A framework for understanding young children with severe multiple disabilities. The Van Dijk approach to assessment. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities

This article describes a framework for assessing young children with severe multiple disabilities that was devel-oped by Dr. Jan van Dijk and colleagues in the Nether-lands. The assessment is guided by the lead of the child as it looks at the underlying processes of learning includ-ing biobehavioral state, orienting response, learning channels, approach–withdrawal, memory, interactions, communication, and problem solving. Through the use of two case studies, each of the learning processes is described along with suggestions for assessment and in-tervention. A sample protocol with observations, child strengths and needs, and suggestions for intervention is included. DESCRIPTORS: severe multiple disabilities, deaf-blind, van Dijk, assessment, learning processes Children with severe multiple disabilities provide a number of challenges for family members and educa-tors who are seeking to understand these children’s strengths, needs, and learning styles to better facilitate their learning and quality of life. Standardized assess-ment procedures, often required for establishing eligi-bility for special education services, are especially prob-lematic, and often yield information that is both inac-curate and biased when used with young children with severe multiple disabilities and sensory impairment