title: Task analyses identify coat-donning delays in preschoolers in special education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe use of task analyses for school-based documentation of skill levels of a sample of preschool children in special education classes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coat-donning task analyses and scoring codes were developed for the traditional and coat- flip methods. Preschool children's abilities were scored 3 times per year as part of weekly classroom consultations. Of 601 charts from 2003 to 2007, 171 met inclusion criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initially, 22 (13%) children independently donned coats; 149 (87%) required assistance. Final scores identified that 75 (44%) children achieved or regained independence, 14 (8%) still required assistance prior to kindergarten entrance, 50 (29%) were eligible for more services, and 32 (19%) had services interrupted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Task analyses and scoring codes improved efficiency and standardization of school-based documentation, demonstrated incremental changes over time, and focused task training. The majority of preschool children in this sample were initially delayed in coat-donning independence when compared with preschool children developing typically.
authors.affiliation: Programs in Physical Therapy, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA. kaplansa@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Sandra L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Melanie D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: O'connell
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003020:Clothing; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors