Abstract
Motor skill assessments are often modified to meet the needs children on the autism spectrum. Yet, accommodations to standardized motor skill testing have not been established and little consensus exists regarding the most appropriate or effective testing accommodations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine two accommodations to motor skill assessments: (1) an acclimation period; and (2) visuals (i.e., pictures and videos). Using a sample of 10 boys on the autism spectrum between the ages of 5-12 (M = 8.86, SD = 2.2), the impact of accommodations on motor skill performance, duration of assessment, and task comprehension was analyzed. A descriptive analysis of the data suggests that, regardless of visual support, using accompanying visuals benefits an individual’s comprehension of completing motor tasks and allowing for an acclimation to the testing environment may decrease overall assessment time. Neither visuals or acclimation periods showed an impact on the assessed performance.
