This checklist will help teachers who are assessing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) provide an optimal environment for observation for the DRDP (2015). Use of the checklist can help assessors plan more informed and meaningful observations and reflect on the accuracy of their observations. The items on the checklist correspond with more detailed information in the Guidance for Assessing Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
1. Become knowledgeable about the child with autism spectrum disorder
▢ Variability among and within children with ASD
▢ The child’s social communication skills and needs
▢ The child’s patterns of behaviors and interests
▢ The child’s home language
▢ Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
2. Support the child’s social communication skills
▢ Provide structure and predictability in the child’s daily routines
▢ Display visual schedules
▢ Ensure that communicative partners are familiar with the child’s AAC system
▢ Provide opportunities for the child to make choices
▢ Support frequent opportunities for interactions with peers
▢ Help children recognize and use facial expressions and gestures appropriately
3. Build on the child’s patterns of behaviors and interests
▢ Identify the child’s preferences and interests
▢ Use salient characteristics of the child’s preferences and interests to expand
the child’s repertoire of activities
▢ Implement a motivational system that maximizes the child’s participation in
unfamiliar and less preferred activities
4. Optimize the environment for observation
▢ Optimize positioning
▢ Optimize attention and participation
5. Rating the measures of the DRDP (2015)
▢ Determine mastery
▢ Note splinter skills
▢ Identify Interests and preferences
▢ Be aware of prompt dependency
▢ Consider social communication skills in assessment
