FILAMER CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

DEREGULATED STATUS- CHED

GRADUATE SCHOOL
Roxas Avenue, Roxas City 5800

SPED 414/ Assessment and Technology in Special Education

MODULE 1
Nature, definition, scope of Educational Assessment & Evaluation of Students with
Different Needs

Overview

We need to know the nature and essential concepts, terms of special education and scope of educational
assessment and evaluation of students with differing needs. With this, it can help us identify what
assessment tools and procedures is appropriate for each disability.

DEFINITIONS AND DISTINCTIONS

Several terms are defined nominally and really.
1. Assessment is the process of quantifying, describing, analyzing, gathering data about
performance and giving feedback about performance.
2. Evaluation is the process of determining the quality worth and value of a thing by the use of
the result of measurement.
3. Tests – This refers to the tool, instruments or devices containing series of questions to
determine an aspect of the individual
4. Measurement – is the process of determining the quality of a thing by the use of the result of
tests.
5. Prereferral Strategies – This refers to the manner of sourcing pre-hand information from
specified authority. This procedure should be used so that several staff members are able to view
the symptoms and provide a variety of preventive suggestions prior to evaluation.
6. Referral Forms – Usually the first time a psychologist, special education teacher, or pupil
personnel team becomes aware of a problem is when the classroom teacher fills out a referral
form on a specific child.
7. Exceptionalities. This refers to the characteristic of an exceptional learner who may do
require a form of schooling that deviates in some significant fashion from what is thought to be
appropriate, if not adequate for the majority.
8. Prevalence. This refers to the total number of cases of a particular condition, those with
exceptionality (giftedness & talent) and developmental disabilities, and impairments.
9. Disability. The International Labor Organization defines disability as an activity restriction
that prevents an individual from getting or getting a job.
10. Impairment. This means any reduction in physical or physiological functions.
11.Handicap. WHO defines handicapped as a social or economic disadvantage resulting from
impairment.
12. Mainstreaming. This is used to refer to the selective placement of children with disabilities
is one or more regular education classes.
13. Integration. This comes after segregation. The child with special needs is returned to the
group which he/she should have belonged to, or been included in, from the beginning.
14. Inclusion. This is a philosophy which aims to provide a favorable setting for achieving equal
opportunity and full participation for all, thus bringing children with special needs well within
the purview of mainstream education.
15. Full inclusion. Full inclusion means that all the students, regardless of their handicapping
condition or severity, will be in regular classroom/programs full time.

THE BASIC TERMS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION: DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY,

IMPAIRMENT OR DISABILITY, HANDICAP AND AT RISK.
• Developmental disability refers to a severe, chronic disability of a child five years of
age or older.
• Impairment or disability refers to reduced or loss of a specific part of the body organ.
• Handicap refers to a problem a person with a disability or impairment encounters when
interacting with people, events and the physical aspects of the environment
• At risk refers to children who have greater chances than other children to develop a
disability.
• Categories of Children at Risk
Children with established risk are those with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other
conditions that started during pregnancy. Children with biological risk are those who are born
prematurely, underweight at birth, whose mother contracted diabetes or rubella during the
first trimester of pregnancy, or who had bacterial infections like meningitis and HIV.
Environmental risk results from extreme poverty, child abuse, absence of adequate shelter
and medical care, parental substance abuse, limited opportunities for nurturance and social
stimulation.
What are the Categories of Exceptionalities Among children and Youth with Special
Needs?
• 1. Mental retardation refers to substantial limitations in present functioning. It is
characterized by significantly sub average intellectual functioning, existing concurrently
with related limitations in two or more adaptive skills.
• 2. Giftedness and talent refers to high performance in intellectual, creative or artistic
areas, unusual leadership capacity, and excellence.
• 3. Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic
psychological processes
• 4. The term emotional and behavioural disorders means a condition exhibiting one or
more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to marked degree,
which adversely affects educational performance
• 5. Speech and language disorders or communication disorders exist when the impact
that a communication pattern has on a person’s life meets any one of the following
criteria: (a) the transmission and /or perception of messages is faulty; (b) the person is
placed at an economic disadvantage;
• 6. Hearing impairment is a generic term that includes hearing disabilities ranging from
ild to profound thus encompassing children who are deaf and those who are hard hearing.
• 7. Students with visual impairments display a wide range or visual disabilities – from
total blindness to relatively good residual (remaining vision).
• 8. Physical impairments may be orthopedic impairments.
• 9. The term severe disabilities generally encompass individuals with severe disabilities
in intellectual, physical and social functioning.

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THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)
• This law has affected every school in the country and has changed the roles of regular
and special education teachers, school administrators, parents and others in the
educational system. The IDEA is a comprehensive legislation regarding the education of
children with disabilities. The law clearly reflects the concern of society for citizens with
disabilities to be treated like all citizens with the same rights and privileges.
• The major provision of IDEA states that all children with disabilities who are between
the ages of 3 to 21, regardless of the type or severity of their disabilities shall receive a
free, appropriate public education.
• . Zero reject. Schools must enroll every child, regardless of the nature or severity of his
or her disabilities, no child with disabilities may be excluded from the public education.
• 2. Nondiscriminatory testing. Schools must use nonbiased, malfactored methods of
evaluation to determine whether a child has a disability and if so, whether special
education is needed. Testing and evaluation procedures must not discriminate on the
basis of race, culture or native language. All tests must be administered in the child’s
native language, and identification and placement decisions must not be made on the
basis of a single test score.
• 3. Appropriate education. Schools must develop and implement an individualized
education plan. (IEP) for each student with a disability. The IEP must be individually
designed to meet the child’s unique needs.
• 4. Least restrictive environment. Schools must educate students with disabilities with
children who do not have disabilities to the maximum extent possible.
• 5. Due process. Schools must provide safeguards to protect the right to children with
disabilities and their parents by ensuring due process confidentiality of records, and
parental involvement in educational planning and placement decisions.
• 6. Parent participation. Schools must collaborate with the parents of students with
disabilities in the design and implementation of special education services.
ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND OTHER ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
• The special education teacher’s evaluation of a child should cover several areas,
including
a. intellectual levels
b. academic
c. processing and language skills
d. background history
e. academic history
f. present levels of classroom functioning
g. behavioural manifestations.
All these factors play an important role in diagnosing the real problems and determining the
child’s best learning style.
The first area to explore may be the child’s intellectual ability and potential. While this test is
usually completed by a psychologist, it is very important that the special education teacher
become familiar with how to determine.
Indications of greater potential · Different diagnostic patterns exhibited on this test · Learning
disabilities · Academic strengths and weaknesses · Modality (channel) strengths and weaknesses
· Processing strengths and weaknesses

Policy on the implementation of Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT)

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The Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office issued DepEd Order No. 29, s. 2018 entitled
Policy on the Implementation of Multi-Factored Assessment Tool to assess Grade 1 learners
enrolled in regular schools, who may have exhibit developmental advancement or delays or
have manifestations of learning disability.

