Compass functional assessment software is a tool to assist professionals who provide educational, vocational, and clinical interventions in the area of computer use for people with disabilities. It can be used to:
help diagnose difficulties with an existing interface;
evaluate and compare the performance of potential access systems;
plan and document the results of training interventions;
track changes in a client’s abilities over time; and
measure the effectiveness of an intervention.
Compass consists of eight different Skill Tests, each designed to evaluate a specific skill area, such as text entry or use of a pointing device. Any number and combination of the tests can be selected for each client. The selected tests can be run in any order and can be repeated to track changes over time. Additional tests can be added and tests can be removed at any time even after some tests have been run.
Each skill test has configuration settings that help determine characteristics of the test, such as the number of trials, the text size, or the type of feedback provided. Every test has a set of default values for these settings, which have been chosen to be reasonable for a wide range of clients. Configuration settings can also be adjusted based on a client's needs and the goals of the assessment. See Configuring Tests for more information.
For each test that is run, Compass records performance data and makes it available in a test report. This reports present views of the assessment data to help the clinician and client understand and interpret the results. These reports may also be useful to a variety of individuals, including family members, funding sources, and other professionals involved with the client. Each test produces a report summarizing the results of the test and how it was configured. A detailed report is also available if desired, showing each trial and client response in the test.
Compass does not replace a good fundamental knowledge of computer access evaluation practices. It is intended to be another tool available to augment the practical experience of the clinician. It is important to know the types of assistive technologies (AT) that can be used for computer access and the features of the specific devices that are being considered. The clinician needs to understand the issues involved in working with people with disabilities and the impact that AT interventions can have on their functional activities on and off of the computer.