Collaboration and teamwork in assessment for early intervention

Interdisciplinary teamwork and collaboration in early intervention require that professionals adopt a common set of developmentally appropriate standards that guide the major activities of screening, diagnostic assessment, individualized curriculum planning, progress and program evaluation, and family-centered services. This article has reviewed the common roadblocks to effective teamwork, especially among educational and medical professionals. As solutions to the typical problems in collaboration, eight developmentally appropriate standards ensure best practice and adherence to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates: utility, acceptability, authenticity, equity, sensitivity, convergence, congruence, and collaboration.