Assessment of preschool handicapped children

Abstract

The assessment of young handicapped children is the concern of this article. Major consideration is given to dimensions of a process‐oriented approach to assessment. Contributions from three new directions emerging from this model are described: laboratory methodologies traditionally used with infants are helpful in determining the capabilities of severely handicapped children with limited response repertoires; observations of parent‐child interactions enable examiners to gain information on the dynamics of these exchanges; and, assessment of children's spontaneous play with sets of toys and with peers permits examiners to determine engagement in sen‐sorimotor schemes, use of symbolic representations, and enactment of games involving roles and rules. These new directions require a broadening of staff and test batteries, but hold promise for a more ecologically valid assessment.