CONSUMER VALIDATION OF AN INDEX CHARACTERIZING THE FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES OF YOUNG-CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Current systems for characterizing infants and young children with dis abilities have been associated with a number of problems. The ABILITIE S Index was developed as a way to describe the functional abilities an d limitations of children across nine domains. This article reports th e results of a survey of parents and professionals in early interventi on programs to determine their perceptions of the ABILITIES index as a means of assessing its consumer validity. A total of 209 parents, 91 teachers, 93 therapists, and 55 Developmental Evaluation Center specia lists in early intervention and preschool programs in North Carolina e valuated the ABILITIES Index, Mean satisfaction ratings across five di mensions were generally positive, with parents consistently rating the instrument more positively than other consumers. Subsequent analyses indicated that, overall, level of education did not predict positive a ppraisal of the ABILITIES index. Consumers offered a number of suggest ions for how the Index could be used in early intervention.