Module II: Assessment of Sensory Motor Problems in Asperger’s Syndrome

Part III: Test Measures and Test Accommodations

Test Accommodations for People with Asperger’s Syndrome

Perhaps the most single important factor in the success of the assessment process is the personal characteristics of the examiner. A key factor is that the tester develops rapport with the child and the family.

However, individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome might provide special challenges to the evaluator due to communication problems and difficulty with social relationships. They might not focus on relevant stimuli or respond to typical cues of eye contact or smiling. They might also be distracted or have alternative agendas affecting their attention. Therefore, appropriate planning to insure reliable testing procedures for people with Asperger’s should also be a major consideration.

The following are strategies recommended for use by the examiner to meet the specific needs of people with Asperger’s Syndrome during testing procedures.

• The tester and the individual to be tested should have an opportunity to become familiar with each other before the test situation.
• The tester should provide information regarding the test procedure before the testing takes place. For instance, before entering the place of testing, a sequence of events might be explained in detail.
• The tester should use positive reinforcements, such as allowing the testing individual to play with a desired toy after completing a specified amount of test items.
• For use in formal testing, a checklist might be provided by the evaluator for the individual to check after each completed task. Using the checklist can allow a sense of accomplishment and provide a way to transition from one task to another.
• The tester should use favorite toys (for children), objects, or topics of conversation for engagement and to help with increasing the comfort level.

Also recommended is the use of specific sensory accommodations that would calm the individual or help him/her focus on the testing. The tester should have available an array of sensory activities and modalities to use. The following are examples of ways to use sensory accommodations to assist in the assessment procedure.

• The tester could provide a quiet, environment with reduced visual and auditory distractions.
• The tester should use shortened verbal directions, if possible at a slower pace to allow the individual time to process verbal directions. If he/she has difficulty with verbal directions, using simple hand gestures might be more effective.
• The tester might use limited eye contact due to the difficulty some people with Asperger’s have with tolerating others looking at them directly into their eyes.
• The tester could give breaks from testing for movement activities, or encouraging walks down the halls to get water or snacks.
• The tester could provide an air cushion to sit on when testing is done at a table, to reduce fidgeting and allow for some extra movement if needed.
• The tester could provide foods that are chewy or crunchy to eat during the testing.
• The tester could provide use of fidget toys that involve squeezing and stretching, (e.g. soft foam ball, bendable wire toys, etc.) Fidget toys are helpful to use if the child must wait for even a short period of time, while the tester prepares materials, or for in-between test items.

We have therefore discussed several steps in the assessment process all of which lead up to the development and implementation of an intervention plan. In this process there are several important points to remember. First is that those who have firsthand knowledge of the client such as the child’s family and teacher have information that is important to the evaluation process. Secondly, no assessment can proceed unless the reasons for referral and problem behaviors are understood. Thirdly, an assessment is only as good as the evaluator’s ability to ask the appropriate questions and elicit the best behavior from the client. Lastly in order to interpret the result in light of the presenting problems, information needs to be gathered using formal and informal assessments. Once the assessment process is complete goals and objectives can be set and intervention strategies be planned.

In Module III, sensory integration theory, program planning and intervention strategies will be discussed in greater detail.

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