Main description:

Our knowledge of the cognitive and social-emotional functioning of developmentally disabled infants and preschoolers derives, in large part, from our assessment of such children. This book has been developed to familiarize readers with the characteristics of developmentally disabled children, and to introduce to readers aspects of measurement that are of relevance to the assessment of atypical infants and preschoolers. The book has been developed with clinicians and prospective clinicians in mind. These are individuals who are committed to the care and education of developmentally disabled infants and preschoolers and the families of those children. The book has thus been written to provide support for the use of assessment data in planning early interven tion programs. Of special note in the development of this edited book is that it is divided into four major parts with interrelated chapters in each part. The authors of chapters in Parts II and III had access to the chapters in Part I before writing their chapters. The summary chap ters found in Part IV were similarly written by authors having access to all chapters in Parts I-III. This approach to the development of an edited book was chosen as a way of ensuring an integration of major concepts throughout the book. This process is also a reflection of our belief that assessment is an interdisciplinary process, involving the syn thesis of a number of diverse interests.

Contents:

I. Foundations of the Assessment Process with the Developmentally Disabled.- 1. Developmental Patterns in Disabled Infants and Preschoolers.- 2. Essential Elements of the Assessment Process.- 3. Instrument Selection.- 4. Clinical Considerations in the Assessment of Young Handicapped Children.- 5. Involvement of Parents in Early Childhood Assessment.- II. Cognitive Assessment.- 6. Assessment of Visually Impaired Infants and Preschool Children.- 7. Cognitive Assessment in Deaf Preschoolers.- 8. Cognitive Assessment of Motorically Impaired Infants and Preschoolers.- 9. Cognitive Assessment of Mentally Retarded Infants and Preschoolers.- 10. Cognitive Assessment of Infants and Preschoolers with Severe Behavioral Disabilities.- 11. Cognitive Assessment of Multiply Handicapped Young Children.- III. Noncognitive Assessment.- 12. Motor Assessment.- 13. Assessment of Temperament in Developmentally Disabled Infants and Preschoolers.- 14. Mastery Motivation and Developmental Delay.- 15. Assessment of Language in Developmentally Disabled Infants and Preschoolers.- 16. Environmental Assessment of Developmentally Disabled Infants and Preschoolers.- 17. Biophysical Considerations in the Assessment of Young Children with a Developmental Disability.- IV. From Assessment to Intervention.- 18. Interface between Assessment and Intervention for Infants and Preschoolers with Disabilities.- 19. Issues in the Linkage of Assessment to Intervention.- Author Index.