Communication Assessment
Defined as:
• An assessment of communication to address
the communication characteristics of autism
spectrum disorder, including measures of
language semantics and pragmatics
completed by a speech and language
pathologist.
Areas to be considered
When Assessing Communication:
• 1. Ability to use and comprehend nonverbal language
• 2. Atypical or delayed nonverbal communicative behaviors
• 3. Functional use of expressive language/gestures
• 4. Delays in onset of spoken language
• 5. Atypical communication patterns characteristic of
students with ASD
• Hearing evaluation
• 6. Functional understanding of spoken language and nonverbal communication
• Development of early communication
When Assessing Social Interaction
and Relationships:
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• Social initiation
• Social imitation
• Age-expected reciprocity
• Attachment patterns
• Child’s use of people as tools
• Social interaction with familiar and
unfamiliar adults and peers
General Characteristics of ASD
Communication Profile
• Delay in, or lack of, the development of spoken
language
• Delays in responding to the verbal instructions,
particularly multi-step directions
• Avoidant or fleeting eye contact
• Unusual speech patterns (speed, volume, tone);
speaking in an “adult-like” manner
• Reliance on scripted language and/or rote
statements, rather than creative language
• Misuse of pronouns
General Characteristics of ASD
Communication Profile
• Uses and interprets language literally
• Difficult understanding gestures and non-verbal
communication
• Difficulty with topic maintenance
• Inability to repair communication breakdowns
• •Echolalia, or stereotyped and repetitive use of
language (language scripts from TV, videos, or people
in their environment)
• Impairment in the ability to initiate, terminate, and/or
sustain reciprocal conversations with others
Assessment should focus on:
• 1. Child’s verbal communication skills (ability
to use and comprehend), including pragmatic
strengths and weaknesses
• 2. Nonverbal skills, including atypical or
delayed nonverbal communication skills
(gestures, eye gaze, body language)
• 3. Joint attention
• 4. Communicative intent and functionality
Assessment should focus on:
• 5. Social communication behaviors:
• gaining attention and initiating interaction
• responding to attempts at interaction
• requesting information from communicative
partner, asking variety of questions
• commenting on activity or event
• following routines
• providing or offering information
• understanding expectations for performance,
regulating conversation
CAUTION!
• Children with Asperger Syndrome
and high functioning autism often
score within the average range on
many of these tests that assess
articulation, vocabulary, sentence
construction, and comprehension.
Possible formal speech and language
tests
EI
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PLS-4 Preschool Language Scale
PPVT-4 Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
EVT-2 Expressive Vocabulary Test
TELD-3 Test of Early Language Development
CELF-P Clinical Evaluation of Language
Functions - Preschool
• CSBS-D Communication and Symbolic
Behavior Scale –Developmental Profile
Possible formal speech and language tests
School Age:
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CCC-2 Children’s Communication Checklist
CELF-4 Clinical Evaluation of Language Functions
EOWPVT Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test
PPVT-4 Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
OWLS
Oral and Written Language Scales
TLCExpanded Test of Language Competence
TOLD-4 Test of Language Development
CASL
Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken
Language
• Social Language Development Test
• SEE – Social Emotional Evaluation
Possible informal assessments:
• • Assessment of Social and Communication Skills for
Children with Autism (available in the book “Do-WatchListen-Say" by Kathleen Quill)
• • SCQ – Social Communication questionnaire (U. of
Mich.)
