Cautions for the Use of Informal Measures in the Educational Assessment of Exceptional Children

Abstract

Informal assessment can make a valuable contribution to the assessment process in special education. Informal procedures are characterized by their ability to be tailored to the needs of specific assessment situations and are especially useful in student evaluation for this reason. However, because informal procedures are typically of unknown technical adequacy they must be constructed and used with care. Specific cautions to be exercised in the construction and use of informal procedures are suggested as one means of increasing the technical quality and utility of these evaluation tools.