Developmental Assessment as a Basis for Planning Educational Programs for Autistic Children

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Abstract
Although educational strategies and management systems have been developed and reported for working with autistic children, the utilization of assessment data to plan individualized programs has not been given much consideration. This paper describes an instrument (the Psychoeducational Profile) that provides a comprehensive evaluation of developmental functioning and behavior. The importance of integrating information about the child's unique learning characteristics with measured skill levels is emphasized. Factors involved in programming from assessment data are considered, including the understanding of the child's abilities, selection of realistic goals and methods and anticipation of potential management problems. Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the process of developing a teaching program based on information derived from the PEP. It is concluded that viewing the autistic child as developmentally disabled with specifiable handicaps and determining a starting point for educational goals from a comprehensive assessment can reduce initial uncertainty and confusion and provide a framework for ongoing education.

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