In spring 2010 I was invited by the Clinical Assessments team at Pearson Publishing (a major publisher of products utilized in speech language pathology practice) to design one or more iPad apps for dynamic assessment.   I have now presented them with a product wireframe (the second one), with the provisional  name of Dynamic Assessment of Academic Language Skills (DAALS).  The app employs a specific assessment methodology which is beginning to show good sensitivity (ability to identify children with language disabilities) in the research literature, and is considered a less biased strategy that can be utilized with children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The project, when completed, will be comparable to publishing a standardized test.

Dynamic assessment is an area of specialization for me on which I have written and presented. I have developed two drafts of the app which have undergone and passed review processes by the publisher.(See the “wire frame” presentation approved by the advisory board at the link below;  please note that as the original presentation includes animation, the PDF at times appears distorted).

Dynamic Assessment of Academic Language Skills (DAALS) App_updated

The app is now at a third stage of review which involves the financial requirements for publication.  At this level I will be completing (by the end of October 2013) a specifications detail form to enable cost review (see affirmation from the product manager regarding the stage of development of the project).

Pearson anticipates that the design/development/field testing of this app will take about a year or more to complete, with subsequent apps then building on the template of the first.  They intend to conduct thorough reliability and validity assessments (and obtain sensitivity/specificity indices) of this product before placing on the market, just as they do with traditional “pen and paper” assessments.  This has been a lengthy process, with much of what happens in it outside of my control, but I have confidence that the end results will be worthwhile.

Next. . .In Preparation