DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF STANDARD CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOL PRACTITIONERS - ECOBEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS SOFTWARE (EBASS)

This article describes the development and validation of Ecobehavioral Assessment Systems Software (EBASS), a computer-assisted observational system for school practitioners. EBASS contains three instruments widely used in special education research-CISSAR, ESCAPE, and MS-CISSAR. The theoretical and empirical bases for these systems are presented in the context of the need for quality information on student behavior and the teaching environment in special education. Portable computers, used to support observational assessment, vastly improve the quality of data entry, case management, data analysis, and observer training. The article describes the background, instruments, supporting technology, validation research, and barriers to the use of computer-assisted observational assessment.