News and Product Updates

New WPS Digital Easels now available for:

Print/online manuals and print forms will be needed for remote administration and can be purchased at the WPS e-commerce website.

If conducting remote administration, the clinician must use a teleconferencing platform (e.g. Zoom, etc.) to screen share the digital stimulus images file.

How to Use the New WPS Digital Easels

Assessment Telepractice Overview

The well-being of you, your clients, and students remain at the forefront of our concern during this world health crisis. We hope that this time with our families becomes an opportunity to build stronger relationships, both at home and with others remotely. A practitioner conducting remote evaluations for the first time needs support.

You are invited to read the WPS:

If you have specific requests or questions for your assessment, please contact us at consult@wpspublish.com.

Need tips and advice?

Watch recorded webinars from our knowledgeable and trusted WPS Assessment Consultants and authors.

Ashley Arnold – Online Assessment Tools Every Practitioner Needs for Telepractice (Download webinar slides here)	Cecil Reynolds – Improve Study Strategies and Enhance Comprehension in Homeschool and Remote Teaching Environments (Download webinar slides here)
Marilyn Monteiro – How the Sensory-Based MIGDAS-2 Individualizes the Autism Diagnostic Process (Download webinar slides here) (Download Q&A PDF here)	Cecil Reynolds – Anxiety: Recognizing and Assessing for Intervention (Download webinar slides here) (Download Q&A PDF here)
Diana Henry – SPM & SPM-P Quick Tips with Case Study: Helping a Preschooler with ASD and Sensory Processing Issues (Download webinar slides here) (Download sample materials here)	Sam Goldstein – Sustaining Your Resilience in Stressful Times Part 3: TENACITY: The Seven Instincts That Make Us Human (Download webinar slides here)
Sam Goldstein – Sustaining Your Resilience in Stressful Times Part 2: Standing & Addressing the Cascade of Youth Risk (Download webinar slides here)	Sam Goldstein – Sustaining Your Resilience in Stressful Times Part 1: Guidelines for Pediatric Mental Health Professionals (Download webinar slides here)
Douglene Jackson – OT Assessment via Telehealth	Donna Black – Pandemic Distress: Navigating the Course with Social–Emotional Learning (SEL)
Stephanie Roberts – Separating Fact from Fiction in Online Assessment	Ashley Arnold – 7 Rating Scales Available Online Now

View other assessment videos here.

Already Familiar with Telepractice?

WPS has a wide range of online products that may be appropriately used for telepractice under certain conditions. Please keep in mind that local laws and regulations apply and must be considered first in each case.

The WPS Online Evaluation System increases clinical efficiency for the same price as print materials, allowing you to quickly administer and score many of the WPS assessments you know and trust. Use it with complete confidence because it’s HIPAA/FERPA compliant. You can:

Administer locally or remotely
Email links to online forms directly to raters
Check the status of an administration at any time
Consume the online form only when you score it
Score quickly and easily; there’s no need for manual calculations

All available kits and online forms can be purchased here: wpspublish.com/online-assessment-search

COVID-19 Resources

We're here to help. For young people, this can be an especially challenging time as they process the changes prompted by COVID-19. Here are some resources for talking to young people about it and how to help them manage and cope with what they hear and see.

NASP: Helping Children Cope with Changes Resulting from COVID-19

Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety

NPR: How to Talk About COVID-19 with People Who Have Autism

Parents and caretakers of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities such as autism face unique hurdles in communicating about the coronavirus pandemic

Temple Grandin’s 7 Tips to Help Our Loved Ones with Autism during This Global Health Pandemic

Autism expert Temple Grandin offers advice, knowing that children and adults with autism often have difficulty adjusting to changes, surprises, transitions, and disappointments

ASHA: 10 Ways Children with Language Disorders Can Maintain Both Physical Distance and Social Connection

Physical distance doesn’t have to mean social distance – even for children with language disorders

Down the Hatch – The Swallowing Podcast: COVID Era and SLP Dysphagia Practice

Experts discuss questions that center around whether SLPs are essential practitioners at this critical time

4 Tips to Use When You Talk to Your Kids about COVID-19

Whether you have a curious 5-year-old or a concerned teenager, here’s how to discuss this ever-evolving situation

The ‘‘Big 7’’ – Evidence-Based Strategies for Regulating Emotions in Uncertain Times

Webinar: Discussion on how we can grow our emotion regulation skills and apply them to a variety of situations

NASP Parent Handout: Talking to Children about COVID-19

Helping children cope with anxiety requires providing accurate prevention information and facts without causing undue alarm

Resources for Families

These resources can assist parents and students with questions about mental health, community mental health options, and special education programs and services

More Parent Resources for School Closure

Here are general recommendations for parents supporting social, emotional, and behavioral needs

FAQs: Assessment Telepractice

We’re addressing questions from you and your colleagues as they come in.

Can I administer a direct in-person measure remotely?

The assessments were not standardized in this way, and you should use your clinical judgment to carefully consider how any necessary adaptations will affect the results. Here is the WPS statement on tele-assessment and WPS remote assessment guidelines. You can also read the WPS Assessment Validity Considerations during COVID-19.

What do I need to assess from home?

Whether you have a PC or Mac, you'll need an understanding of national and state guidelines as well as familiarity with video conferencing. Here are links to professional organizations on getting started: ASHA, NASP, AOTA, and APA. You can also view the WPS remote assessment guidelines for information on testing environments, preparations, and other considerations and requirements.

Are the standards for assessing remotely changing amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes, states are allowing for expanded use of telemedicine and telehealth services. Practitioners should review their local and state guidelines.

What other assessments can I use to evaluate someone remotely?

You can administer and score the following products, which require no adaptations for remote administration, via the WPS Online Evaluation System: ABAS-3, DP-4, Piers-Harris 3, RCMAS-2, RISE, SCQ, SMALSI, SPM, SPM Quick Tips, SPM-P, SPM-P Quick Tips, and SRS-2.

For performance tests, do you have data comparing remote administration vs. in-person administration?

Yes, a recent study compared performance on the Clinical Assessment of Pragmatics (CAPs) using remote administration vs. in-person administration, and the results suggest that test scores obtained through administering the CAPs remotely are equivalent to test scores obtained through standardized, in-person administration.

Can I administer the ADOS-2 remotely?

The ADOS-2 requires administration by a trained examiner who is in close contact with the examinee and interacting with the same materials. Administrations of the ADOS-2 should resume when in-person contact is possible. Specific to Module 4, the assessment is less reliant on toys and materials than other ADOS-2 modules and focuses on the social interactions between examiner and examinee. Remote administration would require modifications to standard procedures, which would likely change the social “press,” limiting the scope of observation and may produce invalid results inconsistent with published research. Any administrations conducted in this manner should be for qualitative purposes, without the use of algorithms.

During COVID-19, can I validly administer the ADOS-2 while practicing social distancing and/or wearing personal protective equipment?

A variety of professionals use the ADOS-2 in different practice settings around the world. During COVID-19, any given professional using the ADOS-2 should review current area guidelines for practice and any recommendations from local health departments and credentialing agencies to determine whether a standardized ADOS-2 assessment can be done. Standardized administration of the ADOS-2 involves close contact and the use of shared materials. Following COVID-19 precautions like social distancing or wearing a face mask/shield can change the rapport of these interactions by obscuring facial expressions and spoken language. Data supporting the validity of the ADOS-2 are based on examiners' administrations engaging with examinees without physical barriers and varying physical distances, depending on the activities. The extent of variation and impact to standardized procedures on the validity of an ADOS-2 assessment is empirical and will likely depend on aspects of the administration. For example, it is easier to follow standardized administration procedures while maintaining physical distance using Module 4 than the Toddler Module. Any deviations from standard procedures should be noted in the evaluation report, and depending on their extent, may be reported qualitatively in observations in place of formal scoring.

Do you offer remote training for the ADOS-2?

We do not offer remote training workshops for the ADOS-2. However, the WPS DVD Training Package (W-605DVD) is the equivalent of the 2-day live training, with instruction in all five ADOS-2 modules. Please keep in mind that if you plan to use the ADOS-2 in research, you must attend the in-person training.

During COVID-19, can I use ADOS-2 activities in a nonstandard way to facilitate qualitative behavioral observations?

Conducting a standardized ADOS-2 evaluation during the pandemic may not be possible. Many professionals are theorizing whether the ADOS-2 activities can facilitate qualitative behavioral observations in a nonstandardized way. WPS does not require any permissions to conduct nonstandard administrations, as long as the materials used are the originally provided materials by WPS (without any reprinting, digitization, translation, adaptation, etc.). In this situation, we recommend writing up the results by acknowledging the nonstandard nature of the administration. A clinical report of this nature would state an attempt of the standardized administration, but the validity of the criteria was not met. Following this statement, explain how the scoring was not formally completed and instead qualitative observations from tasks were used (describe these tasks and behavioral observations in detail).

