1
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Intellectual
General limitations and Precautions: Use of performance subtests yields only
Assessment
estimates based on functional areas assessed. Use of verbal scales/tests should be
restricted to knowledgeable clinicians.
Differential Ability Scales,
Second Edition (DAS-II):
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6 to 18 years
Has a nonverbal cluster for an overall score comparable to controls
Provides useful information about global cognition, nonverbal reasoning,
and spatial abilities for those using ASL
Very visual and attractive to deaf children
Was translated into American Sign Language with a training video
Activities are things they can do or have experience with
Easy for the examiner to administer
Pictures on the verbal items facilitate responses
Nice range of tests and ages—easily used for younger examinees
suspected of cognitive deficits
Helpful to have samples and models to help examinee understand the
instructions better
Includes memory measures involving pictures
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
2
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Leiter International
Performance Scale-Revised
(LIPS-R):
Specifications and Precautions
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Kaufman Assessment Battery
for Children, Second Edition
(KABC-2):
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2 to 21 years
One of the few tests designed to be completely nonverbal both for
responses and instructions
Examiner is allowed some leeway in determining what gestures are
allowed and when minimum language can be used for communication
Most examinees easily understand what is expected
Has a separate attention & memory battery
There are rating scales for parent, self, and examiner
Discontinue rules can be complicated as they are different from other tests
The number of cards involved can be cumbersome to use and it requires
practice to lay them out and gather them up again quickly so the examinee
does not lose interest
3 to 19 years
Has a nonverbal index
Very visual, attractive to deaf children
Activities are things they can do or have experience with
Easy for the examiner to administer
Pictures on verbal items facilitate responses (e.g. Expressive Vocabulary)
Scoring and discontinue rules, layout, etc. information is straightforward
and easy to learn
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
3
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Stanford Binet Intelligence
Scale, Fifth Edition (SB-V):
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Ages 2->85 years
Has verbal and nonverbal scale
Especially useful for young children suspected of cognitive limitations
Some tests can be used with those of limited language ability
Wechsler Nonverbal (WNV):
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4 to 22 years
Eliminates or minimizes verbal directions
Uses pictorial directions with brief verbal prompts in examinee’s language
Reduces need for accommodations that would normally invalidate some
tests
Also useful for Autism and Mental Retardation
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Wechsler Intelligence Scale
for Children, Fourth Edition
(WISC-IV):
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6 to 16 years 11 months
One of the most researched and best constructed instruments
Use of the Integrated version allows for more diagnostic, limit testing
opportunities
Has a visual equivalent for digit span and letter span—spatial span—to
measure working memory
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
4
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Universal Nonverbal
Intelligence Test (UNIT):
Specifications and Precautions
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5 through 17 years
One of the few tests that was designed to be completely nonverbal for
responses and instructions so is useful for those whose cognitive ability
cannot be adequately or fairly assessed with language-based tests
Only a few basic gestures can be used
Most examinees easily understand what is expected although many
struggle with the first subtest—symbolic memory
Discontinue & scoring rules, layout, management of materials are
straightforward and easy for the examiner to learn and use
Manual provides good descriptive information about what the test
measures
Evaluates memory and reasoning
Useful for mild-moderate mental retardation and autism spectrum
Beta-III
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Performance (non-verbal)
Shipley-2
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Vocabulary and Abstraction (reading level not provided)
Correlates to WAIS
Impairment Index( useful with substance users , TBI )
Wonderlic Contemporary
Cognitive Ability Test
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Requires reading (reading level not provided)
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Achievement
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
5
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Wide Range Achievement
Test 4 (WRAT 4)
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Ages 5-94
Spelling, reading , & sentence comprehension are untimed
Useful as quick screening for job requirements
Spelling is dictated
Reading assessed by pronunciation
Sentence comprehension is spoken
Arithmetic is timed
Adult Basic Learning
Examination (ABLE)
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Not timed
Ages >17
Based on number of years of formal schooling
Useful in ABE or for workplace literacy
Vocabulary & Arithmetic Problem Solving (level 1) tests are dictated
ABLE is appropriate for use with adults in a variety of adult education
programs, including Tech Prep programs, GED programs, and adult
literacy programs. The content is appropriate for adults and accommodates
the non-reader.
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
6
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Stanford Achievement Test –
Tenth Edition for use with
Deaf or hard of hearing
(SAT-10)
Specifications and Precautions
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Untimed with flexible guidelines.