DepEd Order No. 29, s. 2018

POLICY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTI-FACTORED ASSESSMENT TOOL

POLICY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTI-FACTORED ASSESSMENT TOOL (MFAT)

I. Rationale:

The Department of Education (DepEd) through the Bureau of Learning Delivery – Student
Inclusion Division ((BLD-SID) envisions an inclusive school where everyone in the classroom is
valued, respected and cared for and actively engages in the teaching-learning process. Learners
with Special Educational Needs (LSENs) are safe and healthy, have a sense of belonging, and a
full range of opportunities to participate meaningfully in the community and reach their full
potential.

The assessment tool is intended for use of trained Grade 1 teacher in identifying learners with
special educational needs. The Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) was developed to assist
teachers for instructional planning and educational placement of learners.

II. Scope of the Policy

This policy shall be applicable to both public and private schools except when certain provisions
are applicable only to public schools.

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III. Definition of Terms
(1) Cognitive Domain – refers to the learner’s ability to remember, see or hear likenesses and
differences and determine its relationship between ideas and things;
(2) Communication Domain – signifies the learner’s ability to leam a systematic pattern of
language developed through listening and speaking and to clearly send and receive a message;
(3) Socio-Emotional Domain – refers to the learner’s ability to deal with oneself, express and
understand feelings and how the child relates to other people;
(4) Motor Domain – pertains to the coordinated movements of large muscles (gross motor
movements) and small muscles (fine motor movements) of the body through various degrees of
eyehand coordination; and
(5) Daily Living Skills Domain – shows the learner’s ability to take care of oneself in day-to-day
needs such as feeding, hygiene and good grooming.

IV. Policy Statement

The Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) is a screening tool intended to gather information
on learner’s strengths, needs, learning styles, and other educational concerns. It aims to assist
teachers for instructional planning and educational placement of learners. It shall be conducted
in all schools a month after the beginning of each school year by the trained teacher on the use
of MFAT. This is a onetime assessment administered to Grade I learners enrolled in the regular
schools who may exhibit developmental advancement or delays or with manifestations of
learning disability.

V. Policy Development Procedures

The DepEd Central Office through the Bureau of Learning Delivery- Student Inclusion Division -
(BLD-SID) conducted the National Training of Trainer on the use of the tool and download funds
for the Mass Training including the preparation of the materials needed for the training. To
ensure that the teachers have the complete set of materials at the school level during the
implementation, the schools are advised to use the MOOE funds for the reproduction of
materials.
The MFAT is an activity-based assessment covering the five domains (cognitive, communication,
socio-emotional, motor and daily living skills) of learning. Each domain is a strong gauge to
measure the child’s capabilities and /or needs.
Only the Grade 1 trained teacher will conduct the assessment, enhancement and intervention.
The data gathered from the result of MF AT provides immediate and appropriate intervention
program. The result of the MF AT does not in any way, affect the performance of the learner,
teacher, school, division nor the region. If the intervention made in the school did not make
improvement and /or in academic functioning of the learner the school may refer the learner to
allied medical specialist for further assessment.

VI. Role and Responsibilities of the people involved in the implementation of the MFAT shall:
Regional Focal Supervisor
1) Provide technical assistance to the divisions to ensure full implementation of MF AT.
2) Makes sure that all divisions have the complete set of materials.
3) Monitors the implementation to gather information and support the divisions’ need in the
conduct of MFAT.
Schools Division Supervisor and Public Schools District Supervisor:
1) Assist the School Heads in orienting teachers on the administration of the screening tool.
2) Provide technical assistance to school heads and teachers during the enhancement and
intervention process.
3) Monitor the implementation of MFAT to ensure the smooth delivery of enhancement and
intervention programs.
Principal:
1) Provides area/room for the conduct of the MFAT assessment.
2) Provides budget allocation for MFAT administration and other intervention, enhancement
activities needed.

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3) Monitors the smooth delivery of enhancement and intervention programs.
Teacher-Adviser:
1) Identifies the learners enrolled in his/her class who may exhibit developmental advancement
or delays or with manifestations of learning disability a month after the beginning of each
school year;
2) Administers MFAT to identified learner and provide the immediate and appropriate
intervention program;
3) Validates the responses of the learner through the observation checklist, interview with the
parents, classmates, and caregivers;
4) Ensures that materials per activity are complete, properly labelled and arranged; and
5) Organizes the room or space where the assessment activity will take place.
6) Summarizes the result for intervention or recommendation.
7) Packs properly the materials used and keep in the designated place.

Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) Materials

The materials are essential for the successful implementations of the MFAT Test. Table 3 below
shows the materials needed to be prepared for each activity.

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 Table 3. List of MFAT Materials

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

Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) Assessment Procedure:

a. Assessment Protocols
To ensure the confidentiality of the assessment, assessors are expected to safeguard
assessment tools, corresponding materials and results. The MFAT Tool should be kept or
deposited in the guidance/principal’s office.
b. Preparations before the Assessment Administration

Prior to the administration of the assessment, the following should be prepared:

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1) Identify learners who may exhibit developmental advancement or delays or with
manifestations of learning disability and the Post test result of Early Childhood Development
(ECD) Checklist should be considered.
2) Ensure that materials per activity are complete, properly labelled and arranged; and,
3) Organize the room or space where the assessment activity will take place.
c. During the Assessment Administration
During the administration of the test, assessors should:
1) Ensure that materials can be easily accessed by the assessor but will not distract the learner;
2) Use English, Filipino or mother tongue depending on the preferred language of the learner;
3) Record time started and ended per activity;
4) Make sure that the learner is comfortable before every activity;
5) Explain instructions properly per activity/task;
6) Give instructions twice only;
7) Record learner’s response;
8) Use in between breaks for proper transition to the next activity;
9) Continue the assessment the following day if the learner is no longer attentive; and
10) Thank the learner at the end of the assessment.

