Adapted Collaborative Strategies for Evaluating Students' Strengths

Information provided through traditional standardized psychometric testing often is inadequate for planning and assessing inclusive education for children with severe physical, communicative, and/or sensory disabilities.

To address these inadequacies, the University of Michigan, Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Western Michigan University, and the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Michigan are developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating adapted cognitive assessment protocols and procedures.

Focused on facilitating full participation in the general education curriculum and transition planning activities, the ACSESS project is investigating the use of optimal sensory and response modalities and state-of-the-art assessment techniques to provide more accurate and comprehensive information regarding these students’ capabilities and educational needs.

This model will combine best practices in promoting self-determination of students with disabilities by including the student and parent(s) in collaborative assessment procedures and decision making with rehabilitation engineers, psychologists, educators, and physicians.

See the ACSESS Project site for our research results.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services