The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of tele-health services across various fields, including education and therapy. For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), tele-assessment has become a critical tool in evaluating oral language, reading, and writing skills. A recent study titled "Conducting Oral and Written Language Adapted Tele-Assessments with Early Elementary-Age Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder" offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of these assessments and highlights areas for improvement.
The Importance of Parent Involvement
The study underscores the significant role parents play during tele-assessments. Parent involvement accounted for two-thirds of the coded behaviors observed during the study. This involvement ranged from providing corrective verbal assistance to offering general encouragement. While non-leading assistance (such as encouragement) is unlikely to impact the validity of assessment scores, leading assistance that guides children to correct answers could potentially skew results.
Practitioners should be trained to recognize and address leading behaviors exhibited by caregivers during assessments. This ensures that the validity of the child's assessment results is maintained. Additionally, guidelines should be established for acceptable levels of parental involvement during tele-assessments.
Managing Child Disengagement
Child disengagement was another significant observation during the study, accounting for approximately one-fourth of coded behaviors. Disengagement included attention lapses and expressions of frustration or fatigue. Practitioners can mitigate these challenges by incorporating breaks and using verbal encouragement to keep children engaged.
The study found that disengagement behaviors were not strongly correlated with autism symptomatology or adaptive behavior skills, suggesting that individual differences play a crucial role. Practitioners should tailor their approaches based on each child's unique needs and responses.
Navigating Technology Issues
Technology-related issues were relatively uncommon in the study but still present a potential barrier to effective tele-assessment. Most technology issues involved requests to repeat answers due to audio or connectivity problems. Practitioners should ensure that their technology setup is robust and that they are prepared to address any technical difficulties that arise during assessments.
The study's findings are promising, indicating that technology problems specific to responding to assessment items are not widespread. However, practitioners should remain vigilant and proactive in addressing any issues that do occur.
Practical Implications for Practitioners
- Create Clear Guidelines: Establish clear guidelines for parent involvement during tele-assessments to maintain the validity of results.
- Tailor Assessments: Adapt assessments to accommodate individual differences in children with ASD, ensuring that tasks are engaging and appropriately challenging.
- Address Technology Issues: Prepare for potential technology-related challenges by ensuring a stable internet connection and familiarizing yourself with troubleshooting techniques.
- Encourage Engagement: Use breaks and verbal encouragement strategically to keep children engaged throughout the assessment process.
The research provides a foundation for improving tele-assessment practices for children with ASD. By implementing these strategies, practitioners can enhance their skills and contribute to more effective assessments.