The MFAT has script within each activity for easy referral and use of assessors. The Table 4 below
shows the sample script and recommended sequence.
Table 4. Sample script and sequence
1) Start with greetings
“Good morning/afternoon (name of the learner)! How are you today?” (Be sure that the learner
feels at ease and relaxed as he/she gives his/her response).
2) Introduce the activity
“Today, we are going to play. We will do some activities. Don’t worry. These are just simple
activities and the result of these will not affect your grade. In fact, it will help you improve your
performance in class. Do not be shy to ask questions in case you do not understand my instruction. I will
be here to help you. ”
3) Ask the learner if she/he has some questions or concerns
“Do you have questions before we start? (Wait for the response of the learner. If the learner
says “none ”, proceed to the assessment session. If the learner says “yes ”, ask what the concern is and
provide appropriate answers. Only if there are no more questions to answer you can proceed with the
activity.)
4) Ensure that the learner is ready to start
“Are you ready? (Do not start until the learner is ready or has shown any sign of approval.)
5) Read the instruction/s as stated in each activity.
6) Record time per activity
Ensure that you have a timer/watch to guide you with the time allotment per activity. Record
time started and ended per activity on the space provided.
7) Record learner’s responses
a. Check (YES if the learner performed the task, or the item indicated was observed. If not, check
NO and write in the LEARNER’S ACTUAL RESPONSE column the learner’s response or reaction towards
the given task/activity.
b. Observe the learner’s behavior during the activity.
8) Use in between breaks for proper transition to the next activity
“We are going to take a short break. Are you still comfortable? Do you need to go to the comfort
room or do you need anything?
a. Give a few minutes for the learner to rest; go to the comfort room (as needed) and, get ready
for the next activity.
b. Use this time to pack materials you will no longer use.
c. Prepare the next set of assessment tools and materials you needfor the succeeding activity.
d. Ask the learner if s/he is ready to continue.
9) Thank the learner at the end of the assessment
“Goodjob! We finished the activity. Thank you for being cooperative and I hope you had fun. ”
d. Pre-, During and Post- Assessment Forms

The DepEd Central Office through the Bureau of Learning Delivery – Student Inclusion Division (BLD-SID)
will provide the assessment tool and materials needed for the Assessment administration.

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 Answer the following questions base on your own understanding and insights that has
been presented.
1. What is the difference between assessment, evaluation and measurement?
Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from several and different
sources in order to develop understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with
their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences. It helps teachers, parents and
others to understand how far are the earnings undertaken so that progress and next steps can
be discussed and planned. While evaluation involves collecting and analyzing information about
event, outcomes by the use of created evaluation rating form. Its purpose is to make judgments
about a program, to improve its effectiveness, and/or to inform programming decisions; and
measurement uses tool to directly read the height, length or any other aspect of an object to
determine its measurement. It helps to determine how strong or weak of a thing is through
tests.

2. What does IDEA stands for? What was the role of this law to learners with special needs?
IDEA Stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It’s law is that all
learners with special needs must have equal rights and privileges like individuals who do not
have disabilities. The rights that are exercising and the privileges that are enjoying by the
children with disabilities are the same with those without disabilities. Like the right to have a
free education, the right to live as the normal children do, the right to be respected by
everyone in the community.
3. How important is the assessment tools and assessment strategies in the life of children
with exceptionalities?
By the use of the assessment tools and assessment strategies, students with exceptionalities will
be given the opportunity to have the of instructions which are appropriate to their level of
learning; they will have chances to explore and expand their ability because of the kind of
lessons, materials and instructional strategies used for them.
4. How important is MFAT (Multifactored Assessment Tools) in identifying children with
special needs?
MFAT is a great help in identifying children with special needs because the result of the
assessment will guide the teachers in planning and educational placement of this kind of
learners.
Please complete the statement

5. As a teacher I find assessment as vital because it will guide me in identifying the

strengths, needs and learning styles of my students. This will help me in addressing their
unique needs.

MODULE 2
Assessment of Students with Learning Disabilities and AD/HD
Vignette Teen Boy with Learning Disabilities

Peter is a typical, healthy, good-looking, middle class, 14 – year-old boy who studies in a
private school. Unlike his classmate in kindergarten eight years ago, Peter is still in third grade.

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According to the results of the mental ability test, his IQ score is within the average range. But
he failed the school subjects consistently. He did most poorly in Language, Reading and
Mathematics. The teachers complained about his inability to pay attention and to concentrate on
the lessons.

Overview
Learning Disabilities is a genetic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifest
by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing,
reasoning or mathematical abilities.
These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to central nervous
system dysfunction.
  Learning disabilities may occur within the life span. The symptoms and characteristics
can be manifested immediately after birth, during infancy, through the school years, and
adulthood.
Three Criteria in Determining the Presence of Learning Disabilities
The following Criteria must be present when assessing children to have learning disabilities:
1. Severe discrepancy between the child’s potential and actual achievement
Learning disabilities is present when mental ability test and standardized achievement
test results show discrepancy between general mental ability and achievement in school.
2. Exclusion or absence of mental retardation, sensory impairment and other disabilities
The exclusion criterion means that the child has significant problems that cannot be explained by
mental retardation, sensory impairment like low vision, blindness, hearing impairment,
emotional disturbance or lack of opportunity to learn.
3. Need for special education services
Teaching the child with learning disabilities involves strategies that are unique, uncommon and
of unusual quality. The strategies supplement the organizational and instructional procedures
used with majority of the children in regular schools. This criterion is meant to keep children
who have not had the opportunity to learn from being classified as learning disabled.

Learning and Behavior Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities

Results of studies (1999) show that there are at least ninety-nine separate characteristics
of children with learning disabilities. More than half a million combinations of cognitive or
socio-emotional problems associated with the condition are possible. The large number of
learning characteristics makes it difficult to interpret research findings that can provide the basis
for recommending effective teaching strategies. Learning disabilities may occur within the life-
span. The symptoms and characteristics can be manifested immediately after birth, during
infancy, through the school years, and adulthood.
1. Reading poses the most difficult among all the subjects in the curriculum. It may be
recalled that the facets of communication are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Thus,
reading problems are ushered in by deficiencies in language skills especially the phonological
skills. These skills develop the ability to understand the rules of how various sounds go with
certain letters to make up words called grapheme-phoneme correspondence. The difficulty in
breaking words into their component sounds results to difficulties in reading and spelling.
Dyslexia refers to a disturbance in the ability to learn in general and the ability to learn to read in
particular.

