ACE Assessment

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ACE Assessment
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The ACE Centre

• Aiding Communication in Education
• Assessment, training, research, software
  development
• Centres in Oxford and Oldham

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CAP

• Communication Aids Project
• 10 million for two years
• 2000 2005
• Has resulted in our assessment process being more
  flexible
• Emphasis on developing skills amongst local team

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Presentation

• Pre-assessment
• Assessment process
• Post assessment

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Pre - assessment planning

• a vitally important part of our assessment process

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Collecting Information

• Phone calls (to parents, school, therapists)
• Background information form

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Background Information

• Interests
• Motivation
• Sensory abilities (hearing, vision, perception)
• Communication
• Seating and positioning
• Mobility
• Education
• Use of technology
• Medication

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Collecting Information contd

• Pre-assessment visits / meetings
• Video conferencing
• Video

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Video Guidelines

• 10 minutes
• Interacting with other children
• Interacting with adults
• Close up of AAC system
• Child in activity / discussion
• Computer use
• Child in seating / wheelchair
• Fine and gross motor control away from computer
• Using speech / vocalising

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Pre-Assessment Video of Child using Big Mack and
One Step was shown
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Venue

• School
• ACE Centre
• Home
• somewhere else

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Preparation of activities and equipment

• Fun and motivating
• based on information gathered regarding the young
  persons likes and interests
• ACE assessment planning form

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Assess plan for .. Date ..
What we want to learn about the young person
Activity
Equipment required .
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Summary of pre-assessment planning

• Time-consuming. BUT WORTH IT!
• Video very valuable

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The Assessment
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Our Assessment Team

• Speech language therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Teacher

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Others Involved

• Parents / carers
• Childs local therapists
• Other specialists
• Class teacher teaching assistant
• LEA advisory teachers
• Education officer / funder

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Set-up at the ACE Centre

• Assessment room
• Observation room
• Video link
• Frequent interaction between the two rooms

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Other venues

• Two linked rooms are ideal!
• When its not possible
• We try not to crowd the young person
• We try to take video to share with others
• Flexible attendance during the day

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Goals of the Assessment

• Control of technology
• accuracy and efficiency maximum output for the
  minimum physical input
• seating and positioning
• environment, computer, communication
• Access to learning and the curriculum
• Communication
• low and high tech

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Assessment Activities

• Fun, motivating,
  interesting for the youngster
• Experience success

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Dressing Up!
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Secret Drawing
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Making Choices
Assessment Video of child directing father to
read him a poem using auditory scanning on a
dynavox with two head switches
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Software
Photo of child using Touch Games software with
joystick and switch
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Story writing
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Using the Telephone
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Using the Telephone contd
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Playing with Infra-red toys
Assessment Video showing child playing with
Robosapien using DV4 in place of the remote
control
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Robosapien Page
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Robosapien
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Other activities

• Musical statues
• Simon Says
• Joint story-telling
• Mr Potato Head
• Guessing games e.g. Guess Who
• Etc.

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A few principles

• Flexibility!
• Child centred
• We ask listen throughout the assessment
• Team working
• Cross boundaries
• Discussion time
• Regularly, throughout day, with everyone

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Post Assessment
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The Report

• Detailed working document
• Draft versions shared with local team and parents
  if appropriate
• Important as so much takes place during the
  assessment
• May include
• Diagrams
• Photos
• Screen shots

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Example diagram
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Loan of equipment

• ACE (or CAP) loan library
• VOCA suppliers
• Sale or return

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Follow-up

• Decided at initial assessment
• After a follow-up phone call / video received
• further assessment
• training

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Support for local team

• Information days
• Video conferencing
• Emails
• Phone calls

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Summary

• Pre assessment, assessment and post assessment
  stages very flexible!
• Moving towards a modular approach
• Teamwork
• Child centred