A Review of Test Manuals for Special Education

The administration and testing procedures of formal assessments are stated in the testing manual, which is usually separate from the test itself. Directions for giving the test may be on the test as well as in the manual. The procedures before, during and after the assessment are clearly stated for various tests. Most test administration manuals will state who may administer the test, time requirements for a given test, accommodations for testing, and scoring and interpreting the test. All tests are not measuring the same thing or administered in the same way though most testing administration is similar. It must be remembered, that to ensure test validity and reliability the test cannot be compromised. The test must be kept secure and not revealed in any way to the student, teachers, or parents.

The BDIS or the Behavior Disorders Identification Scale is a teacher and parent filled survey, which highlights red flag behavior for the special education student in their class. It was developed to contribute to the early identification and service delivery for students with behavior disorders/emotional disturbance through direct observations by educators and parents. Assessing child strengths provides parents, direct service providers, and educators with a more broadened view of the child's functioning and an understanding of skills from which individualized treatment and education plans may be written. BDIS is a strength-based instrument designed to identify children's behavioral and emotional strengths. The psychometrics of the BDIS has been demonstrated through several studies; however, the focus has mainly been on older age students. (Trout, 1).