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What are the advantages for team members in administering AEPS?
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AEPS is designed to be administered by teams. Many team members may have training and experience in conducting norm-referenced assessments or using direct-test instruments that are relevant to their own disciplines but not in collaborative, observational assessment, so the team should take time to plan their collaborative team efforts. Such efforts are useful because the accuracy and quality of the test results are enhanced when all members participate in the assessment process.
There are multiple advantages for team members who complete a single curriculum-based instrument such as the AEPS Test. First, the AEPS Test can eliminate the redundancy and inconsistencies that often occur when professionals complete separate assessments. When team members organize assessment efforts around the administration of the AEPS Test, they can confidently obtain a coordinated and comprehensive developmental profile of a child. Second, the coordination of comprehensive assessment services by using the AEPS Test may also reduce confusion for families. When all team members use the AEPS Test as a reference point to record and discuss assessment data, families may begin to participate actively in the assessment process. Third, professionals’ observations stimulate cross-disciplinary discussions around “why” they scored a particular behavior as 1 (meets criterion inconsistently) as opposed to 2 (meets criterion consistently). These cross-disciplinary discussions may result in mutual learning by team members during and after assessment activities and can produce excellent professional development opportunities as team members acquire new knowledge during ongoing assessment activities. Fourth, using the AEPS Test encourages ongoing team collaboration during subsequent intervention and evaluation activities.
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Will Brookes Publishing Co. ever ask for my username or password?
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No, Brookes Publishing will never ask a user for his or her username or password via e-mail or phone.
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Do I need to be a Registered User in more than one account if I am a teacher or provider who needs access to child records at more than one school?
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It depends. Typically each school or program will have a separate subscription to AEPSi with its own set of users. In that case, you will likely need to have more than one account. However, some schools or programs within the same locality, district, or state may opt to link their subscriptions to achieve cost savings, encourage collaboration, and facilitate reporting to the larger entity. If the multiple schools or programs to which you need access have linked their subscriptions, you will be able to use one user name and password to access all child records to which you have rights across programs. Contact the AEPSi Administrators for your schools or programs to determine whether their subscriptions are linked.
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What do I do if I am unable to locate the record for a child with whom I’m working?
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Contact your program’s AEPSi Administrator. A record for the child may not yet have been created, or you may not have access rights to view or modify the record.
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What do I do if I notice incorrect demographic information in a child record?
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If you notice incorrect demographic information in a child record, confirm the correct information with your school or program, then edit the demographic information by selecting the child’s Profile and then Edit Child Info. If you do not have access rights to modify the child’s record, report the incorrect information to your program’s AEPSi Administrator.
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How are my students’ data protected within AEPSi?
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AEPSi is highly secure and is designed in such a way that Brookes Publishing is able to help you be fully compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) if you need to be. For a detailed explanation of the security protocols used by AEPSi, please read our Privacy Policy.
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What’s the difference between “active” and “archived” child records?
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Active child records are “live” and can be edited by any user who has access rights. Most AEPSi functions such as entering assessment data, creating journal entries, and scheduling calendar events can only be performed on active records. Archived child records are those that are not “live” for any number of reasons (e.g., the child has moved and is no longer served by your program). Archived child records can be viewed and included in aggregate reports but may not be modified. Archived child records are significantly less expensive than active records and enable programs to report on historical data.
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Who can see my “My AEPSi” page besides me?
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Only you can see it. The content on your My AEPSi page is a combination of information that is available to all AEPSi users (e.g., the news and updates on new features) and information that is only accessible by and unique to you (e.g., the listing of the child records to which you have access, calendar events, assessments in progress). Only you can see your My AEPSi page.
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Who can view or modify “my” students’ records besides me?
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Only users who have been designated as your children’s team members will be able to see and record information on your children’s records. The AEPSi Administrator(s) for your account will also be able to view or modify your child’s profile but will not be able to modify other parts of the record.
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What happens if I am editing a child record, and a colleague is trying to edit that same record?
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AEPSi employs “record locking” so that more than one person cannot attempt to edit the same portion of a child record at the same time. However, it is possible for someone with access rights that are the same as or similar to yours to edit and overwrite data you saved previously. Please coordinate with your colleagues while conducting the AEPS Test to avoid duplicating work and overwriting another’s data.
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Can I upload child photos and videos?
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Not yet. Although AEPSi doesn’t currently support uploading photos and videos, we are working to make this feature available in a future release of AEPSi.
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Can I share my password with other professionals or parents?
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No. For security reasons, you should never share your username and/or password with anyone. Your program can create Registered Users for the employees and contractors within your organization who need access to AEPSi at no extra charge. Subscription charges are based on the number of child records, not the number of users. A professional at your organization who needs to use AEPSi or access AEPSi data should be given his or her own username and password. In a future release, caregivers and family members will be able to access AEPSi with their own secure login information.
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Can I share my password with our department’s administrative assistant to input data from paper into AEPSi?
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No. To ensure security and ensure that all users are able to adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), we do not permit sharing usernames or passwords under any circumstances. For details, see our Privacy Policy, which states that a Registered User of AEPSi is not permitted to “disclose, share, or allow any third party to use your username and/or password.”