Thirteen Levels - Kindergarten - Grade 12
Scaled Scores, National and Local Percentile Ranks and Stanines, Grade
Equivalents, and Normal Curve Equivalents
Achievement/Ability Comparisons (AACs) with the Otis-Lennon School
Ability Test®, Eighth Edition
Complete and abbreviated M-C battery by grade and subject
Time limits removed
Deaf norms available
Use with students in transition to postsecondary education
Limited use with adults
Developed for schools
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
7
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Woodcock-Johnson III Tests
of Achievement (WJ III
ACH)
Specifications and Precautions
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Age 2-90+
19/22 subtests untimed
Select area to be measured—may use individual sections
Used to identify instructional level & services needed
4 oral language subtests
Several subtests rely on hearing (words, sounds, taped story) ,use of
metaphors, and sound awareness. Stories, Understanding Directions, and
Oral Comprehension can be signed by a qualified clinician, but the English
grammar must be retained.
 TheWJ III NU Tests of Achievement include tests and clusters that directly
parallel those outlined by IDEA and provide sound procedures for
determining learning variances between abilities and achievement.
 School personnel are familiar with the test
 No separate norms for deaf or hard of hearing and lacks research for this
group
 Of the 21 tests in the Cognitive Battery, 7 require the use of an audio tape;
however, some of these, such as Auditory Working Memory, can be
presented orally or signed to the client
 Only computer scoring is available
 Oral pronunciation of words, use of rebuses, analogies and cloze
procedures are particularly difficult for deaf, hard of hearing and/or
language challenged students
 Passage Comprehension sections were viewed unrelated to what occurs in
classroom and the task is affected by word retrieval difficulties
 Math computation fails to provide sufficient examples of different
problem types
 Problem-solving relies too much on time and money to give valid
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
assessment of overall abilities
Sligar, and Donna Morere
 Interpretation of written and oral language is very subjective
8
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Test of Written Language,
Third Edition (TOWL-3):
Specifications and Precautions
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Wechsler Individual
Achievement Test, Second
Edition (WIAT-II):
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Ages 7 years 6 months through 17 years 11 months
Comprehensive norm-referenced test of written language using both essay
and traditional test formats
There are two alternate forms
Untimed
Attempts were made to eliminate cultural, gender, and racial bias but no
normative data for deaf or hard of hearing
Measures of internal and test-retest consistency are reported as about .80 at
most ages with many in the .90s
One section requires dictated sentences which may be inappropriate
Ages 4 years, 0 months through 50 years, 11 months
Word Reading has more early items focusing on letter sounds than the
original WIAT and the list of words to be read aloud is no more useful or
easier to sign. Signing changes the task from identification to
comprehension.
Reading comprehension is not appropriate for deaf and most hard of
hearing students
Directions are complex and difficult to understand for reading
comprehension
The first 11 Spelling items focus on what letter(s) make certain sounds
Math Reasoning is difficult to administer and not useful for deaf students
because of language
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
9
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Test of Early Reading Ability
for Deaf or Hard of Hearing
(TERA-D/HH):
Specifications and Precautions
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Peabody Individual
Achievement Test-Revised
(PIAT-R):
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3 through 13 years, 11 months
Adaptation of the Test of Early Reading Ability, Second Edition
Norms are old and based on a sample collected before early diagnosis and
intervention, so it may over estimate skills.
