Evaluation and assessment tool for mentally challenged children

Assessment, evaluation and programming a person with mental retardation based on the inputs from the interdisciplinary team of rehabilitation professionals is a challenging task for Special educators. A child with mental retardation undergoes a comprehensive evaluation to assess the nature of services required for his/her improvement. Following this evaluation, collected data is translated into statements of special education needs. Special educators use various tools for assessment, but the process currently followed in India is primarily manual. Thus, the special educator has to spend much of his/her time for writing reports, drawing graphs/charts etc. Reference of past records and micro level analysis of children are practically impossible in the manual system. ‘Punarjjani’, the software tool developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, India in association with Media Lab Asia, New Delhi, is an attempt for solving these issues. It is a web based integrated assessment tool for mentally challenged children, conforming to the Indian practice. The system follows the principle that assessment is the first necessary step in program planning, followed by the designing of Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Algorithms are drawn from the manual process which is currently followed. The tool suggests the strength and needs of each child, based on the inputs. Areas where sufficient independence is achieved, areas which are to be strengthened and problem areas are identified for each person. Based on this analysis, optimal long term goal and short term objectives are identified and suitable lesson plan is recommended for each child. A grouping algorithm incorporated in the tool helps to create homogenous groups for group teaching of mentally challenged children. The software is a great help to special educators to arrive at a comprehensive picture of an individual's performance level in adaptive behaviors.