an Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Inform diagnosis, treatment planning and education placement with an observational assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Ages 2 – 18 years
  • Effectively identifies symptoms, behaviours and features of Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Ages 7 – 18 years
  • self report measure of the emotional intelligence of children and adolescents
  • 5 subscales examine interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities, stress management, adaptability and general mood.
  • total EQ also provided

  • Ages 2.0 - 90.11
  • individually administered
  • evaluate visual-motor integration

  • Preschool, Child and Adolescent
  • The BASC-3 is a comprehensive set of rating scales that helps you to understand the behaviours and emotions of children and adolescents. 

  • Ages 5-8 years
  • Parent, teacher and self-report forms assessing executive function skills

  • Ages 4.0 to adult
  • individually administered
  • increased number of items
  • evaluates perceptual and visual motor maturity
  • examines neuropsychological functioning, temporal and cognitive organization and/or emotional adjustment and personality style

  • Ages 3 years - Adult
  • Assessment of executive functioning and attention

  • Ages 7 – 17
  • individually administered
  • assessment of depressive symptoms

  • Ages 5 – 16
  • individually administered tool
  • assess visual and verbal learning, attention and aspects of memory
  • dimensions tapped include attention and working memory, short and long term delay memory, as well as recall and recognition

  • Ages 2 years +
  • Helps to identify children with Autism and determine symptom severity

  • Ages 5 – 18 years
  • A comprehensive evaluation of executive function strengths and weaknesses in children and youth

  • 7 – 24 years
  • Assesses phonological processing skills, including phonological awareness, phonological memory and rapid memory

  • Ages 6 – 18 years
  • Assessment of behaviours, emotions, academic and social problems

  • Ages 6 – 18 years
  • Assessment of ADHD and comorbid disorders in children and youth

  • Ages 6 – 17 years
  • individually administered measure of general intelligence and discrete ability areas
  • 10 subtests also show effect of language, attention and motor abilities on test performance

  • Ages 8 – 89 years
  • Assess key components of executive functions within verbal and spatial modalities

  • Grade K - College
  • Assessment of mathematics

  • Grade K - College
  • Assessment of reading

  • Ages 3 – 18
  • Individually administered measure of intelligence and achievement
  • provides a mental processing composite score as well as sequential processing and simultaneous processing scores
  • also contains a separate achievement scale

  • 4 – 25 years
  • Measures skills in the areas of decoding, reading, reading comprehension, written language, oral language and  mathematics

  • 4 – 21 years
  • Measures mathematics skills in three areas: basic concepts, operations and applications. It provides diagnostic information in a number of mathematical areas.

  • Ages 3.0 – 75.0 years
  • nonverbal measure of cognitive ability which does not require a spoken word from either the examiner or the child
  • suitable for non-English speaking, nonverbal, cognitively delayed, autistic or speech, hearing or motor impaired children

  • Ages 5 – 17
  • nonverbal measure which requires minimal verbal comprehension
  • reduces effect of motor coordination, time pressure, or primary language
  • provides overall standard score as well as 4 item group scores including pattern completion, reasoning by analogy, serial reasoning and spatial visualization

  • Ages 8 – 19 years
  • Assesses the presence of symptoms related to Anxiety Disorders in children and youth

  • Grade K - College
  • A valid and reliable measure of silent reading vocabulary, comprehension, and rate

  • 3 – 21 years
  • Measures the receptive/listening vocabulary for spoken words in English

  • Ages 8 – 22.0 years
  • evaluates esteem of children and adolescents
  • provides an overall measure of self-concept on dimensions include physical appearance and attributes, anxiety, intellectual and school status, behaviour, happiness and satisfaction and popularity

  • Ages 4.0 - 90 years
  • Individually administered nonverbal assessment of general cognitive ability that minimizes the impacts of language and cultural differences. Can be used with culturally diverse populations

  • Ages 8-18 years 
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses that are related to a student’s academic success

  • Ages 2.5 to adulthood
  • Distinguishes Autism Spectrum conditions from other child psychiatric conditions by identifying presence and extent of autistic social impairment

  • Ages 2.0 – 85+
  • individually administered measure of cognitive ability
  • provides full scale IQ include verbal and nonverbal IQ
  • Provides composite reasoning score based on five factors: knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, working memory, and fluid reasoning. Composite score has a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 16

