The Future of Education

This study describes the digitalization of the Supports Intensity Scale – Children’s Version (SIS-C), which measures the support needs of children and teenagers aged 5 to 16 with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities [1] [2]. As part of a broader research project, it aims to adapt the original paper-and-pencil version into a digital alternative while preserving the psychometric integrity established in prior studies [3]. This exploratory study developed a digital model based on data from 801 participants. The process involved key stages: reorganization and repositioning of variables and response categories; validation by expert judges; interface adaptation; and methodological adjustments. Variables were reorganized and repositioned to ensure usability, traceability, and effective data management, including identification fields tailored to the Brazilian context. Following these modifications, the instrument underwent validation by expert judges in Special Education and Educational Technology. Their feedback informed structural revisions and interface refinements, leading to distinct forms for interviewers, respondents, and participants. Once implemented, the instrument was developed into a digital version integrated into a database. Google Workspace tools (Forms and Sheets) were selected based on accessibility, usability, and data management capabilities, enabling a cost-free interface. The data from 801 participants were processed in the R statistical environment, ensuring computational accuracy and enabling automated score calculation, reducing manual errors and enhancing reliability. The system also enabled analytical visualization and longitudinal monitoring. The digital version improved application efficiency, analysis speed, and large-scale data management, while preserving conceptual equivalence with the original instrument. The study demonstrates that successful digital adaptation requires validation and contextual redesign, rather than simple format migration. The SIS-C Digital contributes to advancing support needs assessment in Special Education by providing a more efficient tool for data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Keywords: Special Education, Intellectual Disability, Supports Intensity Scale, Instrument Digitalization.

REFERENCES:
[1] J. R. Thompson et al., Supports Intensity Scale – Children’s Version (SIS-C): User’s Manual. Washington, 2016.

[2] R. L. Schalock, R. Luckasson; M. J. Tassé. Intellectual Disability: Definition, Diagnosis, Classification, and Systems of Supports. Brasília, 2024.

[3] M. O. Rocha et al., Instrument adaptation and validation: content and semantic analysis of the Supports Intensity Scale for children and adolescents with intellectual disability (SIS-C) in Brazil. 2023.