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Ages: 5-0 through 17-11    
Testing Time: 40 to 60 minutes
Administration: Individual

The Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) is a well-researched, norm-referenced measure of cognitive ability developed to be consistent with well-known PASS theory. The Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, Successive (PASS) theory is based on cognitive and neuropsychological research. The CAS was designed to measure those cognitive processes which are important for differential diagnosis and intervention planning in individuals ages 5-0 through 17-11. The CAS assesses the “basic psychological processes” used to describe children with specific learning disabilities provided in IDEA 2004. The test also yields information that can be used for instructional programming. Importantly the CAS is fair for minority children.

The CAS has two versions: a Standard Battery, and the shorter Basic Battery. The CAS Standard Battery has three subtests in each of the four PASS scales (described below) and is administered in about an hour. The Basic Battery comprises two subtests from each of the four PASS scales and takes about 45 minutes to administer. Each of the four PASS scales yields a standard score with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. The CAS also provides a Full Scale standard score with the same metric.

The PASS scales

• Planning — a cognitive process requiring the individual to determine, select, and use a strategy to solve a problem. The subtests require the solving of novel tasks. The three Planning subtests are: Matching Numbers, Planned Codes, and Planned Connections.
• Attention — a cognitive process requiring the individual to selectively attend to a particular stimulus and inhibit attending to competing stimuli. The three Attention subtests are: Expressive Attention, Number Detection, and Receptive Attention.
• Simultaneous — a cognitive process involving integrating separate stimuli into a single whole or group. The three Simultaneous subtests are: Nonverbal Matrices, Verbal-Spatial Relations, and Figure Memory.
• Successive — a cognitive process that involves serial ordering of things. The four Successive subtests are: Word Series, Sentence Repetition, Speech Rate (ages 5-7), and Sentence Questions (ages 8-17).

Technical
The CAS was standardized on a representative group of 2,200 children and adolescents. Extensive reliability and validity information is reported in the Interpretive Handbook that accompanies the test. Full Scale reliability is .96 with the PASS Scale reliabilities ranging from .83 to .93. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability studies were conducted. Types of validity reported include construct, concurrent, predictive, and discriminant. Validity with special populations including persons who are mentally retarded, learning disabled, gifted, or have attention deficits or traumatic brain injuries are reported. Differences in PASS Scale performance were found for these groups, supporting the discriminant validity of the CAS. Special attention was paid to making the CAS fair for minority groups. Validity evidence reported in the Interpretive Handbook demonstrates the test’s value for assessment of diverse groups of children.

Interpretation
The Interpretive Handbook provides methods for interpretation of scores. It explains how to examine the PASS profile, compare PASS scales, analyze subtests, and compare PASS scores to achievement. To determine intra-individual differences, the Interpretive Handbook provides tables to evaluate the significance of the differences between the four PASS scale standard scores. It also provides similar tables to evaluate the significance of differences between scaled scores for each subtest within a PASS Scale. Actuarial values are included.

Methods for using the PASS and Full Scale scores to identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses are also given. Due to the unique information that can be obtained from the CAS, the results may be particularly helpful when assessing special populations. The Interpretive Handbook also contains additional resources for examiners, such as implications for intervention based on CAS results, describes several research-based instructional programs directly linked to PASS theory, and two illustrative case reports, each presenting a written interpretation of CAS results.

COMPLETE CAS KIT INCLUDES: Stimulus Book, Administration and Scoring manual, Interpretive Handbook, 5 Record Forms, 5 each of the Response Books for 5-7 and 8-17, 5 Figure Memory Response Books, Scoring Templates, and a Red Pencil in a canvas carrying case. (©1997)

Also Available Separately…

• CAS University Training CD-R  (#12812)