2. Written Language poses severe problems in one or more of the following areas:
handwriting, spelling, composition and writing which is illegible and slow. Studies show that
these children are not aware of the basic purpose of writing as an act of communication. They

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approach writing as a test taking task. Their writing lacks fluency. They write shorter sentences
and stories. They do not use writing strategies spontaneously. Their written work show lack of
planning, organizing, drafting and editing.
Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine
motor skills. 

3. Spoken language poses problems on the mechanical uses of language in syntax or

grammar, semantics or word meanings and phonology or the breakdown of words into their
component sounds and blending individual sounds to compose words.
Developmental Aphasia is a condition characterized by loss of speech functions often, but not
always due to brain injury.
4. Pragmatics or social uses of language poses problems on the ability to carry on a
conversation. Conversations are marked by long sentences and inability to respond to the other
person’s statement or questions. They tend to answer their own questions before the other person
has the chance to respond. They also tend to make irrelevant comments that make the other
person uncomfortable.
Language-based learning disorder (LBLD) refers to a spectrum of difficulties related to
the understanding and use of spoken and written language. LBLD can affect a wide variety of
communication and academic skills. These include listening, speaking, reading, writing and
doing math calculations. Some children with LBLD can’t learn the alphabet in the correct order
or can’t “sound out” a spelling word. They may be able to read through a story but can’t tell
you what it was about. Children with LBLD find it hard to express ideas well even though most
kids with this diagnosis have average to superior intelligence.)
5. Mathematics problems are recognized as second to deficiencies in reading, language
and spelling.
Dyscalculia a specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to understand
numbers and learn math facts.
6. These children tend to fail and be retained in a grade level. The level of academic
achievement tends to decrease progressively as the grade level increases.
7. Behavior problems remain consistent across grade levels both in school, in the
community and at home. The common behaviour problems are inattention, impulsivity and
hyperactivity.
8. In general, social acceptance is low, but some can be popular.

Perceptual, Perceptual-Motor, and General Coordination Problems

1. Children with learning disabilities exhibit visual and /or auditory perceptual disabilities. The
problem is not lack of acuity or sharpness in vision or audition in responding to visual and
auditory perceptual stimulation. The disturbance is in organizing and interpreting visual and
auditory stimuli. Thus , they have problems in seeing and remembering visual shapes that lead to
reversals of b and d.
2. They have difficulty with physical activities that involve gross and fine motor skills. Thus,
they tend to drop things, as though they are “all thumbs” or have two left feet.
3. They have problems with attention and hyperactivity.
Memory, Cognitive, and Metacognitive Problems
Problems in memory, cognitive and metacognitive areas are related. If there is a problem in
memory then there are also problems in understanding or cognition. The problems show in
difficulties in remembering assignments and appointments. Though smart, the students forget the
lessons easily and show deficits in memory because they do not use memory strategies like
rehearsal, categorizing and use of mnemonics. There are problems in cognition that cover
different aspects of thinking and problem solving. Disorganized thinking occurs as a result of
problems in planning and organizing their lives at home and in school. Difficulties in

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metacognition result from lack of awareness of skills, strategies and resources to perform tasks
effectively.
A child with mild learning disabilities manifests deficits in cognitive functioning that
show in poor academic performance in the different areas of learning, reading, language and
mathematics are the subject areas where they find the most difficulties. The areas of cognitive
functioning that are most affected are attention, memory and thinking or the executive functions
of the mind.
Attention deficits. Selective attention, or the ability to focus on the relevant details of the
lesson is the first requirement for learning to take place. The deficit in attention results to
inefficient learning or no learning at all. They cannot scan all the sensory stimuli, such as the
instructional aids used by the teacher, and instead are distracted by extraneous or unrelated
things. Selective attention can be increased through coaching and efficient selective attention
strategies.
Poor memory. Poor ability to store and retrieve information or previous learning is very
evident among children with learning disabilities. Common strategies for recalling information
such as verbal or written rehearsal, coding or associating a new item with a concept alresdy in
memory, imagery and mnemonics are either absent, immature or inefficiently used.
To help a student with attention deficits, the teacher frequently calls him or her back to attention.
The teachers have yet to train the student to organize his time, his lessons and himself. He has to
increase his ability to process information, develop selective and sustained attention, use
rehearsal memory strategies and self-monitoring strategies to keep track and continue to improve
his own learning.
Problems in Social Competence
Problems in relating with other people is not a characteristic of a persons with learning
disabilities. Rather, it is an outcome of the different social climates created by people in school,
at home, the community and other places with whom persons with learning disabilities interact.
A learning disabled person may be popular, neglected or rejected. They can have low social
acceptance but can enjoy popularity or they may have significant deficits in social skills but
enjoy acceptance by their classmates and friends. One thing sure, these children can enjoy
socially rewarding experiences in mainstream classrooms.
Assessment of Children with Learning Disability
Learning disabilities is a complex condition. Therefore, a battery of three to five tests are
used to identify students who may have learning disabilities. These are norm-referenced tests,
process tests, informal reading inventories, criterion-referenced tests, and direct daily
measurement of learning.
The National Achievement Test, the Regional Assessment Test and the School-based
Achievement Test are examples of norm-referenced tests. The assessment tests are all designed
to measure how many of the skills in each learning area – English, Filipino, Mathematics,
Science and Makabayan – have been learned or mastered.
One area of difficulty that students with learning disabilities experience is in processing
information. The specific perceptual problems are in visual perception, auditory perception and
visual-motor coordination. Two widely used tests are the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic
Abilities (ITPA, Kirk, McCarthy and Kirk, 1968) and the Marianne Frostig Developmental Test
of Visual Perception (Frostig,Lefever, & Whittlesey, 1964).
Criterion referenced tests in specific subjects such as Reading, Language and
Mathematics are used to determine the mastery level of a predetermined criterion that the student
should be capable of achieving.
Specialists recommend that children in regular classes who have learning disabilities be
identified as early as possible through appropriate assessment procedures. Then, an
individualized educational plan or IEP can be prepared based on the learning and behavior
characteristics found in the assessment results. A special education teacher should assist the
regular teacher in teaching children with learning disabilities. Studies show that many of their
learning problems can be lessened through direct and systematic instruction. Behavior