Designed for children with hearing thresholds in the moderate to profound
range (41 to >91 dB); sample of 1146 children across the United States
Measures ability to construct meaning, alphabet knowledge, and
awareness of print
There are two alternate equivalent forms
Examiner has to cut and paste pictures to put use as testing materials
Some subtests have reliabilities of less than .80 and should be interpreted
cautiously using other data
Ages 5 through 18 years
Three of five subtests use multiple-choice requiring only a pointing
response
No time limits
Item content seems appropriate
General Information relies heavily on language and syntactic ability
Higher levels of reading recognition require correct phonetic
pronunciation for credit
Some language in questions is complex
Not designed for use as a diagnostic test in any one content area but to
identify the student’s general level of achievement
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
10
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Kaufman Test of Educational
Achievement (KTEA):
Current edition is
Kaufman Test of Educational
Achievement, Second Edition
(KTEA-II)
Specifications and Precautions
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Brigance Diagnostic
Comprehensive Inventory of
Basic Skills (CIBS) &
Brigance Inventory of Early
Development (IED):
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Ages: 4 years, 6 months through 25 years (Comprehensive Form); 4 years,
6 months through 90+ (Brief Form)
Manual allows for student to respond in English, sign language, slang or
another language
Students are given credit for any response that can clearly be defended as
correct
Test is user friendly as administration and scoring are relatively easy
Errors on Reading Decoding are based on pronunciation
Administration of spelling tests presents a problem when there is no
specific sign
Criterion-referenced
Covers a wide range of school-related skills from K-9th grade
Provides a structure for non-formal assessment
Allows for generation of IEP goals
Single tests and items can be used separately
Many reading items measure phonetic decoding or oral reading and are not
appropriate for deaf or hard of hearing
Lacks information on validity and generalizability of results
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
11
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Test of Early Mathematics
Ability, Second Edition
(TEMA-2):
Specifications and Precautions
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Key Math Revised:
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3 through 8 years 11 months
Good potential as a general measure of math strength and weaknesses, a
screen for school readiness, and a guide for instruction and remediation
Easel back makes administration more examiner friendly
Reliabilities are in the .90s
Little research data to indicate expectations for performance of deaf and
hard of hearing
Ages 5 through 13 or k through 9
Produces a profile of skills
Can compare student’s performance on the total test and that of peers the
same age or grade
Provides information that can guide teachers in selecting appropriate
remediation techniques
There are alternate test forms
However there are no norms for deaf or hard of hearing students
Instructions for some items require processing syntactically complex
language
“Missing elements” and “word problems” draw too heavily on language
skills for some
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
12
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Adaptive Behavior
Adaptive Behavior
Assessment System, Second
Edition (ABAS-II):
Adaptive Behavior
Evaluation Scale-Revised
(ABES-R):
Inventory for Client and
Agency Planning (ICAP):
General Limitations and Cautions
Communication, language, community use, and related skills areas can be
affected by deafness. Information on deaf samples should be considered when
available. Respondents should be instructed to consider signing as “speech”
when responding to questions related to language.
 All ages
 Fewer items pertaining to speaking, hearing, listening, singing, etc. than
other scales
 Language of the questionnaire appears easy for most parents to understand
 There is a Spanish version
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5 to 18 years
Helpful items and range of responses but not divided into sections like
other scales
Some of the Spanish items are worded in a confusing manner and should
be re-translated
All ages
Good for high school and older individuals
A shorter version of the SIB-R
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
13
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Vineland Adaptive Behavior
Scales, Second Edition
(VABS-II):
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All ages
The communication domain has too many items that specify speaking,
listening, singing, and other activities related to hearing
Not enough items at the high school age and older levels
Has a variety of forms: parent checklist, examiner interview, Spanish
Aptitude
Career Ability Placement
Survey (CAPS)
O*Net Ability Profiler
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High school & college norms
3 ability dimensions do not require reading
Specific ability screening
Career counseling
6th grade reading level overall (required for 5/8 ability dimensions)
Free (almost)
8/11 subtests do not require reading
Specific ability screening
Career counseling
6th grade reading level overall (required for 3/11 subtests)
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
14
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
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Easy to administer
Timed or untimed
Screening for jobs that require finger and manual dexterity
Limited range of jobs
Ruff Figural Fluency
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Word fluency tasks
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Ages 16 to 70 years
Visual alternative to word fluency tasks, but may not correspond with
linguistic fluency.
Normative data available for specific tasks for children and adults
Available as a separate task or subtest of batteries, including the D-KEFS and
WJ-III
Vocabulary and second language issues affect performance.
Select categorical rather than letter, unless individual has high level English
skills.
Currently under investigation as alternative to the Stroop
Crawford Small Parts
Executive
Delis–Kaplan Executive
Functioning
Function System (D-KEFS)
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Five Digit Test
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WCST, Towers of Hanoi
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Color Trails Test
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Children’s Color Trails Test
WJ-III Planning, maze tasks
Ages 8 through 89 years
Many subtests are not appropriate. Consider individual tests.
Clinical data appear to be comparable with deaf, but instructions may be
problematic, so use with caution.
Ages 18 years, 0 months to 89 years, 11 months
Child form ages 8 to 16 years, preliminary norms for ages 5 to 7
Preferred to standard trails due to variable alphabetic automaticity
Clinical data for deaf individuals appear to be comparable to hearing norms
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
15
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Fluid
Reasoning
Measure
Spatial reasoning tasks
preferred
Working Memory Digit Span tasks
Specifications and Precautions
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Influence of language on instructions and cognitive mediation should be
considered, but research suggests standard norms are appropriate.