• • Conversational Effectiveness Profile (Kowalski)
• • Language sample
• • Checklists, templates, observation forms, interviews
• • Social Cognitive Assessments (from Thinking About
You, Thinking about Me – Michelle Garcia Winner)
• • SCERTS – SCERTS Assessment Process (SAP)
Observation templates & checklists
Typical Receptive Language/Auditory Processing
Skills by Sally Eshoo
• http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/sampletem
plate-Eschoo.pdf
• http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/SampleTem
plate-Eschoo2.pdf
Sample Templates by RobynBean
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/Sampletempla
te-Bean.pdf
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/SampleTempla
te-Bean2.pdf
5. Functional Communication Checklist (Bvtn-adapted from
Functional Communication Profile)
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/FunctionalCommunicationC
hecklist.pdf
6. Conversation Checklist (Kevin Penner)
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/ConversationChecklist.pdf
7. Functional Language Ability Observation (Kevin Penner)
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/FunctionalLanguageAbility
Observation.pd
8. Conversational Effectiveness Profile (Timothy
P. Kowalski)
9. AS/HFA Social Cognitive Assessment* K2nd Beaverton ASD Team *Modifiedfrom the
assessment description in Thinking About You
Thinking About Me (2002) by Michelle Garcia
Winner
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/AS-HFAK12CognitiveAssessment.pdf
10. AS/HFA Social Cognitive Assessment* 312 Beaverton ASD Team Modified from the
assessment description in Thinking About You Thinking
About Me (2002) by Michelle Garcia Winner
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/AS-HFA312CogAssessment.pdf
11. AS/HFA Social Cognitive Observation – Beaverton
ASD team
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/ASHFASocialCognitiveObservation.pdf
Parent/Teacher Interviews
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA)
• It is recommended as best practice by ASHA that
communication assessment for ASD include an
interview with parent/caregiver, and teacher.
• This interview may be done by the SLP or autism
specialist, and valuable information can be
gathered by home/community observations in
addition to school.
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Settings and Contexts for Observations
• It is also recommended by ASHA that the individuals
should be observed:
• with familiar and unfamiliar adults
• with familiar and unfamiliar peers
• in structured and unstructured settings
• in small and large groups
• at school, community, and home, if possible
(Refer to roles and responsibilities of Speech-Language
Pathologists in diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of
Autism Spectrum Disorders across the life span)
Parent/Teacher Interview Forms
(for EI/ECSE and School Age)
• Fuctional Communication Evaluation
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/FunctionalCommunicationE
valuation-EI-ECSE.pdf
• Functional Communication Assessment – Parent Interview
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/FCA-ParentInterview.pdf
• Speech-Language Checklist -Teachers (Kevin Penner)
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/SpeechLanguageChecklist.pdf
Parent/Teacher Interview Forms
(for EI/ECSE and School Age)
• 4. Speech and Language Evaluation Summary Report
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/SpeechandLanguageEvalua
tionReport-EI-ECSE.pdf
• 5. Functional Communication Profile- Beaverton Team
http://nwresd.k12.or.us/autism/files/FCProfile-Beaverton.pdf
• 6. SCERTS Assessment Process Report Form for teachers and
parents. (There is a different interview for each language level
(social partner, language partner, conversational
partner) http://www.scerts.com/docs/SCERTSScoringCriteria
Checklist8-8-06.pdf
SCERTS Assessment
(Prizant, Wetherby, Rubin, Laurent, & Rydell, 2005)
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• Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support
• Comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing communication
and social-emotional abilities of individuals with ASD and related disabilities
• The SCERTS assessment process (SAP) is a curriculum based assessment
designed to:
*measure outcome in meaningful and functional contexts
*pinpoint educational goals to support social and communicative
competence
*Identify transactional supports to support child’s progress and
success
*Embed goals within natural routines through activity planning
• It is a criterion-referenced or curriculum-based tool, which measures child’s
developmental achievements in everyday situations with everyday social
partners.
• Focus is on functional use of language and nonverbal communication, socioemotional abilities rather than on specific forms and milestones of language
acquisition. Necessary level of family involvement.
Why the SCERTS Process:
• Covers all the areas of other checklists and what is recommended
by ASHA
• Based on research and Best Practice
• Includes mutual and self regulation. These affect communication,
but a child needs communication skills to help them regulate
• Purposefully looks at how transactional supports (interpersonal
and learning supports) help the child regulate, engage, and
participate
• Team works together to prioritize educational objectives that are
functional, address family priorities and match developmental
areas of need
• Completing activity grid allows the team to imbed goals in
functional activities and is a very useful way for an SLP to consult in
an educational setting
• Very effective with task engagement and communication,
transitions, and emotional expression
Communication Matrix
The Communication Matrix is appropriate for individuals
of all ages who are at the earliest stages of
communication.
It covers the range of communication skills which typically
develop between 0 and 24 months of age.
