The IEP Team’s Responsibility for Identifying Adaptations for Use with the DRDP access Assessment System
All preschool-age children (3, 4, and 5 year olds not enrolled in kindergarten) in California who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) participate in the DRDP access Assessment System. Each child’s primary service provider – determined by the IEP Team – is responsible for completing and reporting the DRDP access. The IEP team is also responsible for documenting the adaptations that the child uses on a daily basis while participating in preschool programs and services and that are in place for the DRDP access assessment.
Adaptations are changes in the environment or differences in observed behavior that allow a child with an IEP to be most accurately assessed in their typical settings. The adaptations identified for the DRDP instruments have been developed so that the assessment will more accurately measure a child’s abilities rather than the impact of the disability. IDEA 2004 specifies that “the IEP must include a statement of any adaptations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of children on the statewide assessment” (IDEA 2004 Sec 614(d)(1)(A)(i)(VI)(aa)). The IEP team should annually revisit the adaptations identified for a child to consider if any additions or changes need to be made. For full descriptions and additional information that may assist IEP teams in determining the adaptations that will be used by an individual child for the DRDP assessment, please refer to the adaptations worksheet in this document.
The DRDP instruments are rated by considering a sequence of development and then determining the highest level at which a child demonstrates mastery. Sometimes the presence of a disability prevents children from demonstrating particular skills that they have mastered. Adaptations enable assessors to identify a child’s mastery more accurately, rather than rating Measures at lower levels because of the presence of a disability.
Adaptations are appropriate to use in all educational settings. Adaptations that are used throughout the typical day enable children to have more control in interacting with their environment. If adaptations are in place for a child during the normal course of the day, then they should also be in place during observations for the DRDP access assessment. Ensuring that appropriate adaptations are in place will allow observers to obtain the most valid measure of a child’s skills. Similarly, new adaptations should not be introduced for the purpose of assessment.
It is important to note that procedures such as providing verbal or gestural prompts, providing a model of the desired behavior, or using a partial or full physical prompt are not adaptations. These are instructional strategies that should be faded out as the child gains the skill.
Seven broad categories of adaptations have been identified for children with IEPs when assessed with the DRDP access. These categories should not be tied to any specific disability. Rather, an individual child’s needs should be considered and the appropriate adaptations put in place. These seven categories can be used for documenting adaptations for both the IEP and the DRDP access Information Page. The adaptations worksheet on the following page describes the adaptations used with the DRDP access for preschool special education.
Additional Resources
For more information about adaptations, refer to:
The User’s Guide to the DRDP Instruments for Preschool Special Education at
http://draccess.org/assessors/drdpinstruments/UsersGuideDRDP.html
The online learning module, Using Adaptations with the DRDP Instruments at
http://draccess.org/prodevelopment/learningmodules/
For more information about the DRDP access Assessment System, refer to the Overview of the DRDP access Assessment System for Preschool-Age Children with IEPs at
http://draccess.org/system/OverviewDesiredResultsSystem.html
Adaptations Worksheet
for the DRDP access for Preschool Special Education
Child’s Name: ____________________________________________ Date: _______________
| Adaptations that will be used throughout the child’s day and available for all routines and activities | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptation | Yes | No | If yes, briefly describe |
| Augmentative or alternative communication Methods of communication other than speech that allow a child who is unable to use spoken language to communicate with others. |
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| Alternative mode for written language Methods of reading or writing used by a child who cannot see well enough to read or write or cannot hold and manipulate a writing utensil (e.g., pencil, pen) well enough to produce written symbols. |
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| Visual support Adjustments to the environment that provide additional information to a child who has limited or reduced visual input. |
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| Assistive equipment or device Tools that make it possible or easier for a child to perform a task. |
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| Functional positioning Strategic positioning and postural support that allow a child to have increased control of his body. |
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| Sensory support Increasing or decreasing sensory input to facilitate a child’s attention and interaction in the environment. |
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| Alternative response mode Recognition that a child might demonstrate mastery of a skill in a unique way that differs from the child’s typically developing peers. |
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Download printable PDF of this document (143kb)
or the Adaptations Worksheet alone as an interactive PDF (143kb)
Last updated: 03/14/2012