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Subtests of multiple tests with norms ranging from early childhood to older
adults
Be aware that deaf signers average a forward span of about 5 with equivalent
forward and reverse spans.
WAIS, WISC, and WMS scaled scores average around 8 instead of the
standard 10
Deaf signers tend to equal or exceed hearing norms.
Replaced by Spatial Addition in WMS-IV on which there is limited data on
use with deaf population
Some subtests not appropriate.
Caution should be used with visual tasks that have verbal responses or
mediation due to linguistic impact on performance.
Ages 2 to 90+ years
Reflects ability to associate visual icons with words/signs and is readily
signed.
These are available in most memory batteries.
Both abstract and concrete visual memory should be evaluated.
Available as stand-alone tasks (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) or as
subtests of batteries.
Lists using pronouns and adverbs should be avoided.
Some words may need to be modified for signing.
Concrete objects are best, but iconicity of signs should be considered.
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Memory
Visual Span (WMS-III)
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WMS-IV
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WJ-III Visual- Auditory
Learning
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Object recognition task and 
a design recall tasks
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Word memory tasks
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Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
16
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
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Attention
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Story recall tasks
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Sign Paired Associates
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standard visual scanning
and attention tasks
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Perceptual –
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Motor
Motor
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Personality/
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Visual –
Sentence recall tasks
Specifications and Precautions
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T.O.V.A., CPT II
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Standard tasks can be used, 
but caution must be used
with instructions.
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Standard visual-motor tasks 
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Rey Complex Figure and
Recognition Trial
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Rorschach, TAT, drawing 
tasks
Found in most memory batteries and on the WJ-III Cognitive
English word order is problematic. It supports recall for hearing participants,
but may hinder recall for deaf individuals.
If used, interpret relative to English skills.
Modify signing style to match client, score flexibly and examine the
organization of the response
Alternative to paired associates.
Research norms for adults – participants aged 23 to 67 years.
Components of intelligence/cognitive tests with norms from early childhood
to older adulthood.
Symbol or object tasks are preferable to letters.
Numbers may be appropriate depending on the individual
TOVA ages 4 to 80 years; Connors CPT ages 6 and older
Inconsistent data with deaf.
Interpret with caution.
Be aware that asking a deaf person to close their eyes or wear a blindfold is to
cut them off from communication.
Use of barriers is preferred.
Performance appears comparable to norms.
Differences in organizational strategies may occur.
Do not interpret unless the product is distorted.
Responses should be scored directly from ASL and taped to allow for review
during scoring. Interpret with extreme caution.
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
17
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Emotional
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Behavior
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Objective measures
Specifications and Precautions
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Achenbach Child
Behavior Checklist
(CBCL):
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Behavior Assessment
System for Children,
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Second Edition (BASC-2): 
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Behavior Rating
Inventory of Executive
Functioning (BRIEF):
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Extreme caution should be used with all objective measures due to the impact
of English and reading skills.
Interpretation can change the items.
General Limitations and Cautions…
Scoring is simple for the respondent (0, 1, or 2)
Scoring program allows comparison of up to five raters
Questions are easy to understand for most people
However, questions are mostly negative so test is less useful for identifying
strengths
Ages 2 to 25 years
Can compare up to three raters but not self-report to other raters
Provides diagnostic consideration, target behaviors, grouping of items under
each scale
However, may over diagnose and requires good examiner practices and other
confirmation
Computer scoring provides many useful recommendations
Parent rating form and self-report form which may be difficult for many
individuals with low levels of reading skills
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
18
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Interests
O*Net Interest Profiler
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Free
Holland Codes
Direct link to the O*Net
Useful for career counseling
8th grade reading level
Self-Directed Search
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Form E 4th grade reading level
Holland Codes
Useful for career counseling
Self-administration requires self-knowledge and familiarity with activities
Reading-Free Vocational
Interest Inventory: 2
(RFVII:2)
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Pictorial
Reading & writing free
Ages >13
Manual allows for item explanation
Useful with persons who may have LD or ID
Items focus on unskilled and semi-skilled jobs
Occupational areas do not relate to DOT, O*Net, or Holland Codes
Wide Range Interest and
Occupation Test (WRIOT2)
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Pictorial
Career counseling
Individual pictures useful as counseling tool
Requires some exposure to the depicted jobs
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere
19
Assessment Inventory
Functional Area
Measure
Specifications and Precautions
Assessment Inventory compiled September, 2011 by PEPNet Assessment and Evaluation Webinar Participants: Ann Moxley, Steven
Sligar, and Donna Morere