A Review of the Assessment of People with a Mental Handicap: Some Important Considerations

Abstract

In this article some important issues regarding the assessment of people with a mental handicap are discussed. The nature and methods of assessment are considered, with particular emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of using check lists. Given that a primary role of assessment is to identify skills deficits with a view to setting teaching targets, some ‘packages’ which provide a system for doing this are described.