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modification techniques can decrease their undesirable behavior of inattention, impulsivity, and
hyperactivity.
In the absence of qualified school psychologists or guidance counsellors, the school principal can
initiate a screening program to locate these children in the regular classes. Inquiries on
assessment and early intervention can be addressed to the Department of Education Bureau of
Elementary Education, Special Education Division. Early location, assessment and identification
of these children has the potential to prevent or reduce the occurrence of future learning
problems.
ADHD
• The diagnosis of ADD/ADHD normally comes after age six, or after formal schooling
has begun. This occurs for a number of reasons:
• The diagnostic criteria for ADD/ADHD indicate that behaviors/symptoms must be
present in at least two environments.
• Young children are often excitable and can become agitated when routines are disrupted.
Overly active children do not necessarily have ADD/ADHD.
• The controversy surrounding ADD/ADHD can contribute to parents not seeking
treatment or diagnosis as well as the reluctance of doctors to diagnose at such a young
age.
• Children reach milestones at different ages making it difficult to measure development
delays.
• The “terrible twos” can greatly resemble ADHD.
Assessment
• No simple test such as a blood test exists to determine if a child has this disorder
• Diagnosing AD/HD is complicated-like putting together a puzzle
• Assessment should be conducted by a well-trained professional-developmental
pediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, SPED diagnostician) who knows
about AD/HD and all other symptoms similar to those of AD/HD
• Diagnosis is based on observable behavior symptoms in multiple settings
An assessment must include the following:
• Thorough medical and family history
• Physical examination
• Interviews with parents, the child and the child’s teacher(s)
• Behavior rating scales completed by parents and teacher(s)
• Observation of the child
• A variety of psychological tests to measure IQ and social and emotional adjustment as
well as to indicate presence of specific learning disabilities
Taken from the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Text Revised (DSM-IV-TR) published by the American Psychiatric
Association (APA) in 2000

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 Find out how much you have achieved about learning disability by answering the
questions below..
1. What is learning disability?
 It is a child’s disability in only one area. He/she has most likely no problem. He/She has
just a problem in a specific area like math or English. The child is average or above
average. The only problem is how to learn. They can learn in a way they learn.

2. What is the difference between Learning Disability to Intellectual Disability?

 Learning disabilities do not affect a child’s intellectual capabilities. Instead, they affect
the ways a child processes information. While intellectual disabilities affect a child’s
overall intellectual capacities. They have lower IQ than regular children. They have
difficulties in doing daily routine activities because of lack of skills The child has a
problem in everything.

3. How could we determine the presence of Learning Disability?

 It will be determined when mental ability test and standardized achievement test results
show discrepancy between general mental ability and achievement in school. Example IQ
test.

4. Enumerate and discuss briefly the common types of specific learning disability.
 Dyslexia which causes difficulties in reading, spelling, and comprehension

 Dysgraphia difficulty in expressing thoughts and ideas in writing. Children

have difficulty in writing; it takes time for them to finish what they are
writing.
 Developmental Aphasia a problem in forming and understanding language,
trouble in blending sounds to form a word and in recognition each sound of
a word.
 Dyscalculia difficulty in understanding numbers, in solving mathematical problems and in
associating numbers to its corresponding number of bjects.

5. What are the assessment tools used to identify a learner with Learning Disability?
 These tools are the norm-referenced tests, process tests, informal reading inventories,
criterion-referenced test and direct daily measurement of learning.
Please complete the statement

I can help a learner with learning disability and AD/HD through accommodations to make my
learner learn easier, using method that I will be using I teaching with these kind of learners,
thinking ways how to interfere with the behavior that interrupt concentration of other learners,
giving extra time to them in completing their assignments, tests, reading and writing exercises.
And through continuing learning, training and seminars.

MODULE 3

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 Assessment of Students Who Are Gifted and Talented

Overview
The prominent men and women from different countries all over the world who have carved a
name for themselves in their respective fields of endeavor, as well as many other people who
have excelled in their lines of expertise, have four things in common: they possess the central
elements of giftedness and talent, namely, intelligence or high intellectual ability, creativity,
talent, and task commitment.
Gifted children are, by definition, “Children who give evidence of high performance capability
in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership capacity, or specific academic fields,
and who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully
develop such capabilities.”
A " talented" student means a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for
performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same
age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability; possesses an
unusual capacity for leadership; or excels in a specific academic field. 

Assessment of Gifted and Talented Children

Similar to the screening and location and identification and assessment of exceptional
children, the following processes are employed:
1. Pre-referral intervention
Exceptional children are identified as early as possible. Teachers are asked to nominate
students who may possess the characteristics of giftedness and talent through the use of a
Teacher Nomination Form.
2. multifactored evaluation
Information are gathered from a variety of sources using the following materials:

 Group and individual intelligence tests

 Performance in the school-based achievement tests
 Permanent records, performance in previous grades, awards received
 Portfolios of student work
 Parent, peer, self-nomination

Differentiated Curriculum and Instructional Systems

The skills in the Basic Elementary Curriculum of the Department of Education are
intended for average learners and lack the competencies that match the learning characteristics of
high-ability students. A study of American gifted and talented students found that 60% of all
grade four students in a school district have already mastered much of the content of the
curriculum. Majority of the students scored 80% in a pretest in mathematics even before the
school year began. A differentiated curriculum that is modified in depth and pace is used in
special education programs for gifted and talented students.
Curriculum compacting is the method of modifying the regular curriculum for
certain grade levels by compressing the content and skills that high-ability students are capable
of learning in a shorter period of time. At the Silahis Special Education Centers of Manila City
Schools, high-ability students study the fourth, fifth and sixth grades in a span of two years.

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 Enrichment of the regular curriculum allows the students to study the content at
a greater depth both in the horizontal and vertical directions employing higher order thinking
skills. The differentiated curriculum goes beyond the so-called “basic learning competencies” or
BLC and allows the students access to advanced topics of interest to them. Meanwhile,
acceleration modifies the pace or length of time at which the students gain the skills and
competencies in the regular curriculum to accommodate the enrichment process.
Horizontal enrichment adds more content and increases the learning areas not
found in the regular curriculum for the grade level. The students go beyond the grade
requirements and move on to study the subjects in the higher grades. For example, mathematics
subjects like Algebra or Geometry that are partly included in the regular curriculum, or advanced
subjects like Trigonometry and Calculus may be included in the differentiated curriculum.
Science, English and Filipino are enriched by expanding the content covered in the same manner.
Vertical enrichment allows the students to engage in independent study,
experimentation and investigation of topics that interest them. Social Studies and Makabayan
subjects lend themselves well to vertical enrichment activities that will give the high-ability
students opportunities to share their ideas in solving related problems at home, the school and the
community.
Most of the special education classes in the different regions of the country utilize
the self-contained class. High-ability students are enrolled in a special class that is taught by a
trained special education teacher. Mainstreaming activities are arranged so that the students can
socialize with their peers, share their knowledge and assist in peer mentoring the slow learners.
Answer the following questions based on your own understanding and things we
had discussed

1. How are you going to differentiate gifted and talented?

 Gifted children are those who gain higher achievement from the different learning
areas and different subjects taught to them; they can learn and think faster than
other children of their age. They can express easily their thoughts in words and in
action and interpret quickly as presented those language to them. They are able to
work with a group with excellent outcomes and can work effectively with other
learners. They learn more quickly and independently than most students their own age.
Talented children are those who show abilities that can be demonstrated or
performed; a talent in sports, music and arts.

