IV. Communication Assessment for Individuals with ASD

Question 1

What is the first step to effective intervention?

Answer 1

-early and accurate detection

Question 2

At what ages are children screened for developmental delays, when is it done?

Answer 2

• 9 months, 18 months, 24-30 months

- it is done during well-child doctor visits especially for children @ high risk for ASD

Question 3

What is the common goal for assessment?

Answer 3

make diagnostic recommendations for the student with special needs

Question 4

What is the purpose of a communication assessment for individuals with ASD?

Answer 4

• critical part of overall assessment: communication deficits are main area of challenge
  1. evaluate current social skill functioning and/or social competence
  2. identify skills that will be targeted for intervention
  3. identify strengths

Question 5

What are the components of a communication assessment?

Answer 5

• formal aspects of language (receptive & expressive language)
• atypical features of language (pronoun reversals, scripted language, echolalia, prosody, inflection, volume, register)
• nonverbal forms of communication (eye contact gestures)
• language use for social purposes

Question 6

What is the content/form of language?

Answer 6

expressive and receptive language

Question 7

What is the functional use of language?

Answer 7

language use for social purposes (it’s difficult for kids with ASD to understand non-literal language/sarcasm)

Question 8

What are the eight areas assessed with prelinguistic communication?

Answer 8

1. depressed rate of preverbal communicative acts
2. delayed development of pointing gestures
3. use of nonconventional means of communicating
4. reduced responsiveness to speech and to hearing their name called
5. restricted range of communicative behaviors
6. atypical preverbal vocalizations
7. deficits in play
8. limited ability to imitate

Question 9

What areas are assessed with nonverbal older children?

Answer 9

• analyze strengths and needs
• introduce AAC
• Interact with others, have control over environment
• unaided vs. aided (unaided=use of your body, signs, gestures etc. aided=tools like picture boards)

Question 10

What are some pragmatic assessment areas for older verbal children?

Answer 10

• communicative functions (assess range)
• discourse management
• register variation
• presupposition
• conversational manner