. The long-term objective of the proposed research is to develop a screening battery for the early detection of learning/ developmental disabilities risk-status in preschool Puerto Rican and other Hispanic children. This will be a Spanish-language, valid and reliable instrument, culturally sensitive, and brief and simple to administer. It will be standardized, and adequate norms will be developed for these populations.
The specific aims for Phase I of the research include designing the structure of the instrument and constructing the test battery. To accomplish these, the specific procedures include item development, a test try-out with a Puerto Rican sample, statistical and judgmental item-analysis procedures, and final item selection. During Phase II of the research, the screening battery resulting from Phase I will be standardized and norms will be developed using a sample representative of the population of Puerto Rican preschool children. During Phase III, the product will be marketed to clinicians, public and private agencies, institutions and organizations in Puerto Rico. Other potential markets include the continental United States and Latin America.
The product of this research project will be a Spanish-language screening battery for the early detection of learning and developmental disabilities risk in preschool Puerto Rican and other Hispanic children. The target market for this product will be public and private school systems, preschool programs, other public and private agencies, institutions and organizations serving young children, as well as private practitioners in Puerto Rico. Relevant norms will be obtained in a future stage, so that the battery will be marketable to similar professionals and organizations in the Continental U.S. and Latin American.