2. How do you identify children who has gift and talent from your class?
 I can identify children who has gift and talent in my class through checklists to be used
during instruction while observing them, portfolios and children’s profile.
Please complete the statement

3. If I found out that have a learner who is gifted and talented I will enrich that gift and
talent of him by adding more different activities that will help enhance more those
abilities.

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 Module 4

Assessment of Students Who Are Blind And With Low Vision

Overview
Vision is perhaps the most important distance sense for interpreting the world around us.
It helps us to perceive and understand as to what is taking place around us. It provides a
continual feedback and a frame reference for action. Eyes are one of the primary organs that are
fully developed at birth. In the womb, the eyes of the fetus first appear at four weeks of
gestational age as to spherical bulbs at the side of the head. Visual abilities improve rapidly
during the first years of life. For all of us, vision is the primary way we master skills for physical,
psychosocial and cognitive aspects of self and environment.
Vision is a distance sense, which provides information from outside our bodies. The term “visual
impairment” is used as a generic term. Often other terms like blind and low vision are also used,
depending on the nature and degree of loss, which in turn affects the individual in significant
way like difficulty in mobility, access to printed information and independent living.
Specific Assessments for Students with Low Vision

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 One of the most important prerequisites in planning a student's educational program is assessing
the student's strengths and weaknesses. Assessment for students with low vision includes
comprehensive evaluations by members of the student's multidisciplinary team. Areas of
assessment summarized in the following paragraphs include: functional vision assessment,
expanded core curriculum assessments, learning media assessments, clinical low vision
evaluations, and ophthalmologic and optometric evaluations. These tests are specific to vision
related fields. State tests and standards of learning for students' with low vision are not addressed
in this fact sheet.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

Children and youth with low vision have unique educational needs. Research documents that
these students often require direct instruction by a teacher for students with visual impairments in
areas that are not typically addressed for other students. All students who meet the criteria for
visual impairment within their state should have a document that addresses their individual
needs. This document, called an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), is used to place a child in
the most appropriate educational setting. A thorough assessment for students with visual
impairments is the key in creating an adequate IEP. And the assessment process is an essential
component in developing appropriate goals and objectives for the student. The following are the
most common evaluations given to students with visual impairments to guide their program
planning.

Assistive Technology Assessments

Assistive technology, an area of the expanded core curriculum, refers to any product or service
that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional abilities of students with low vision.
Technology assessments address a student's need for such equipment as screen readers, screen
magnification, scanners, adaptive keyboards, portable notetakers, closed circuit televisions,
augmentative communication devices, braille translation software, braille embossers and braille
writing equipment. Assessment in these areas is essential to ensure the appropriate match of
technology to student's needs.

Functional Vision Assessments

The functional vision assessment includes a variety of evaluations that test the child's use of
vision and visual efficiency in daily activities. The assessment, administered over several
sessions, determines how the child accesses his/her visual environment, such as how far s/he can
sit from the chalkboard or what print size s/he is able to see. A certified teacher of students with
visual impairments completes the assessment; contributions from the child's Orientation and
Mobility instructor are helpful as well. Parents, caregivers, and the child's teacher(s) are asked to
give input about how the child performs in the community and the school setting. From this
assessment, a report is generated that addresses multiple issues:

 Near and distance acuity: An acuity measurement is taken at near range (usually at a
distance of 16 inches) using a near vision acuity chart. This measurement is often recorded in
print size. For example, the teacher may record that the child can read 2M print (large print) at 16
inches. Other functional near tasks might also be used in the evaluation (e.g., how the child
accesses information on baseball cards, identification of coins, etc.). Distance visual acuity is
typically measured at a distance of 10 or 20 feet. A distance vision chart such as the Feinbloom
or Snellen is often used. Other functional distance tasks may include the distance at which the
child can see print on the whiteboard or imitate hand movements given by the physical education
teacher.

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 Peripheral visual field: Peripheral vision is the ability to see movement or objects
outside of the immediate line of vision. Field loss is measured in degrees. For example, if a child
has a 20 degree field loss, his/her visual field does not extend through a complete 180 degrees
left to right.

 Reading level and speeds: An informal reading inventory indicates the grade level at
which a child is reading as well as how fast s/he is reading in comparison to her/his peers.

 Current print functioning: The functional vision assessment should state the child's
primary mode of reading, whether it is regular print, large print, optical devices, or braille.

 Examples of both near and distance information: The assessment report should

include examples of environmental features such as faces, signs, and travel cues the child can see
and at what distance the child can see each feature.

 Light sensitivity: Light sensitivity has implications for how the student performs in a
variety of illuminated settings. Children with diagnoses such as albinism or a chromatopsia are
significantly affected by higher levels of illumination and often perform tasks better under less
illumination. There are also visual conditions for which additional lighting is necessary. For a
majority of visual conditions, glare will adversely affect visual functioning.

 Color perception: Color perception is the ability to perceive differences in color.

Because many facets of daily life are influenced by color (e.g., traffic lights, crayons, clothing), a
child's ability to differentiate colors needs to be known.

 Convergence: Convergence is the necessary inward movement of the eyes in order to

focus on a near object.

 Eye movements: Eye movements of children and youth refer to the ability to track a
moving object in vertical, horizontal, oblique, and circular directions. Such eye movements are
used when reading, copying work from the whiteboard, playing sports, and driving.

 Eye preference: Eye preference is a term used to describe the eye a person prefers to use
for accessing his/her visual environment. Although not always, the preferred eye is often the eye
with the better acuity.

 Muscle balance: Muscle balance is a term used to describe the alignment of the eyes and
how they move together. Proper alignment is needed for the eyes to work together. In addition,
proper muscle balance is essential for the ability to converge.

