Adaptive Behavior and Low Incidence Handicaps
Individuals who have physical impairments are a very heterogeneous group. Teachers and other direct care personnel of the physically handicapped have traditionally received medical diagnoses and medical information with very few educational and/or treatment implications. The use of adaptive behavior scales with the physically handicapped offers a functional assessment tool that can be directly applied to individual treatment plans. This article examines problems in the traditional assessment procedures used with the physically handicapped and discusses the use of adaptive behavior scales with emphasis on application of the results through a multidisciplinary approach. Selected adaptive behavior scales are described, and guidelines for test administration with the physically handicapped are suggested.