  • Ages 5.0 – 21.11
  • norm referenced, multidimensional assessment of intelligence with entirely nonverbal administration and response formats
  • intelligence defined as the ability to solve problems using memory and reasoning
  • designed to ensure fairness irrespective of race, ethnicity, sex, language, hearing status, or country of origin
  • provides a full scale intelligence quotient as well as 4 factor, scores including a memory quotient, a reasoning quotient, a symbolic quotient and a non-symbolic quotient

  • Ages 3 to 12.11
  • questionnaire completed by teacher
  • assesses adaptive behaviour in the classroom
  • domains include communication, daily living skills, socialization and motor skills

  • Ages 16:00 - 90:11
  • individually administered measure of ability
  • upward extension of WPPSI-R & WISC- IV
  • provides full scale as well as verbal and performance intelligence quotients with mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15
  • subtests grouped according to 4 index scores, including verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, working memory and processing speed

  • Ages 6 – 16.11
  • individually administered measure of ability
  • provides full scale IQ and 4 index scores
  • index scores include verbal comprehension, fluid reasoning, visual-spatial, working memory, and processing speed
  • Canadian norms available

  • Ages 6 - 16.11
  • individually administered measure of ability
  • provides a deeper understanding of cognitive processes

  • Ages 16 – 89
  • Primary indexes include: auditory and visual immediate memory, auditory and visual delayed memory, general memory and working memory
  • can be used in conjunction with WAIS-III

  • Ages  4 - 21
  • A nonverbal measure of ability for culturally and linguistically diverse groups. 

  • Ages 2.6 – 7.7
  • individually administered measure of ability
  • provides verbal, performance full scale and language composite scores

  • 4 years – 50 years
  • Measures reading, math, written language and oral language skills

  • Ages 5.0 – 20 years
  • individually administered
  • core subtests provide Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Attention/Concentration and General Memory Indices
  • also provides Screening Memory, Working Memory, Verbal Recognition, Visual Recognition and General Recognition

(g) Speech-Language Assessment Tools

  • 5 – 21 years, 11 months
  • Clinical tool for the identification, diagnosis and follow-up evaluation of
  • language skill deficits in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults. The basic foundations of content and form that characterize mature language use are assessed including word meanings; semantics; word and sentence structures; morphology and syntax; as well as the recall and retrieval of spoken language (memory)
  • The reading and writing supplement (ages 8-21) provides a measure of reading comprehension and structured writing skills

  • 3 years, 0 months to 6 years, 11 months
  • Assesses receptive and expressive language ability. It explores the foundations of language form and content including word meanings, word and sentence structure, and recall of spoken language

  • 3 – 21 years
  • Measures the oral language processing skills of comprehension and expression across four categories: Lexical/Semantic, Syntactic, Supralinguistic, and Pragmatic

  • 7 – 24 years
  • Assesses phonological processing skills, including phonological awareness, phonological memory and rapid memory

  • 4 years, 6 months – 9 years, 11 months
  • Composed of three sections. Measure of phonological awareness skills, sign and symbol recognition & interpretation, and memory, retrieval and automaticity

  • Normed for individuals 2 years, 6 months to 90 years, 11 months
  • Measures expressive vocabulary knowledge with two types of items, labeling and synonyms

  • No specific age range
  • A measure of coding skills in reading and spelling. The test measures whether a student can give the sounds for the various letters and units or clusters and whether the student can recognize and spell words made up of these sounds

  • 2 – 21 years
  • Assesses the ability to articulate individual speech sounds in words and sentences

  • 6 – 23 years, 11 months
  • Measure of oral reading fluency and comprehension

  • 5 to 11 years, 11 months
  • Assesses a student’s ability to attach meaning to language and effectively formulate a response. The test moves hierarchically from easiest to most difficult and it progressively increases the demand on the student’s language processing system

  • Reading Comprehension (RC) and Written Expression (WC): 5 – 21 years, 11 months
  • Listening Comprehension (LC) and Oral Expression (OE): 3 – 21 years, 11 months
  • A comprehensive measure of oral and written language skills. Each of the four OWLS-II scales -Listening Comprehension, Oral Expression, Reading Comprehension and Written Expression – assess four linguistic structures (lexical/semantic, syntax, pragmatic, supralinguistics)

