In order to gain a comprehensive view of a child, and more especially when the child is believed to have suspected delays or documented disabilities, it’s very important to select a multidimensional assessment approach.

A multidimensional assessment approach is “one that employs a variety of measures, that gathers information from multiple sources, that examines several developmental and behavioral domains and accomplishes a wide range of goals (Hooper and Umansky, 2014).

Assessment through the use of Instruments: Different type of tests could be appropriate based on the purpose of the assessment. During the initial stages of assessment, formal testing has been frequently used (Gargiulo and Kilgo, 2014).  Examples of these instruments include:

• Standardized tests: A standardized test is any form of test that (1) requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that (2) is scored in a “standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of students. While different types of tests and assessments may be “standardized” in this way, the term is primarily associated with large-scale tests administered to large populations of students, such as a multiple-choice test given to all the eighth-grade public-school students in a particular state, for example. In addition to the familiar multiple-choice format, standardized tests can include true-false questions, short-answer questions, essay questions, or a mix of question types. While standardized tests were traditionally presented on paper and completed using pencils, and many still are, they are increasingly being administered on computers connected to online programs for easier grading (edglossary.com)
• Norm referenced tests: Norm-referenced refers to standardized tests that are designed to compare and rank test takers in relation to one another. Norm-referenced tests report whether test takers performed better or worse than a hypothetical average student, which is determined by comparing scores against the performance results of a statistically selected group of test takers, typically of the same age or grade level, who have already taken the exam (edglossary.com).
• Criterion referenced assessments: Criterion-referenced test results are often based on the number of correct answers provided by students, and scores might be expressed as a percentage of the total possible number of correct answers. On a norm-referenced exam, however, the score would reflect how many more or fewer correct answers a student gave in comparison to other students. Hypothetically, if all the students who took a norm-referenced test performed poorly, the least-poor results would rank students in the highest percentile. Similarly, if all students performed extraordinarily well, the least-strong performance would rank students in the lowest percentile (edglossary.com).
• Curriculum based assessments: Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA) is any form of assessment based on the curriculum that a child is mastering. Most Curriculum Based Assessments come directly from the textbook, in the form of tests—often in the form of chapter tests. Other CBAs can be taken from online resources.
• Authentic assessment: authentic assessment departs from the premise that a child’s behavior must be observed in natural settings (places the child is familiarized with) during real life situations.
  • Observational assessment: Observational assessments enable measurement of participants’ behavior, skills, and abilities in ways not possible via traditional assessment. In a traditional assessment — for example, a quiz, test or exam — the participant is presented with questions for direct response. However, in an observational assessment, an “observer” is presented with questions to ‘rate’ participant behaviors, skills and abilities, such as:
    • Performance of a specific task or procedure
    • Knowledge acquisition and application
    • Demonstration of skills/abilities
  • Play based assessment: Play-based assessment is an increasingly popular technique for Educational Psychologists (EPs) in their assessments of young children. Play is seen as a medium through which progress across many developmental domains can be assessed by using a range of play-based assessment tools.
  • Interviews: Interviews or conversations between the professionals and family members or caregivers are forms of assessment that are used to gather information about the areas on which to focus during the assessment process, specific information about the child, or other types of information about the child. These must have a structure as they have a particular purpose in mind, so the goal is achieved (Gargiulo, 2012)
  • Arena assessments: an assessment process whereby a group of specialists in developmental disabilities observes a child in natural play and working situations. A profile of the child is developed by the group, comparing their individual observations of some facet of the child’s behaviors.