What is the BOSA, how can I access it, and how does it relate to the ADOS-2?

The BOSA (Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism) is an experimental measure created by and available through Dr. Catherine Lord’s research team to accommodate ADOS-2 users during COVID-19. The BOSA provides a context of activities that can be presented by an examiner (e.g., caregiver, therapist) within a 12–14-minute observation. It can be observed live, through telehealth, or on recorded video. ADOS-2 coding is then applied to the observation, and a checklist is completed to indicate evidence of symptoms of autism. This experimental measure is being designed for clinicians and researchers with sufficient training and experience using the ADOS-2 who are, at present, seeking an alternative to the standardized ADOS-2. Though WPS is facilitating the authors’ arrangements related to the BOSA, all questions about use and permitted access should be sent directly to the authors at the following address: makingbettermeasures@gmail.com.

Can I assess someone remotely using the ADI-R?

While it is possible to conduct the ADI-R over a telephone or video conferencing system, this particular method of administration is not validated. If necessary to be done remotely, we recommend using a secure video-conferencing platform to mimic face-to-face administration and contact as much as possible. During administration, do not rush and be sure to help families with minimal distractions. The quality of information obtained will depend on the quality of the clinical interviewing process. Elements of rapport during a video call must be maintained as if being done in an in-person administration. Remote administration is not ideal but provides a temporary solution until standard practices are resumed.

Can I validly administer the MIGDAS-2 while practicing social distancing and/or wearing personal protective equipment? How about administering it remotely over a secure video-conferencing platform?

The MIGDAS-2 process uses sensory materials, conversation, and a visual framework to help evaluators gather and organize qualitative information necessary to diagnose autism in children, adolescents, and adults. This process includes guidelines for gathering information from parents, caregivers, and teachers and for conducting a sensory-based interview with the individual evaluated. The interview's recreation of a dynamic social interaction may change due to COVID-19 precautions such as social distancing or wearing a protective face covering. This may interfere with establishing a rapport by obscuring facial expressions and spoken language. Although impacted in such cases during the MIGDAS-2 interview, the evaluator can still make informed observations and gain useful qualitative information from the interaction. The provided questionnaires also provide information from the parents, caregivers, and teachers' perspectives alongside the evaluation.

The MIGDAS-2 materials are particularly useful in guiding the conduction of parent and teacher interviews through a secure video-conferencing platform. The process also helps guide the virtual interview conversation for the individual under evaluation. For example, with school-aged verbally fluent children and adolescents with parents, the conversation can start by having the child share interests and favorite items they have with them at home. Children often show materials with distinctive sensory properties, allowing the evaluator to share an exchange related to their preferred areas of interest and observe the interactions with those materials.

This type of shared object-focused exchange between the evaluator and child is generally not possible during a remote observation for children with limited to no verbal fluency. However, the MIGDAS-2 protocol can still serve as a guide for observing nonverbal children within his or her familiar environment, with access to preferred objects. Social communication features, for example, consistent with ASD can be observed in children's interactions with parents who are remotely present.

A MIGDAS-2 virtual interview conversation also works well with the evaluation of adults. The adult interview includes past and current sensory information history and is not limited to a lack of in-person access to sensory fidgets like with children and adolescents. During the conversation, the evaluator can observe routines displayed with body movements, object use, and thematic topics of interest.

The qualitative focus of the MIGDAS-2 allows evaluators to recognize neurodiversity without emphasizing diagnostic terminology. The assessment processes help evaluators consider all sources of available information (e.g., observations, rating scales) and facilitate writing a narrative evaluation report describing treatment recommendations. These recommendations include identifying brain-style strengths and differences, coaching the development of necessary skills, introducing positive supports, and providing individualized tools to address regulation, organizational, and social/emotional needs.

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More Resources

APA: Psychologists’ Advice to Newly Remote Workers

Advice from I/O psychologists on how both managers and employees can work more effectively during this time

Professional Guidelines Focusing on Telepsychology and Internet-Based Therapy

Resources to help therapists, counselors, and other clinicians keep up with changes in the areas of telepsychology, telehealth, and internet-based therapy

APA: Telepsychology Best Practices