  • 2 years, 6 months and up
  • Measure of receptive vocabulary based on words in Standard American English

  • 8 – 14 years
  • A criterion referenced profile used to examine phonological awareness, phonics, naming speed, and reading fluency

  • Birth to 6 years, 11 months
  • a comprehensive developmental language assessment that evaluates early play, literacy, auditory comprehension and expressive communication skills

  • 3 – 10 years
  • Assesses articulation of consonant sounds in single words

  • 4 – 11 years, 11 months
  • A measure of a student’s written language ability

  • 6 – 18 years, 11 months
  • A comprehensive assessment of a student’s oral and written language skills

  • 5 – 9 years
  • 10 – 18 years
  • Measures higher-level language function (e.g. multiple meanings)

  • 4 – 14 years, 11 months
  • Measures student’s narrative language abilities (i.e., children’s ability to understand and tell stories)

  • 12 – 17 years, 11 months
  • Assesses expressive language, thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are presented with passages about contemporary issues and asked open-ended questions involving, for example, evaluating, analyzing, and clarifying

  • 6 – 12 years
  • Assesses critical thinking based on students’ language strategies, logic and experiences

  • 7 – 17 years, 11 months
  • A measure of silent reading comprehension

  • 9 – 17 years, 11 months
  • A measure of written expression (vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, logical sentences, sentence combining, contextual conventions and story composition)
  • 12 – 17 years
  • Assesses strengths and weaknesses in specific listening skill areas related to classroom listening situations

  • 12 – 17 years
  • Assesses strengths and weaknesses in specific listening skill areas related to classroom listening situations

  • 3 – 6 years, 11 months
  • Using narrative retell, the Bus Story provides quantitative and qualitative assessment of a child’s oral language skills based on rich language data

  • 6 – 11 years
  • Assesses vocabulary and semantic abilities across a variety of subtests (associations; synonyms; semantic absurdities; antonyms; definitions; flexible word use)

  • 5 – 10 years
  • Assesses phonological awareness abilities and phoneme-grapheme correspondence

  • 4 years, 0 months to 9 years, 11 months
  • expressive language test to assess a child’s ability to produce specific
  • grammatical structures in sentences using pictures

  • 3 –12 years, 11 months
  • A receptive language test assessing auditory comprehension across three categories: word meanings, grammatical morphemes; and elaborated sentences. The subject’s knowledge of specified lexical and grammatical forms is measured

  • Normed for students 12 years, 0 months to 17 years, 11 months
  • Assess vocabulary and semantic abilities

  • 3 years, 0 months to 12 years
  • Measures receptive language using auditory commands that vary in length and complexity. The test measures comprehension of colours, shapes, location and time as well as various aspects of language content and form

  • criterion referenced tool used to gather information through observation and/or parent report on the development of a child’s early communication, play, and social interaction skills

The qualifications of categories of staff who conduct the assessment and/or provide diagnoses; that is, staff who are governed by the Education Act; the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1993; the Health Care Consent Act, 1996; or other legislation, as appropriate (the board must specify which legislation applies)

Applied Behaviour Analysis Assessments
Behaviour Assessments are conducted by Applied Behaviour Analysis Facilitators (ABAF).
When an ABAF is a board certified behaviour analyst, they are certified by the Behavior Analyst
Certification Board.

ABA facilitators perform their duties in a way that is consistent with the following legislation:

  • Health Care Consent Act (1996)
  • Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
  • Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004)
  • Education Act (1990)
  • Child, Youth and Family Services Act (2017)
  • when an ABAF is certified with the BACB, they must adhere to the BACB Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts (2019)

Blind Low Vision Assessments
Blind/Low Vision Student Services Assessments are conducted by specialist Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments. The aim of these assessments is to provide an understanding of how a student’s visual impairment may impact their access to the curriculum. These assessments inform eligibility criteria for students who are functioning with a visual impairment, as defined by the Ministry of Education, and indicates needs related to accommodations and/or intervention.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Assessments
DHH Assessments are conducted by teachers registered by the Ontario College of Teachers, and hold Specialist Qualifications in Teaching Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. These assessments do not make a diagnosis. They are used to determine functional needs and programming goals in the areas of the DHH Expanded Core Curriculum; listening, speech, language, literacy, social, self-advocacy and communication.