The Matrix accommodates any type of communicative
behavior, including "augmentative and alternative" (AAC)
forms of communication and pre-symbolic
communication.
The profile shows at a glance what level of communication
behaviors a child is using and what kinds of messages he or
she expresses. The Communication Skills List shows exactly
what behaviors the child uses to express each message. It
is very good for non-verbal communication.
http://communicationmatrix.org/
Seven Levels of Communication
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Level I. Pre-Intentional Behavior
Level II. Intentional Behavior
Level III. Unconventional Communication
Level IV. Conventional Communication
Level V. Concrete Symbols
Level VI. Abstract Symbols
Level VII. Language
Level I. Pre-Intentional Behavior
Behavior is not under the individual's own
control, but it reflects his general state (such as
comfortable, uncomfortable, hungry or sleepy).
Caregivers interpret the individual's state from
behaviors such as body movements, facial
expressions and sounds. In typically developing
children, this stage occurs between 0 and 3
months of age.
Level II. Intentional Behavior
Behavior is under the individual's control, but it
is not yet used to communicate intentionally.
Caregivers interpret the individual's needs and
desires from behaviors such as body
movements, facial expressions, vocalizations and
eye gaze. In typically developing children, this
stage occurs between 3 and 8 months of age.
Level III. Unconventional
Communication
• INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION BEGINS HERE, AT
LEVEL III
• Unconventional pre-symbolic behaviors are used
intentionally to communicate.
• Communicative behaviors are pre-symbolic because
they do not involve any sort of symbol; they are
unconventional because they are not socially
acceptable for us to use as we grow older.
• Communicative behaviors include body movements,
vocalizations, facial expressions and simple gestures
(such as tugging on people). In typically developing
children, this stage occurs between 6 and 12 months of
age.
Level IV. Conventional
Communication
Conventional pre-symbolic behaviors are used intentionally to
communicate.
Communicative behaviors are pre-symbolic because they do
not involve any sort of symbol; they are conventional because
they are socially acceptable and we continue to use them to
accompany our language as we mature.
The meanings of some gestures may be unique to the culture
in which they are used. Communicative behaviors include
pointing, nodding or shaking the head, waving, hugging, and
looking from a person to a desired object. Note that many of
these gestures (and especially pointing) require good visual
skills and may not be useful for individuals with severe vision
impairment. Some vocal intonations may also be used at this
stage. In typically developing children, this stage occurs
between 12 and 18 months of age.
Level V. Concrete Symbols
SYMBOLIC COMMUNICATION STARTS HERE, AT LEVEL V
(symbols represent, or stand for, something else)
• Concrete symbols that physically resemble what they
represent, are used to communicate.
• Concrete symbols look like, feel like, move like or sound
like what they represent. Concrete symbols include
pictures, objects (such as a shoelace to represent shoe),
iconic gestures (such as patting a chair to say sit down) and
sounds (such as making a buzzing sound to mean bee).
• Most individuals skip this stage and go directly to Level VI.
For some individuals concrete symbols may be the only
type of symbol that makes sense to them; for others they
may serve as a bridge to using abstract symbols. Typically
developing children use concrete symbols in conjunction
with gestures and words, generally between 12 and 24
months of age, but not as a separate stage.
Level VI. Abstract Symbols
• Abstract symbols such as speech, manual
signs, Brailled or printed words are used to
communicate. These symbols are abstract
because they are NOT physically similar to
what they represent. They are used one at a
time. In typically developing children, this
stage occurs between 12 and 24 months of
age.
Level VII. Language
• Symbols (concrete or abstract) are combined
into two- or three-symbol combinations
('want juice', 'me go out'), according to
grammatical rules.
• The individual understands that the meaning
of symbol combinations may differ depending
upon how the symbols are ordered. In
typically developing children, this stage begins
around 24 months of age.
Level VII. Language
• Symbols (concrete or abstract) are combined
into two- or three-symbol combinations
('want juice', 'me go out'), according to
grammatical rules.
• The individual understands that the meaning
of symbol combinations may differ depending
upon how the symbols are ordered. In
typically developing children, this stage begins
around 24 months of age.