The VB-MAPP is a criterion-referenced assessment tool, curriculum guide, and skills tracking system that is designed for children with autism, and other individuals who demonstrate language delays. It is designed to provide a representative sample of a child’s existing verbal and related skills. The assessment contains 170 measurable learning and language milestones that are sequenced and balanced across 3 developmental levels (0-18 months, 18-30 months, and 30-48 months). The skills assessed include mand, tact, echoic, intraverbal, listener, motor imitation, independent play, social and social play, visual perceptual and matching-to-sample, linguistic structure, group and classroom skills, and early academics (math and reading). There is also a Barriers Assessment and a Transition Assessment. The Barriers Assessment looks at factors that may be hindering a child’s progress towards achieving their learning goals. The Transition Assessment give insight into the student’s readiness to integrate into a less restrictive environment. This will be a key part of the IEP team’s determination of LRE during IEP meetings, especially if/when conversation addresses moving out of the Autistic Support program- in part or altogether.
VB-MAPP Key Definitions
Mand: Asking for something they are motivated to receive (student gets reinforced with what they asked for)
Tact: Student labels something they see, hear, smell, taste, or feel and gets non-specific reinforcement (such as praise or other reinforcer)
Echoic: Repeating (vocally) what someone else says
Intraverbal: Saying, signing, writing something related to what someone else said, or answering questions (fill-in responses, word associations, conversation)
Listener: Following directions and or receptive identification (discrimination)
Motor imitation: Copying someone else’s motor movement
Independent play: Functionally playing with items and completing tasks
Social and social play: Engaging socially through eye contact, physical interaction, conversations, and play
Visual perceptual and matching-to-sample: Completing matching, sorting, block designs, and completing art projects
Linguistic structure: Articulation and vocabulary
Group and classroom skills: Ability to participate in small group and large group instruction
Early academics: Labeling numbers and letters, matching words to pictures, and writing letters