Assessment of Multiply Handicapped Deaf Students for Program Development

Comprehensive educational assessment underlies the development of accurate Individualized Education Programs and instructional plans for multiply handicapped students, yet it is problematic for many reasons. The purpose of this article is to suggest guidelines for integrating assessment data into the development of prescriptive programs. These include: (a) administer criterion-referenced instrument; (b) view the categorical or domain areas of instruments as potential goal statements; (c) view the sub-categories or subdomains as potential long-term objectives; (d) view the items of the sub-categories as potential short-term objectives; (e) select sub-categories to serve as long-term objectives, and items to serve as short-term objectives, based on certain priority concerns for multiply handicapped students; (f) convert the selected sub-categories and items to behavioral statements representing long- and short-term pupil objectives.