Sharlet Lee Jensen

Ages: 2 through 10
Testing Time: 30 to 45 minutes

The targeted skills are hallmarks of atypical development in the preverbal child.  The profile measures subtle, functional changes in nonverbal communication skills in children with severe disabilities along with larger gains in children with moderate disabilities.  Use it to gather information that will help determine a starting point in therapy and show progress over time.  

The Early Functional Communication Profile is appropriate to use with children who have:

• suspected or diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder
• severe to profound cognitive impairments
• coexisting disorders
• augmentative and alternative communication

Test Description
The Early Functional Communication Profile is a criterion-referenced tool.  As such, it does not supply age or number scores.  The test's precise descriptive measures tell you what the child CAN do and how she responds to different types of prompts.

The assessment is dynamic—a hierarchy of prompts provides information about what skills the child performs with some degree of adult assistance.  Skills and the level of progress are delineated by:

• developmental level—skills are arranged from easiest to hardest
• level of environmental prompt—can be where the tester or test items are positioned (e.g., in front, to the side, or in back of the child); a gestural prompt (e.g., handing an object to the child, pointing); or verbal cues (e.g., saying "your turn," asking a question)     
• level of adult-action prompt—subtle physical and visual prompts such as hand-over-hand, patting the chest or arm, waiting with hand reaching out, waiting expectantly, etc.

Subtests

• Joint Attention—Requesting Objects
• Social Interaction—Turn-taking
• Communicative Intent—Requesting Continuation of Actions
• Communicative Intent—Requesting Assistance
• Social Interaction—Response to Greetings
• Joint Attention—Receptive Language
• Communicative Intent—Protesting

Components - Test Set includes: Examiner's manual, 15 profile forms

Copyright © 2012