This checklist will help teachers who are assessing children with Physical Disabilities provide an optimal environment for observation for the DRDP (2015). Use of the checklist can help assessors plan more informed and meaningful observations and reflect on the accuracy of their observations. The items on the checklist correspond with more detailed information in the Guidance for Assessing Children with Physical Disabilities.
1. Become knowledgeable about the child’s physical disabilities
▢ Type and level of physical disabilities
▢ Gross and fine motor skills
▢ Recommended assistive technology and augmentative or alternative communication devices
▢ Physical disability with additional disabilities
2. Support the child’s language and communication skills
▢ Be familiar with the child’s home language
▢ Obtain the child’s full attention
▢ Give the child time to respond to a question before repeating it
▢ Give the child ample opportunity to use an AAC device and make sure positioning is appropriate
▢ Provide concrete experiences for the child to develop and demonstrate understanding of the
meaning of words and what they represent
▢ Check frequently for understanding
3. Optimize the environment for observation
Optimize accessibility
▢ Make sure the child has and uses recommended assistive technology
▢ Provide required supports to optimize the child’s participation in activities
▢ Adapt materials as needed to promote the child’s functional use of fine motor manipulative skills
Optimize positioning
▢ Provide appropriate seating to promote the child’s optimal functional positioning in activities
▢ Make sure the child’s back is to the window or light source
▢ Provide preferential seating in groups
Optimize physical access
▢ Make sure that the physical environment is safe, accessible, and predictable
▢ Provide opportunities for the child to engage in gross locomotor movement activities
▢ Provide opportunities for the child to engage in gross motor manipulative activities
▢ Provide opportunities for the child to engage in fine motor manipulative activities
▢ Organize the environment to facilitate peer interactions
Optimize visual access
▢ Minimize visual distractions to optimize participation and engagement
▢ Arrange the environment to support visual access
▢ Use visual schedules
Optimize auditory access
▢ Minimize auditory distractions to optimize participation and engagement
▢ Create quiet spaces and activities
▢ Promote the child’s participation in conversations with peers in group activities
4. Rating measures of the DRDP (2015)
▢ Determine mastery
▢ Identify interests and preferences
▢ Be aware of prompt dependency