Educational Assessments
Educational (academic) Assessments (diagnosis) are conducted by Special Education Resource Teachers with appropriate qualifications. Special Education Resource Teachers do not make a diagnosis.

Special Education Resource Teachers are governed by the following legislation:

  • Education Act (1990)
  • Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
  • Standards of Practice of the Ontario College of Teachers

Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Assessments
PT and OT assessments are conducted only by registered members of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario or the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) as Regulated Health Professionals (RHPs). When communicating assessment results, registered Physiotherapists (PT) or Occupational Therapists (OT) describe the motor, sensory or functional impairments or symptoms observed, and the potential impact on motor, social, emotional, daily and academic functioning. For example, symptoms might be described in terms of severity and/or disorder of motor function, motor planning or sensory needs and how these impact daily activities, participation and function. The description of a clinical profile by a PT or OT does not include the diagnosis of an underlying cause of the disorder. The results of these assessments can be used to support diagnostics by other Regulated Health Professionals such as Pediatricians using the results of these assessments including standardized assessment findings.

Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy staff are governed by the following
legislation/standards:

  • Regulated Health Professionals Act (1991)
  • Health Care Consent Act (1996)
  • Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) (1990)
  • Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA)(2004)
  • Education Act (1990)
  • Child, Youth and Family Services Act (2017)
  • Professional Practice Standards of either:
    • College Occupational Therapists of Ontario, Occupational Therapy Act (1991) or
    • College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, and the Physiotherapy Act (1991)

Regulations that govern the Occupational Therapy profession are made under both the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and the Occupational Therapy Act, 1991.

  • Ontario Regulation 226/96: General
  • Ontario Regulation 95/07: Professional Misconduct
  • Ontario Regulation 474/19: Controlled Acts

Specialist Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Specialist Teachers of the Blind, Low Vision and DeafBlind Teacher Assessments 

Specialist Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Specialist Teachers of the Blind, Low Vision and DeafBlind are governed by the following legislation:

  • Education Act (1990)
  • Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
  • Standards of Practice of the Ontario College of Teachers

Psychological Assessments
Psychological assessments are conducted only by registered members of the College of Psychologists of Ontario (Psychologists and Psychological Associates), or by non- registered staff under the direct supervision of the Coordinator of Psychological Services who provides supervision as a registered Psychologist/Psychological Associate. All registered staff are permitted to perform the controlled act of communicating a diagnosis, and the Coordinator of Psychological Services would communicate the diagnosis for non-registered staff.

Psychological services staff are regulated health professionals under the College of Psychologists of Ontario who provide evidence-informed, culturally responsive and identity affirming services, from a strengths-based approach with an emphasis on mattering, belonging and resiliency. These services include counseling, consultation and/or assessment. Psychological services staff are members of school teams with expertise in child and adolescent mental health, learning, social, and emotional needs. Psychological services staff use a student-centered anti-oppressive approach and value collaboration with educators, families, professional staff, community agencies, and students themselves to promote student mental health and well-being and support students who may be experiencing psychological distress.

Psychological assessments are comprehensive assessments of the whole child that include all aspects of cognitive, social-emotional and behavioural functioning in addition to impact on mental health.

Psychological Services staff are governed by the following legislation/standards:

  • Regulated Health Professionals Act (1993)
  • Health Care Consent Act (1996)
  • Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
  • Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004)
  • Education Act (1990)
  • Psychology Act (1991)
  • Child, Youth and Family Services Act (2017)
  • Standards of Professional Conduct of the College of Psychologists of Ontario (2017)

Speech and Language Assessments
Speech and language assessments are conducted by registered members of the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario. When communicating assessment results, S-LPs have a professional obligation to describe the clinical findings, dysfunctions and symptoms of the speech, language and/or communication disorder. This can include the parameters of severity, persistence, and impact on everyday social interactions and/or educational progress. The scope encompasses stuttering, articulation, voice disorders, developmental language disorder and or speech/language disorder associated with known existing bio-medical condition(s).

