Non-Teacher Professional Assessments | Teach Special Education

Student Needs	IPRC Exceptionalities	Diagnosed Conditions
Aggression Management Anger/Frustration Management Anxiety Management Articulation Skills Attendance Strategies Attention Skills Assistive Technology Skills Blind/Vision Impaired Bullying Management Skills Central Auditory Processing Deafness Depression/Sadness Management Disengagement/Motivation Strategies Eating Disorder Strategies Emotional Regulation English Language Skills Executive Function Fine Motor Skills Gambling Disorder Grief Management Gross Motor Skills Hearing Intellectual Ability – High Intellectual Ability – Low Listening Comprehension Skills Low Vision Memory Skills Mental Health Strategies Metacognitive Skills Mobility Skills Non-Verbal Reasoning Organizational Skills Personal Care Personal Safety Phonological Processing Processing Speed Self-Advocacy Skills Self-Esteem Self-Harm/Suicide Management Self-Regulatory Skills Sensory Integration Skills Sequencing Skills Social Skills Substance Abuse Strategies Task Initiation Time Management Skills Transition Skills Verbal Ability Visual-Motor Skills Visual-Spatial Processing	Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Behaviour Blind and Low Vision Deaf and Hard of Hearing Developmental Disability (DD) Giftedness Language Impairment Learning Disabilities (LD) Mild Intellectual Disabilities Multiple Exceptionalities Physical Disability Speech Impairment	Acquired Brain Injury Alcohol-Related Neuro-developmental Disorder (ARND) Angelman Syndrome Anxiety Disorders Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Auditory Processing Disorder (Central) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Bipolar Disorder Blind/Vision Impaired Brain Injury Cerebral Palsy (CP) Conduct Disorder (CD) Concussions Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Deafness Depression Disorders Down Syndrome Eating Disorders Epilepsy Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) Fragile X Syndrome Gambling Disorder Intellectual Disabilities Klinefelter's Syndrome Learning Disabilities/Specific Learning Disorders Muscular Dystrophy (MD) Neurological Disabilities Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTS) Prader-Willi Syndrome Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Seizure Disorders Selective Mutism Spina Bifida Tourette Syndrome Turner Syndrome (TS) Usher Syndrome William's Syndrome

Key Special Education Practices
Accommodations Alternative Programming Assistive Technology Board Special Education Plans Community Resources Differentiated Instruction Create an Inclusive & Positive Class Climate Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Individual Education Plan (IEP) Ministry of Education Resources Modified Programming Non-teacher Professional Assessments Teacher Assessments Safety/Emergency/Crisis Response Plan Professional Development Reporting on IEP Progress Tracking/Documenting Transition Plans

Specialized assessments conducted by a variety of professionals, other than teachers, to provide information on a student’s learning profile. Could be conducted by school boards or accessed by parents/guardians privately with results/reports shared with teachers. Some examples could include psychological and speech and language assessments, if parents/guardians consent.

Possible sources of non-teacher professional assessments include: medical doctors (psychiatrist, pediatrician, and other medical specialists); psychologists/psychological associates; occupational therapists; physical therapists; speech and language pathologists; audiologists; etc. Usually a report of results and recommendations is provided. The most common professional assessment is the psycho-educational, which provides cognitive and academic performance assessment information.

Personal

Audiologists

: A professional specialized with the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment and (re)habilitation of hearing difficulties in children and adults.

Communication Disorder Assistant (CDA)

: A speech and language professional who works under the supervision of a Speech and Language Pathologist, often servicing students with articulation and/or language difficulties.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

: A therapist who works in the area of rehabilitative services, which range from improving a student grip of a pen to routines that improve strength and dexterity. Occupational therapists may also be involved with students dealing with sensory processing issues.

Physical Therapist (PT)

: Trained in the instructional support and treatment of people with physical disabilities, mainly in improving muscle, bone, joint and nerve usage. A doctor's prescription or referral is usually needed in order to obtain support of a physical therapist. Some PTs support students within schools.

Psychologist

: A professional with a doctoral degree who is trained in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health issues.

Psychological Associate

: Also trained in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues, but psych. associates hold a master’s degree in psychology and at least four years of relevant post-degree experience.

Speech–Language Pathologist

: Speech-language pathologists are concerned with the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment and (re)habilitation of communication, and/or swallowing disorders in children and adults.

Assessment Information

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM –IV)

: Published by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM-IV provides criteria for the diagnosis of all mental health disorders for children and adults, along with some common treatments.

Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ)

: A numeric value given to overall intelligence on the standardized Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). The FSIQ is determined by ten core subtests and up to five supplemental tests. The FSIQ is comprised of four scores: verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, processing speed and working memory.

General Ability Index (GAI)

: An alternative overall score, sometimes reported for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). The GAI is a useful estimate of a student’s overall functional ability and is often used if there is a large difference between one or more of the four subtest scores (verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, processing speed, and working memory) that make up the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ).

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

: Intelligence Quotient is a score obtained from the standardized intelligence tests. Frequently the standardized Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, fourth edition (WISC-IV) or the Stanford Binet Intelligence scale is used. IQ tests often examine mathematical and spatial reasoning, language skills and logical abilities. IQ tests are conducted by a registered psychologist.

Ontario School Record (OSR)

: A file of educational achievement for every student in Ontario schools, including a listing of schools attended, copies of report cards, Individual Education Plans and assessments, if any. An Ontario Ministry of Education document on OSRs outlines procedures.

Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)

: One of the four components of the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), as determined by the standardized Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, fourth edition (WISC-IV). The PRI is a measure of visual perception, organization and reasoning using only visually (nonverbal) material.

Processing Speed Index (PSI)

: A measure of cognitive efficiency; one of the four main components measured by the WISC-IV that makes up a student’s Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ). Processing speed measures the automatic skills pertaining to attention and concentration.

Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)

: A measure of skills that includes verbal fluency and ability to understand and use verbal information. It is one of the four components that make up an individual’s Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV).

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)

: A standardized assessment of academic achievement, based on comparisons to students of like age. Reading, math, written and oral language are assessed.

Working Memory Index (WMI)

: One of the four components of a student’s Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), as assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). The WMI determines the ability to memorize, to hold and manipulate information in short-term memory and concentrate.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)

: A commonly administered cognitive assessment, performed by psychologists to determine intellectual functioning. A Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) or General Ability Index (GAI) is determined based on subtests.

• If the student will be assessed at school, ensure the student and parents/guardians have been informed of the referral to the non-teacher professional.
• Insure that the professional has all necessary contact information so that appropriate informed consent can be attained.
• Request a quiet/private space for the assessment.
• Inquire if an advance copy of the professional’s report would be available for teachers to read and develop a list of questions before any meetings with professionals.
• Request a copy of the assessment to highlight, and jot down notes.
• Revise IEP based on professional assessment results.
• Implement recommendations from reports, as appropriate.

Resources

Psycho-Educational Overview

Occupational Therapist (OT) Assessments

Physiotherapy (PT) Assessments

Vision Assessments

Hearing Assessments

Speech and Language Assessments

Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments

Attention Deficit/Hyper-Activity Disorder Assessments

Behaviour Assessments

Additional Ministry of Education Resources