Resources for continuing education
Guidance on searching for more information
- “Multiple and severe” or “profound and complex” disabilities are the terminology which are likely to be most helpful when searching for more information.
- A lot of good work for children with multiple and severe disabilities has come out of the field of professions who work with children who are Deafblind.
- Much of the “assessment” work in this population is classroom assessment or curricular-based assessment. This type of work provides excellent models for “creative” or non-standardized psychology assessments.
Highly recommended resources for further education
- Set BC hosts online webinars (open to all), school district training, and has an extensive list of self-directed trainings online for free: http://www.setbc.org/
- POPARD has an extensive video training library: https://www.autismoutreach.ca/
- Curriculum and Strategies section of the Inclusion Outreach website has a range of helpful resources and videos: http://www.inclusionoutreach.ca
- For example, how to teach the sign “more”: http://www.inclusionoutreach.ca/content/cs/Communication/Developing%20aRequest%20for%20More.pdf
- The United Kingdom Department of Education has a series of 16 online modules, available for free, entitled: Training materials for teachers of learners with severe, profound and complex learning difficulties. http://complexneeds.org.uk/
Assessment in individuals with multiple, severe disabilities
- Guidelines for Assessment of and Intervention With Persons With Disabilities: http://www.apa.org/pi/disability/resources/assessment-disabilities.aspx
- Horn, E. M., & Kang, J. (2012). Supporting Young Children With Multiple Disabilities: What Do We Know and What Do We Still Need To Learn? Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 31(4), 241–248. http://doi.org/10.1177/0271121411426487
- Assessing Communication and Learning in Young Children Who are Deafblind or Who Have Multiple Disabilities, Edited by Charity Rowland, Ph.D. and published in 2009 by Design to Learn Projects of Oregon Health & Science University. Available free here: https://www.designtolearn.com/uploaded/pdf/DeafBlindAssessmentGuide.pdf
Parent perspective
- Stronger Every Day Podcast – http://www.portlandrootsmedia.com/strongerpodcast: Episode 8: Going through an autism evaluation, and Episode 197: what it feels like to hear difficult things about your child, even if you know those things already. What is helpful to hear from a professional.
- Also, this article provides a parent’s frustration with the clinician’s focus on what their child cannot do: “I Have a Question for the Person Evaluating My Child With Special Needs” by the person behind the Stronger Every Day podcast: https://themighty.com/2015/02/evaluating-a-special-needs-child-cant-be-multiple-choice/
