Sixty subjects age 6 to 30 months were assessed with the Bayley Mental Scale of Infant Development (BMSID). Mean scores were substantially higher than standardized norms would predict, indicating that Bayley norms need to be revised, and that strict interpretation of the BMSID may result in misdiagnosis of some infants with developmental…

The keynote address of a November, 1988, symposium on developmental disabilities and the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) examines four basic areas of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) concern in Congress: research, education, testing and discrimination protection, and health care services. (DB)

Examined validity of test battery, organized by theoretical framework of levels of language processing and production, at end of kindergarten and first grade. At end of kindergarten two levels of oral language (pnonemic and lexical) and at end of first grade three levels of oral language (phonemic, lexical, and text) were correlated with word…

Presented are a rationale for identifying hearing loss in infancy and a history of screening procedures. The Crib-O-Gram and auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests are evaluated for reliability, validity, and cost-effectiveness. The ABR is recommended, and fully automated ABR instrumentation, which lowers expenses for trained personnel and…

Evaluates Screening Children for Related Early Educational Needs (SCREEN), a test which assesses beginning skills in oral language, reading, written expression, and math. Concludes that although SCREEN is useful to measure kindergarten or first-grade students at high risk for learning problems, its usefulness at the preschool level is…

Low vision children (ages 4-19, n=137) were screened, and 77 percent were advised to have comprehensive clinical evaluations or ophthalmology services. The visual capability of the referred children was determined, low vision aids were prescribed for 56 children, and the degree of successful utilization of aids was evaluated. (JDD)

Critiques Walker's article in this issue. Argues that Walker's data do not meet technical standards regarding individual placement tests for normative comparisons, interjudge reliability, or predictive validity, and therefore do not justify the use of the Gesell test to place children in developmental kindergarten or transitional first grade. (GLR)

Children (n=118) were administered a preschool screening battery 6 months before kindergarten entry and then 19 and 24 months later. Measures of phonological awareness, serial naming speed, and orthographic processing were found to make a strong contribution to prediction of first-grade reading. (Author/JDD)

A survey of 436 community pharmacists completing a distance learning (DL) course of continuing education (CE) in health screening, and 117 nonparticipants, found participants more positively disposed toward DL. Most found DL enjoyable and more suitable than other CE methods. More females and fewer males than expected requested and completed the…

The Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (New York City) program of preemployment urine toxicology examinations for beginning housestaff physicians has resulted in treatment for two physicians testing positive for illegal drugs. The program's primary purpose is to focus on substance abuse issues in graduate medical education. (Author/MSE)

Teacher ratings on the RISK scale for 2,306 kindergarten students were used to predict which children were ultimately placed in resource rooms or regular education. All five RISK factors were significantly related to future school performance. Most predictive items were child ability, current performance, and teacher investment. Overall RISK scale…

The Basic Achievement Skills Individual Screener is described as a quick screening tool for assessing basic skills of students functioning at grade 1-8 levels. The tool uses norm-referenced and criterion-referenced measures to assess achievement in reading, mathematics, spelling, and writing. This paper discusses test administration, scoring,…

This study evaluated the Consent Screening Interview, which assesses the ability of adults with developmental disabilities to give direct consent for community residential placement. Interviews conducted with 17 adults with mental retardation and a control group of 8 individuals indicated that the instrument differentiated between those subjects…

Like medieval war games of dialectical argument, today's education model is based on idea of competition, a scholastic sorting process aimed at fixing every child's place in life. So long as access to higher education rests on standardized test scores and/or high school grades in conventional subjects, higher education institutions will subject…

Methodological issues related to administering suicidal screening measures to children and adolescents are examined. Risk and comparison groups were formed within a longitudinal investigation of offspring of depressed and well mothers. Assessments were made four times for two siblings from each family. Patterns of reporting are discussed.…