THE EFFICACY OF INTELLIGENCE TESTING IN CHILDREN WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES,VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS AND/OR THE INABILITY TO SPEAK

Intelligence testing is an important part of any individualized education plan; however, a verbal test measure may not be appropriate for the child with a physical disability, visual impairment, and/or the inability to speak. A child with a physical disability may not be able to point accurately or build a tower with blocks; a child with a visual impairment may not be able to identify the colors in the small boxes contained in the test, and a child who is unable to speak may not have the same command of language as a peer who is able to speak. In order for schools and others to have an accurate depiction of the intelligence of a child with a disability, alternate testing methods may need to be employed. It is in the best interest of every child to have an adequate assessment to identify his/her individual educational needs. The purpose of this paper is to present the special needs of children with a physical disability, visual impairment, and/or the inability to speak and to propose some alternative testing methods to make testing more appropriate for these children. For the past 29 years, I have devoted my life to the care of children and adults with disabilities, first as a nurse, and the past 4 years as a parent. It has become apparent to me that an intelligence quotient (IQ