 Binocular vision: Binocular vision is a person's ability to perceive three-dimensional

depth by fusing the images of each eye.

 Depth perception: Depth perception is the ability to distinguish an object's solidity and

its position in space relative to other objects not in the same plane.

 Visual efficiency: Visual efficiency refers to how well a child completes tasks that
require a visual skill.

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 Educational implications: Educational implications are generally statements that
address how a child's visual impairment will affect the child's functioning in a school setting.

 Recommendations: Recommendations are typically statements that reflect suggestions

from the teacher for students with visual impairments about programming and how to make
successful adaptations and accommodations.

Learning Media Assessments

One of the first questions asked about a child's learning is what his/her primary reading medium
will be. Teachers and parents may be uncertain as to whether a child should learn braille, rely on
large print or use regular print for accessing reading material. The purpose of the learning media
assessment is to determine the most effective medium for accessing instruction and teaching
methods. A certified teacher of students with visual impairments completes this assessment. The
learning media assessment covers both general learning media and literacy media. General
learning media are instructional materials and instructional methods. Literacy media refers to
reading and writing in print and braille.

Clinical Low Vision Evaluations

A clinical low vision evaluation assesses whether or not a child will benefit from optical
devices such as monocular telescopes and/or magnifiers. An optometrist or ophthalmologist who
specializes in low vision and the prescription of optical devices performs the clinical low vision
evaluation. The evaluation centers on how the child uses his/her vision on a daily basis in both
the school setting and at home. Measures for visual acuity, visual fields, and color vision are
taken. In addition, the clinical low vision specialist will check for refractive errors and the
potential for the student to benefit from optical devices. Often devices are prescribed to meet a
specific request of the patient. For example, a patient may want to access prices on items in the
grocery store; the doctor may then prescribe a pocket magnifier that can be conveniently placed
in a purse or pocket. One of the most beneficial results of the low vision evaluation is the link
made between medical and functional aspects of vision loss.

Ophthalmologic and Optometric Evaluations

Only doctors can perform ophthalmologic and optometric evaluations. A medical doctor
(ophthalmologist) completes the ophthalmologic evaluation and a doctor of optometry
(optometrist) completes the optometric evaluation. The main purposes of the ophthalmology
exam are to diagnose eye conditions and examine the health of the eye, as well as to give a
prognosis of the visual impairment. A typical ophthalmologic exam involves dilating the
patient's eyes in order to view the interior of the eye. Acuity and visual field measurements are
taken as well as a check for glaucoma. Use of functional vision is not emphasized. The majority
of special education programs across the United States require an eye report from an
ophthalmologist in order to initiate special education services for a child with a visual
impairment. During optometric evaluations, the doctor verifies the need for refractive lenses and
prescribes glasses to improve acuity loss to the greatest extent possible. An optometrist is unable
to medically diagnose a visual impairment.

Academic (Standard) Testing

Academic testing is primarily the responsibility of the child's classroom teacher. Children with
low vision, however, often require modifications or adaptations in order to complete standard
testing in their schools. A teacher for students with visual impairments and a general education
teacher should collaborate before administering any tests. Needed modifications may include
extended time, enlarged copies, and use of manipulative.

21 |SPED 415
 Find out how much you have achieved about students who are blind with low vision by
answering the questions below.

1. Differentiate legal blindness from educational blindness.

 Legal blindness " is a definition used by the United States government to determine
eligibility for vocational training, rehabilitation , schooling, disability benefits , low
vision devices, and tax exemption programs.
 Legally, blindness is defined as less than 20/200 vision in the better eye with GLASSES (v
ision of 20/200 is the ability to see at 20 feet only what the normal eye can see at 200 feet
). Educational blindness refers to visual impairments or low vision are generally those
who are able to use their remaining vision for learning but need to use a combination of
compensatory visual strategies, low vision devices, and environmental modifications to
access and respond to visual information.

2. How do you identify children who are blind and with low vision?
 Blind children may use mobility aids, including canes and guide dogs. It is always best to
ask the patron what you can do to assist, rather than assuming that help is needed. Children
with low vision has some useful sight. However, low vision usually interferes with the
performance of daily activities, such as reading or driving. Children with low vision may
prefer to read large print. A person with low vision may not recognize images at a distance or
be able to differentiate between colors of similar hues. Those who are legally blind may only
see light and dark images and may need to be inches away from objects to observe them
properly.

3. What are some interventions that one could provide to those visually impaired children?

 Using different assessments and addressing their needs based on created Individualized
Education Plan, the use of assistive technology according to the need of his visual
impairment.

4. How do students with visual disabilities manage to get an education in regular class?
What special adaptation are introduced to make mainstreaming possible?

 Children with visual disabilities manage to get an education in the regular class because
of the given class modifications and adaptations after a thorough collaboration between
general education teacher and teacher of students with visual impairments. These
adaptations are increasing the size of printed materials in order for the students with
visual impairment to see them clearly, arrange seating in the classroom particularly when
the student needs to be positioned in certain locations in the room to allow for lighting,
and access to outlets and allow them to move safely and efficiently through their
environment. Educational Materials or Instructional Materials must be accessible.

