Implications of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for Test Development and Use

Implications of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) on the development and use of tests in school settings are enumerated. We predict increased demand for behavioural assessments that consider a person’s activities, participation and person-environment interactions, including measures that: (a) address contextual features; (b) rely on third-party respondents; (c) depend on observational approaches; (d) comprise batteries of tests developed simultaneously or co-normed and (e) emphasize process and progress monitoring. We review some tests from the United States that respond to each emerging demand and describe the international implications of these demands. We close by describing the implications of the ICF model and its associated changes in testing practices for service delivery and student outcomes.