How to use the Written Expression: Handwriting vs. Keyboarding Evaluation

⏱ Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Overview

The keyboarding evaluation (" Written Expression: Handwriting vs. Keyboarding Evaluation") is a guided evaluation to determine when keyboarding instruction may be a better option than handwriting instruction.

Ages

55 months and up

When to use and how it works

Its been a minute since I was a school based therapist but I was on the AT team and mainly evaluated kiddos that had persistently been on OT caseload but struggled to make much progress in handwriting goals.   Back then, we didn’t have Chromebooks or Ipads, but had to trial on AlphaSmart devices with Co-Writer, Dragon Dictate, etc.  

Best practices for using the keyboarding guided evaluation

1.  Use when determining if keyboarding instruction and goals  may be a better route than continuing with handwriting goals.  It shouldn't be used for initial evaluation to determine OT services eligibility  (as this is quite brief).   It does not include questions that look at particular tech such as type of software /apps to use (spellcheck, word prediction) or  Google integrations(ex Read and Write).  

2.  Before you generate the report, you should send out the “Handwriting Questionnaire” integrated Form to the student’s teacher. It incorporates teacher observation of handwriting skills but also participation rating for handwriting related tasks. You can send the form to more than one teacher if you want.

3.  Once the form is completed, include it in the Report Wizard selection (Full Eval or Abbreviated Report /Educational Audience).  

Below is  the report for one of my “test” students and some of the snippets from the report.  I didn’t make any changes to the report. The report is a full evaluation - educational audience report - perfect for IEPs.  You can choose abbreviated report (to make it much shorter) and /or Medical audience to auto change the report wording. 

I really like the participation and educational factors that generate in the educational audience report.  The statements really help to sync statements as needed for IEP preparation. 

If you have any feedback on how to make the evaluation better , just let me know.  One person recommended having a question looking at typing vs handwritten idea generation and far point.  I could add these if you think its warranted.  Near point is already there as it is looking at WPM for near point.

Steps

1. Log into MTW and choose "Written Expression  Handwriting vs Keyboarding Evaluation"

2. The stimulus typing prompts are embedded in MTW during the evaluation.  Its wise to have the student type on their own device while the therapist tests with his/her own device

3.  Create your report by going to " Report Wizard< Choose client < choose the completed evaluation< choose medical or educational (as audience). 

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Clinical protocols built in

MyTherapyWizard is an EMR with clinical protocols built in. Every Guided Evaluation, questionnaire and standardized template follows a structured scoring protocol:

• The quantitative areas (the items you rate) are scored on the back end with the same defined criteria, rules and performance bands for every client.
• The qualitative areas (your comments, observations and narratives) go into the report as you wrote them.
• Once the plan of care is active, its goals populate into your session notes. Each goal gets a Goal Performance Index (GPI) that combines accuracy with the support needed, so 70% independent and 70% with maximum assistance score differently. Each session gets a Session Performance Index (SPI), the average of its GPIs.
• AI never assigns or changes a score. It only helps put finished results into words, and you approve every line.

Learn more: Understanding Performance Bands · Myth vs. Fact: structured scoring and AI