ITEM DEVELOPMENT AND PILOT TESTING OF THE MAP-SCREEN

DEVELOPMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PROPOSES TO DEVELOP THE MAP-SCREEN, A SHORT SCREENING TEST TO DETERMINE WHICH PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ARE AT RISK FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES. THE MAP-SCREEN WILL BE DEVELOPED FROM THE RESEARCH OF THE MILLER ASSESSMENT FOR PRESCHOOLERS (MAP), A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, PREDICTIVE INSTRUMENT, AND SERVE AS A COMPANION PRODUCT TO THE MAP. THE MAP-SCREEN IS BEING PROPOSED IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FROM PUBLISHERS AND CONSUMERS TO DEVELOP A PRODUCT THAT WOULD BE AS RELIABLE BUT SHORTER IN LENGTH AND LESS EXPENSIVE. COMPREHENSIVE ITEM SELECTION WILL OCCUR TO MEET RECOGNIZED PSYCHOMETRIC STANDARDS FOR TEST DEVELOPMENT AND PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS. ITEM SELECTION WILL BE BASED ON: EXTENSIVE, PREVIOUS ITEM RESEARCH AND PREDICTIVE VALIDITY, TEST-RETEST, AND RELIABILITY COEFFICIENTS FOR EACH ITEM; COST; ADMINISTRATION TIME; AND MARKETING CONSIDERATIONS. THE RESULTING POOL OF ITEMS WILL BE PILOT-TESTED ON 160 COLORADO CHILDREN (N=120 NORMAL, N=40 AT RISK) AND DATA ON ESTIMATES OF ITEM DIFFICULTY AND DISCRIMINATION WILL BE ANALYZED. IN PHASE II, THE MAP-SCREEN WILL BE NATIONALLY STANDARDIZED ON A SAMPLE OF 3,200 CHILDREN STRATIFIED BY AGE(2 TO 6 YEARS), RACE, SEX, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ACCORDING TO UNITED STATES CENSUS STATISTICS. MANUFACTURINGAND MARKETING WILL BE UNDERTAKEN BY A MAJOR PUBLISHING FIRM.