22 |SPED 415
 MODULE 5
Assessment of Students with Hearing Impairment

Overview :
Individuals with hearing impairment are either deaf or hard of hearing. Students who are deaf do
not have sufficient residual hearing to understand speech without special instruction and training.
On the other hand, students who are hard of hearing have enough residual hearing to understand
speech and learn in regular class without much difficulty.
Such hearing impairment is not simply an inability to hear or to communicate through speech.
The most destructive effect of deafness is the deprivation of language. A hearing person acquires
the complex linguistic system of his/her culture as part of normal growth and development in a
spontaneous effortless and natural manner. Deafness on the other hand, deprives the person of
the normal use of the hearing mechanism. He or she does not acquire the listening skills that
provide the base for the development of speaking, reading, writing and other communication
competencies. The condition brings about corollary problems in cognitive development,
emotional adjustment, difficulties in socialization and anxiety in daily experiences that only a
person with hearing impairment can describe.
Definition of Hearing Impairment or Disability, Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Hearing impairment or disability refers to the reduced function or loss of the normal function
of the hearing mechanism. The impairment or disability limits the person’s sensitivity to tasks
like listening, understanding speech, and speaking in the same way those persons with normal
hearing do.
According to the age of onset, hearing impairment can be congenital when the condition is
present at birth or adventitious when it is acquired after birth or later on. The time when hearing
impairment occurs in terms of the normal development of spoken language at the age of two or
thereabout is another classification of deafness. When the condition occurs before the child
learns to talk, deafness is prelingual. Deafness is postlingual when it is acquired after the child
has learned speech usually at the age of two.
A person who is deaf cannot use hearing to listen, understand speech and communicate orally
without special adaptations mainly in the visual mode. While a hearing aid amplifies the sounds
by increasing the volume to make the sounds louder, a person who is deaf cannot understand
speech through the ears alone. He or she may be able to perceive some sounds but his or her
sense of hearing is not enough or non functional for the ordinary purposes in life. Speech is
accompanied by visually perceived actions like gestures, signs and facial expression.
A person who is hard of hearing has a significant loss of hearing sensitivity but he or she can
hear sounds, respond to speech and other auditory stimuli with or without the use of hearing aid.
He or she is more like a hearing person than one who is deaf because both them use audition or
listening to auditory stimuli in the environment, unlike a deaf person who relies more on visual
stimuli.
The concept of hearing impairment is often misunderstood. Hearing impairment itself is
mistakenly attributed to sub-average intellectual capacity, speech defect, inattention and other
learning problems. While deafness adversely affects educational performance because of the
difficulty in processing linguistic information through hearing with or without amplification, it is
not the same as mental retardation, speech and language disorders or learning disabilities.
Hearing impairment brings about diverse group of individuals with special needs. The etiology
of hearing impairment, the degrees of hearing loss, and other factors affect normal growth and
development in general and speech and language in particular. There is a concomitant effect on
social adjustment as communication becomes more difficult due to the increase in hearing
sensitivity.
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SEVERITY OF HEARING LOSS AND RESULTING IMPAIRMENTS
Mild 41 – 55 dB As much as 50 percent classroom
conversations are missed. Limited
vocabulary and speech difficulties may
result.
Moderate 56 – 70 dB Loud conversations can be heard. Defective
speech, language difficulties and limited
vocabulary result.
Severe 71 – 90 dB Hearing is limited to a radius of one foot,
enough to discriminate loud sounds.
Defective speech and language and severe
difficulty in hearing consonant sounds may
result.
Profound 91 – and above Sounds and tones cannot be perceived.
Vision becomes the primary sense of
communication. Speech and language are
likely to deteriorate.

IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN WITH HEARING

IMPAIRMENT
Early identification of a hearing impairment increases the chances for the child to receive early
treatment and special education intervention. The assessment program includes audiological
evaluation, test of mental ability, and test of communication ability.
1. Audiological Evaluation

Audiology is the science of testing and evaluating hearing ability to detect and describe hearing
impairments.
Audiological evaluation is done by an audiologist through the use of sophisticated instruments and
techniques. The audiometer is an electronic device that generates sounds at different levels of
intensity and frequency. The purpose of audiological evaluation is to determine frequencies of
sounds that a particular person hears.
Pure tone audiometry utilizes pure tones in air and bone conduction tests which yield quantitative as
well as qualitative description of a child’s hearing loss.
Another audiometric test is speech audiometry which uses speech instead of pure tones. Here, the
person’s detection of speech at the minimum audible level is measured. The understanding of speech
sound and the ability to discriminate different speech sounds under sufficient loudness are also
determined.
There are alternative audiometric techniques for hearing evaluation such as the sound field
audiometry, evoked response audiometry, impedance audiometry, play audiometry, operant
conditioning audiometry and behavior observation audiometry.
In the Philippines where formal audiological services are limited, informal tests of hearing are
employed.
Informal Hearing Tests
a. Whisper test

Sit the child comfortably. Ask him or her to stick the tip of the forefinger in one ear.
The tester sits behind the child where the uncovered ear is. After a deep breath, whisper some
familiar words that contain high pitch and low pitch tones right behind the unblocked ear. The child
must be able to repeat the words correctly.

b. Conversational live voice test

Keeping the same position but facing the child, ask him or her to repeat words that contain high and
low pitch consonants. Start with a whisper and increase the intensity up to 20 dB moving away from
the child little by little. If the child hears at a distance of

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3 to 6 meters, hearing is normal. If the child can repeat the words but speech is unclear, he or she
might be hard of hearing.
c. Ball pen click test

Use a retractable ball pen and place it one inch away from the ear. While the other ear is blocked by a
finger, press the button of the ballpen down and release it. Do it only once. The child indicates that
he or she hears the click by either raising one hand or acknowledging it with a yes or a nod.
2. Cognitive Assessment

The assessment tools that measure intellectual capacity of children with hearing impairment do not
rely primarily on verbal abilities. In the United States, The Hiskey – Test of Learning Aptitude, the
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) are
widely used because of the nonverbal performance subtests.
3. Assessment of Communication Abilities

Assessment of speech and language abilities includes an analysis of the development of the form,
content and use of language. Articulation, pitch, frequency and quality of voice are examined.
4. Social and Behavioral Assessment

Hearing impairment brings about significant effects on social-emotional and personality development
as a result of the restrictions in interactive experiences and communication activities with their age
group. Linguistic difficulties oftentimes show in low self-concept and social-emotional
maladjustment.

Find out how much you have learned about assessment of children with hearing impairment
by answering the questions below.

1. What is hearing impairment? How does deafness differ from the condition of hard of
hearing?
 Hearing impairment is the disability to hear whether mild, moderate, severe or
profound. Deafness is a condition of hearing impairment that needs hearing aid and use
sign language. Deafness in a child cannot enable him to speak, read and write. Hard of
hearing may process language and speech and also communicate with other individuals
using their hearing capabilities because they can hear sounds. They do not use sign
language. The child who has hard of hearing can still hear sounds or information
presented without hearing aid but it is not good as the ones who do not have hearing
impairment.

2. Enumerate the informal methods of evaluating hearing loss. Describe each method.
 Whisper Test – can be made by two persons, the tester and the suspected with hearing
impairment. The suspected with hearing impairment covers his one ear and the tester
loudly and softly whispers some familiar words behind the uncovered ear. The child will
be identified as with hearing impairment after he said the words correctly or not.
 Conversational live voice test – this kind of test is done by whispering words near and far
from the child.
 Ball pen click test – this is by using a ball pen with push and pull button. When the child
hears the sound after clicking it closely to his ear then he has no hearing loss.

3. Why is early identification of hearing loss important?

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  It is good to early identify hearing loss in a child in order for him to have a chance to be
treated immediately and his special education will be met.

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