Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1318-2697

Date Available

7-20-2025

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Faculty

Dr. Jennifer Grisham

Faculty

Dr. Collin Shepley

Faculty

Dr. Melinda Ault

Abstract

The included studies examined the content validity and useability of an implementation fidelity checklist for the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System (AEPS) for Infants and Young Children 3rd Edition (AEPS-3). Study 1 assessed a revised version of an implementation fidelity checklist for item clarity and criterion clarity. After further revisions, Study 2 asked administrators of early childhood educational programs to implement the fidelity checklist in a classroom environment and assess the clarity of items, criterion, and feasibility of scoring different items. In addition, administrators included the length of time it took the implement the checklist and the strengths and weaknesses. Overall, the revised fidelity checklist was found to have strong item and criterion validity, and scores from administrators and program specialists indicated that the item was useable in its current format. However, limitations such as the small sample of administrators who participated requires further investigation from research on the checklist.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.264

Funding Information

This study was supported by the University of Kentucky College of Education's Blackhurst Student Research Fund Award in 2025 and the University of Kentucky College of Education's Arvle and Ellen Turner Thacker Research Fund in 2025.

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