Assessments and Accommodations
Psycho-Educational Tests
Psycho-educational testing refers to the psychological tests used to analyze the mental processes underlying your child’s educational performance such as Intelligence, Academic, Reading, Writing and Math Achievement. At CCPS, we provide a plethora of Psycho-educational testing, either individually or often as part of a larger neuropsychological assessment process. Some of the batteries and tests we use are;
Stanford Binet-5 Intelligence Scales (SB-5), the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children and Adults, (WISC-IV, WPPSI-IV, WAIS-IV), Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI-4), Woodcock Johnson Cognitive and Academic Batteries (WJ-III Ach and Cog), Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-III), Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC), Nelson Denny Reading Test, Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT-5), C-TOPP 2 Phonological Processing, TOMA-3 and Test of Written Language (TOWL-4).
Neuropsychological
Neuropsychological tests are specifically designed objective tasks used to measure function linked to a particular brain structure or pathway, and involves examining the role of attention, executive functioning, memory, as well as cognitive or learning processes in difficulties. Some of the neuropsychological tests used at CCPS are;
Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery, the Dean Woodcock Neuropsychological Battery, Wide Range Test of Memory and Learning-2 (WRAML-2), Cognistat, Delis and Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning Scales, (DKEFs and DREFs), ADHD scales (Conners Rating Scales, Brown ADD Scales), Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale-2 (ADOS-2), Children Autism Rating Scales (CARS), Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale (GADS), Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2 (GARS-2), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II, Beery Buktenica Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI).
Psychological and Personality Tests
Psychological tests are a measure of an individual’s mental processes and behavior. Some of the best regarded Personality Tests are standardized instruments designed to reveal aspects of an individual’s character or psychological makeup. Psychological assessment like most others is best completed with support from other sources, such as a detailed clinical interview and collaboration with projective or more subjective testing.
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Personality Assessment Inventory( PAI), Behavior Assessment Scale for Children (BASC), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI A and 2), SCL-90, Yale-Brown OCD Scale, Beck’s Anxiety and Depression Scales, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III).
Accommodations
Individuals with disabilities can have many different types of limitations that affect their abilities to take tests, perform at their jobs or learn. These disabilities pose a ‘bias’ under standard learning or testing conditions, without accommodations and if diagnosed appropriately by a licensed and qualified clinician, are entitled to modifications under the law (Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act and the IDEA). The following is NOT an all-inclusive list of accommodations nor is it guaranteed that you will be recommended or provided any of these modifications, but here are some common examples of available supports:
- Extended time on tests, classroom and standardized, such as the SATs, GMATs, LSATs, MCATS, GREs and state licensing boards for all professions such as the CPA, teacher’s state tests, Bar Exam, USMLEs and medical boards.
- Separate testing location, frequent breaks during tests, alternate form testing, depending on disability and demonstrated need (for instance, essay format instead of multiple choice, waiver on portions of the exam, large font, oral administration for instructions, etc)
- Use of reader, scribe, calculator, audio recorder, spell check, computerized reading programs such as the Kurzweil 3000, Orton-Gillingham, access to labs and tutoring, sign language or bilingual interpreter.
Accommodations can be provided through an IEP or a 504 at the school age level, and through the boards governing state or standardized exams, using our thorough and comprehensive reports. Occupational or vocational accommodations may be provided through specific diagnostic and ADA criteria, in the workplace.