Speech-Language Services staff are governed by the following legislation/standards:

  • Regulated Health Professionals Act (1993)
  • Health Care Consent Act (1996)
  • Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
  • Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004)
  • Education Act (1990)
  • Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Act (1991)
  • Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
  • Professional Practice Standards of the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (2017)

 

Time Frames for Assessments

Students who are referred for an assessment are often seen within the school year in which the request is made. School teams determine priorities in their schools. Waiting times vary depending on the availability of staff and the volume of referrals received, but it is normally within the academic year the referral is received.

A variety of factors are used to prioritize referrals at each school, such as:

  • Nature of referral
  • Age of student and urgency for assessment results
  • Length of time on the waitlist
  • Time since previous assessment
  • Referrals not seen by the conclusion of the school year will be prioritized on a wait list for assessment in the following school year.

Please note that every effort will be made to ensure that students are provided with differentiated instruction while waiting for an assessment. Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the school principal if they have concerns about their child’s functioning while waiting for an assessment.

 

An acknowledgement that requirements for obtaining parental consent are met prior to conducting the assessment
 

For access to the assessment services provided by Student Services, a referral is made to the appropriate clinician or teacher through an In School Team Meeting.

Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments and Specialist Teachers of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing must obtain verbal consent from parents/guardians before beginning Blind/Low Vision and Deaf/Hard of Hearing Assessments.

In order for Regulated Health Care Professionals to begin an assessment with a student, informed consent must be obtained from the parent(s)/guardian(s), or adult student (age 18 years or more) and may be written or verbal. Consent forms are used for all Student Services, including assessment by Speech-Language and Audiology, Occupational and Physiotherapy Services, Psychological Services, Social Work Services, and Complex Needs Services. All regulated health professionals must obtain verbal informed consent which includes an explanation about the benefits, risks, and nature of the assessment. This procedure is in keeping with the requirements of the applicable legislation and professional standards. In the case of psychological assessments, consent is also obtained from the student prior to the assessment beginning.

 

An explanation of how results of an assessment are communicated to parent(s)/guardian(s)

Academic Assessments (in-school) are shared with parents by Special Education Resource Teachers. Following this meeting, parents are provided with a copy of any assessment reports generated.

Psychological Services, Speech-Language Pathologists, Applied Behaviour Analysis Facilitators, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists are required to meet with the parents/guardians to review the assessment findings and report.

Teachers of Students who are Blind/Low Vision meet with staff and families to go through the findings of assessments including visual functioning in the classroom, eligibility for Blind/Low Vision student services, necessary accommodations, and possible specialized curriculum areas of programming a student may benefit from. Parents/caregivers receive a copy of the report, and additional copies are placed in the student’s Ontario Student Record.

Specialist Teachers of Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing meet with parents/caregivers and the school team to share the results of DHH assessments and corresponding Expanded Core Curriculum programming goals. Parents/caregivers and the school team are encouraged to provide input to support a team approach. Parents/caregivers receive a copy of the report, and additional copies are placed in the student’s Ontario Student Record.

 

Description of protocols for sharing information with staff and outside agencies

With expressed consent, reports can be shared with the school and a copy placed in the Ontario Student Record. Through an In-School Team Meeting process, assessment results and recommendations may be shared and discussed with school staff and other appropriate school board personnel. A copy of the assessment report is provided for inclusion in the documentation folder of the Ontario Student Record (OSR).

Distribution of an assessment report to a third party agency can be requested by parents by completing the Consent to Exchange Personal Student Information form.

 

An explanation of how the privacy of information is protected 

Regulated Health Professional reports are provided only to Parent(s)/Guardian(s), with express parental consent to the school principal (for filing in the documentation folder of the Ontario Student Record), and to others only with the expressed written consent of the Parent(s)/Guardian(s). A copy is filed in the corresponding Regulated Health Professional file and/or secure electronic documentation system, which can be accessed only by authorized Student Services personnel. Paper protocols used for assessments by Psychological Services, Speech-Language and Audiology Services and Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy staff are stored in confidential and secure files. These are accessible only to the Chief of Psychology, Chief of Speech-Language and Audiology Services and Chief of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Services, or a designate where appropriate. These files must be kept for 10 years following the date of last contact with the student, or until the student is 31 years of age, whichever is later. In-school assessment reports are placed in the documentation folder of the Ontario Student Record, accessible only to personnel authorized under OSR guidelines.

 

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