Transdisciplinary Assessment: Transdisciplinary Assessment: Making it Possible!Making it Possible!

Transdisciplinary Assessment: Transdisciplinary Assessment: Making it Possible!Making it Possible!

Adrienne Frank Adrienne Frank MS, OTRMS, OTR

Barbara Hanft Barbara Hanft MA, OTR, FAOTAMA, OTR, FAOTA

Toni Linder Toni Linder EdDEdD

Rationale: Rationale: Why do a transdisciplinary Why do a transdisciplinary

assessment?assessment?

Rationale: Rationale: Why do a transdisciplinary Why do a transdisciplinary

assessment?assessment?

TD assessment is….

•Sensitive to child/family life• Dynamic•Functional

•Flexible•Collaborative

Rationale…. Sensitive to child/family

• TD assessment is an ecological approach- looks at a child within the context of his/her family.

• Parents are active members of the team, involved before, during, & after their child’s assessment

Rationale…. Sensitive to child/family

TD assessment uses strategies

during the assessment process that lead to developing effective

intervention strategies.

Rationale…. Dynamic

TD assessment fosters a holistic review of a child’s strengths and needs in all areas– rather than a piecemeal

approach with each discipline independently assessing a separate area of development

Rationale… Functional

•Play-based, transdisciplinary assessment examines how a child functions in a “typical” situation, rather than a contrived test situation, leading to more valid results.

Rationale… Functional

•Recommendations are functional and lead to daily intervention plans that build on the child’s strengths and learning style.

Rationale…Flexible

Transdisciplinary assessment can support cultural, linguistic, and experiential preferences for children and families.

Rationale… Collaborative

Knowledge/expertise of all team members, including families, is integrated to best understand a child’s:– Skill level– Learning style– Interaction patterns– Contexts for development– Intervention objectives/strategies

What does a TD What does a TD assessment look like?assessment look like?

What does a TD What does a TD assessment look like?assessment look like?

Observations of child: Natural or Naturalistic Settings

• At home

• In the community

• At a center

Observations of child: interactions

• With caregivers

• With siblings

• With peers

• With adults

Observations of child: Observations of child: EngagementEngagement

• Toys, materials:-sensory materials-manipulatives-construction toys-fine and gross motor-art materials-dramatic play-books

• Routines

Characteristics of a Characteristics of a quality Transdisciplinary quality Transdisciplinary

AssessmentAssessment

Characteristics of a Characteristics of a quality Transdisciplinary quality Transdisciplinary

AssessmentAssessment

TD Assessment Process• Pre-assessment home visit• Pre-assessment planning meeting• Assessment• Post-assessment meeting• Identification of family concerns,

resources & priorities• Plan development • Report writing• Post-assessment debriefing

How an assessment is completed defines whether or not it is transdisciplinary-

TeamingPlanningFormat

StrategiesInterpretation

Teaming• Team members represent

varied expertise (family and min 2 disciplines).

• Families are equal partners who make decisions about their assessment role and format.

Teaming

All team members engage in teaching and learning, continuously sharing expertise across disciplinary boundaries.

– this role exchange provides in-service training for one team member to begin implementing an IFSP/IEP in consultation with other members.

Teaming

• Extension = Self-directed study

• Enrichment = Understanding basic terminology

• Expansion = Making program judgments

• Exchange = Demonstrating techniques under supervision

• Release = implementing under supervision

• Support = backup or therapies

Teaming

• Plan for and set up learning

• Outline steps• Explain why• Emphasize

important aspects• Show in real-life

situations

• Provide practice with hands on

• Give feedback on critical points

• Offer support and back up

• Ask for questions• Follow-up

Preassessment Planning

Planning with families helps ensure that:

• A family’s questions are answered, • Family members understand their

role,• Decisions are made about how, when,

and where the assessment takes place.

Preassessment PlanningFamilies may choose to:• Decide how they would like to prepare• Select assessment procedures• Provide familiar toys or activities• Observe their child in varied situations• Share information about their child’s

behavior• Identify child’s strengths/abilities and

family’s concerns related to development

Preassessment Planning

• Identify what they want (outcomes)• Answer questions about their child & family• Ask questions about assessment process• Observe child’s behavior during assessment• Show typical interactions with their child• Try out intervention strategies• Identify discrepancies • Provide feedback about the assessment

Preassessment Planning

Planning with providers-

helps orient or prepare team members to the assessment process and their roles.

Assessment Format

Assessment includes observation of the child: – in his/her familiar environment– interacting with familiar people,

toys, and objects – in daily life contexts (e.g., home

and/or preschool classroom).

Assessment Format

• Team members simultaneously observe child, gathering a similar base of information.

• Discussion afterward helps the team develop reliability among assessors.

Assessment Format• During a play-based observation,

one team member (or one member at a time) follows the child’s lead.

• Often a parent demonstrates typical child behaviors and interactions.

Strategies

Open-ended questions are used to gather information about child and family:– preferences and – daily routines.

Strategies

Assessment strategies include interactions :

– to elicit higher levels of development and

– to try out possible interventions.

Interpretation

Assessment results are discussed with the family as soon as possible after the assessment, –using a strengths-based approach focusing on what the child does well and the next steps in development.

InterpretationDescriptive data, related to a child

and family’s typical settings and desired outcomes, [rather than domain specific skills

that lead to discrete services by various disciplines]

is used by the team to set priorities and develop IFSP/IEP

Interpretation

All team members communicate their observations & conclusions,

to make decisions about functional outcomes and EI supports and services

in one integrated report.

Interpretation Examples of functional outcomes:

• He is currently doing…. And therefore he is ready to …..

• OR he is ready for more….• In order to develop….she will benefit

from…..• Activities to encourage….include……• Adaptation of …will allow her to…..

Challenges and Challenges and strategiesstrategies

Challenges and Challenges and strategiesstrategies

Recommended Recommended ReadingReading

Recommended Recommended ReadingReading