SCERTS Part 6: The SCERTS Assessment Process (SAP)

Presented by Barry M. Prizant, Amy Laurent, and Emily Rubin

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Course six introduces the 10-step SCERTS Assessment Process (SAP). This tool is designed to determine an individual’s stage of language acquisition, establish a profile of strengths and areas of need in those areas most impacted by the core challenges of autism, and to monitor progress over time using data gathered in everyday activities to represent a measurement of authentic progress. The course will begin with a discussion of why and when to implement the SAP and how to gather meaningful data in everyday situations. Next, a video-based case example will be introduced so that participants can see how to administer each of the 10 steps.

Meet your instructors

Barry M. Prizant

Barry M. Prizant, Ph.D., CCC-SLP has more than 40 years experience as a clinical scholar, consultant, researcher and program consultant to children and older persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and related developmental disabilities and their families. He is both the Director of Childhood Communication Services…

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Amy Laurent

Amy Laurent, Ph.D., OTR/L is a developmental psychologist and a registered pediatric occupational therapist. Currently in private practice, Amy specializes in the education of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related developmental disabilities. The majority of Amy’s work involves collaborating with and…

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Emily Rubin

Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP is the Director of the Educational Outreach Program at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, GA, an affiliate of Emory University and an NIH Autism Center of Excellence. She is a speech-language pathologist specializing in autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and related social learning disabilities. As a…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. Assessment Options

Chapter one presents two assessment options in the SCERTS Model. The “bottom-up” 10 step SCERTS Assessment Process (bottom-up) and the “top-down” SCERTS in Action approach are described in reference to the benefits and shortcomings of each approach.

2. SCERTS Assessment

Chapter two presents the complete “bottom-up” 10-step process. A video-based case example is introduced and the first step of determining stage is completed. An overview of the remaining nine steps of the process is then presented to illustrate how to gather information from a range of sources and which forms to use to plan observations, take data, summarize an individual’s profile of SC and ER, and identify an action plan for TS.

3. Focusing Your Lens

Chapter three introduces the SCERTS Observation Questions, a data collection tool designed to simplify the observation process and to help practitioners capture meaningful data. Participants are given the opportunity to practice using the form for a video-based case example.

4. Steps 1-6

Chapter four provides participants with an opportunity to complete steps 1 – 6 of the SCERTS Assessment Process using a video-based case example. The SAP-Report, a caregiver questionnaire, is introduced along with a plan for using naturalistic observations to determine an individual’s current levels of performance in social communication and emotional regulation.

5. Steps 7-10

Chapter five provides participants with an opportunity to complete steps 7 – 10 of the SCERTS Assessment Process using a video-based case example. Moving from an individual’s profile to that of reflective program development is achieved during these steps.