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Current Media Functioning

Description and Rationale

This assessment area is designed to determine the most effective method of learning for an individual student, or to ensure that the method being used is the correct one. Difficulties accessing current media impact all areas of learning. Areas to assess include auditory, visual, tactual, and gustatory skills. On-going evaluation of these skills helps predict and determine primary mode of learning.

Birth - 3 Years

Learning Media Assessment (LMA) forms 2 and 3 are used as appropriate to assess:

  • Primary and secondary sensory channels for eligibility (form 2)
  • Appropriate learning media (form 3)

3-5 Years

Learning Media Assessment (LMA) forms 2, 3, 4, are used as appropriate to assess and provide recommendations for:

  • Primary and secondary sensory channels for eligibility or change in sensory functioning (form 2)
  • Appropriate learning media (form 3)
  • Initial literacy medium for preschoolers (form 4)

5-22 Years

Learning Media Assessment (LMA) forms 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are used as appropriate to address:

  • Primary and secondary sensory channels for eligibility or change in sensory functioning for all students (form 2)
  • Appropriate learning media for all students (form 3)
  • Select initial literacy medium for preschoolers (form 4)
  • Select literacy medium for initial literacy instruction for students entering an early conventional literacy program (form 5)
  • Needed changes in the primary literacy medium or the need for additional literacy tools for students with an existing primary literacy medium (forms 6 and 7)

Multiple Disabilities/Deafblind

Sensory Learning Kit (SLK) Sensory Learning Summary (SLS), Arousal State Profile (ASP), if needed, Sensory Response Record (SRR), and Appetite/Aversion List (ALL) and/or Learning Media Assessment (LMA) forms 2, 3, and 4 are used as appropriate to assess and provide recommendations for:

  • Primary/secondary sensory channels
  • Learning media
  • Readiness for a conventional literacy program (if appropriate)

Tips

This assessment area provides a structured data collection format for determining a student's primary and secondary sensory learning channels, the types of general learning media the student uses, or will use, to accomplish learning tasks, and the literacy media the student will use for reading and writing.

Information gathered in this assessment area does not necessarily mean the student's current medium is the most efficient. This will be determined upon completion of the essential assessments.

When assessing this area, the TVI should pay particular attention to font size, type of paper, contrast of material, use of optical devices, and use of hands.

Not every child learns primarily through visual or tactual means. Gustatory, auditory, & kinesthetic skills can be an important mode of learning for students with additional disabilities.

This assessment area includes looking at the student's current media functioning as well as discovering recommendations for improving future accessibility to daily visual tasks.

Information gathered in this area also inventories and evaluates learning media found in the student's home, classroom and other learning environments.

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