Cognitive and Academic Testing for Child using AAC

[Dawn Caldwell]

Hello,

 

I'm wondering if anyone has good/bad experiences and/or info they are willing to share (privately) about having their child cognitively or academically tested?  Our child is legally blind (20/400) combined with cortical vision impairment, is triplegic CP (has use of his left arm/hand), is mobile with a cane/walker and is non-verbal with no consistent means of communication.  (He has a speech generating device but requires facilitation at the hand or elbow, has yes/no sign and can point to item - but all are impacted by the vision and ensuring that the item is in his visual field.)

 

If you've done testing with a child who has multiple challenges and/or who uses facilitations with a SGD:

a.  What types of tests did you do and did you think they were a good fit for someone with disabilities?

b.  What worked well in administering the tests?  What didn't? 

c.  Who administered your testing?

d.  When was testing done - a single time, multiple days, etc..?

e.  Did you go to a special facility for testing or was testing done at school?

f.  Would you do it again?

 

Appreciate any and all information.

 

Thanks,

Dawn

[Eleanor Agnew]

I have thought about my daughter being tested but in the end I have never found anything.

The only thing I can say is never suppose that your child is anything but a smart person under all the outer shields.

Several weeks ago I took my daughter to a world renowned person who has worked with many people with sever communication problems. She said that my daughter would never be able to "get" it. I still think my daughter can read, understand, and communicate. his person got me down but I know my daughter best and she will do it, no matter how long it takes!

Eleanor

From: Dawn Caldwell <dcaldw...@comcast.net>
To: aacpa...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2013 8:14 AM
Subject: Cognitive and Academic Testing for Child using AAC

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[Claire]

Assume competence. Find a therapist to work on the communication. Don't worry about testing, as you will only be frustrated and annoyed. Focus on what makes your child happy. Convince the teachers to make "the least dangerous assumption." (Look it up.) Be sure everyone is using best practices for his vision.

Never give up. Answering yes/no questions is huge. You can go a long way with just that.

Best wishes.

Claire