Your program can create user accounts for all employees and contractors within your organization at no extra charge. Any professionals who need to use AEPSi should be given their own usernames and passwords.
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How do I add a user?
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Only AEPSi Administrators can add a user. If you are an Administrator, you can follow these instructions:
- Click the Manage Providers link on the left menu.
- Click the Create New Provider button.
- Select the role(s) for the Provider by clicking the Provider checkbox. You may assign the user the Administrator and/or Reviewer role in addition to the Provider role.
- Enter profile information for the Provider. Items marked with an asterisk are required.
- Once you have entered the profile information for the Provider, click the Save button.
- The Provider’s username will be his or her e-mail address. The Provider will be sent an e-mail with a link to set-up his or her password. The Provider should follow the link to set up a password to then be able to login.
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How do I add a student?
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Any AEPSi user can add child records by following these instructions:
- Click on the Manage Children link on the left menu.
- Click the Create New Child Record button.
- Enter profile information for the child. Items marked with an asterisk are required.
- Once the required fields are entered for the child profile, click the Save button.
- Click on the Caregiver Profile link to enter information about the child’s caregiver.
- Enter profile information for the caregiver. Items marked with an asterisk are required.
- Click the Save button. If the child has additional caregivers, click the Add Another Caregiver button.
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Is AEPSi for use exclusively with AEPS?
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Yes, AEPSi is directly associated with the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children (AEPS®).
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Can I use a Mac to access AEPSi?
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Yes. Any computer with Internet access and an appropriate web browser is all you need to use AEPSi.
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I have an old computer. Does the system “care” what operating system I’m working under?
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No. Because AEPSi is web-based, you can generally access AEPSi on any computer using most any operating system. You do need a recent web browser and an Internet connection.
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How do I access just one area of the AEPS Test (e.g., Adaptive Area)?
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From the Child Summary, Reports, or Assessments section of AEPSi, select the assessment (either completed or in progress) you would like to view or edit. From the horizontal bar below the heading CODRF Summary, select the area. For example, selecting Adaptive will take you directly to the Adaptive portion of the Child CODRF.
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How long can I save child data in AEPSi?
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The data you enter into AEPSi will remain available in the system as long as you choose while you have an active subscription to AEPSi.. You may choose to archive child records for those children who are no longer active so that the data remains available for viewing and reporting, or you may choose to delete the data. Remember, you own all of the data you input or generate using AEPSi, and you can also export portions or all of the data at any time.
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What happens to my or my program’s data if/when our subscription expires?
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You own all of the data you input or generate using AEPSi and can export portions or all of the data at any time. In the months before your AEPSi subscription expires, the AEPSi Administrator your program designates will receive reminders of the expiration date and options and instructions for renewing the subscription. If you elect not to renew your subscription, you will be able to export all of your data before the subscription is closed.
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How can I restore information I delete by mistake?
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AEPSi is not able to restore data you delete by mistake as you input or edit data or text on screen. If you delete an entire child record in AEPSi by mistake using the “delete” function, we recommend that you re-create the child record and re-enter the data if possible. In other more complex situations, please contact Technical Support: 866-386-2666 or techsupport@brookespublishing.com.
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What happens if my computer crashes or there’s an electrical outage while I’m entering assessment data? Can I restore the data?
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The AEPSi database only stores data that you have intentionally saved. If your web browser or computer crashes, any data you haven’t saved will be lost. We recommend that you save frequently.
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How often are our files backed up?
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The entire AEPSi application is backed up on a daily and weekly basis.
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Can I export my data? How frequently and in what format?
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Yes, any program can export their data from AEPSi for free at any time. The frequency and format of data exports are at the discretion of the program’s AEPSi Administrator and any Registered Users who have been granted the right to export data. Flexible data formats such as CSV (comma separated values) are available. Your program’s AEPSi Administrator can consult the User’s Manual for Administrators for details.
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I can’t handle sifting through the whole school’s data! Can I export only my students’ data?
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Yes. In fact, you will only be able to export data from child records to which you have access rights in order to protect the privacy of children’s data in AEPSi.
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What happens if a backup CD containing our student data we make goes astray in the mail or gets taken from a student file?
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Please refer to your school or organization’s privacy policy. Any data from AEPSi that is printed, exported and saved, or otherwise stored outside of the AEPSi system is your school or organization’s responsibility. Consequences from any loss or misuse of such data need to be resolved according to your school or organization’s privacy guidelines.
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Can students see their own records in AEPSi?
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Because the children served by AEPS are typically under 6 years of age and too young to require access to their own records, AEPSi does not allow children to obtain user accounts with usernames and passwords. In a future release, AEPSi will enable caregivers and parents the option to log on to AEPSi to see select sections of their child’s record such as the Child Journal and the Child Progress Record.
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Can caregivers and families access their children’s records in AEPSi?
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Although caregivers and families cannot independently access their children’s records at this time, caregivers and parents the option to log on to AEPSi to see their child’s record in a subsequent AEPSi version that will be available in a future release. Administrators and Registered Users can of course use AEPSi to create and print information and reports to share with parents according to their program’s practices and guidelines.
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Am I required to input a student ID?
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The “child ID” field in the Child Profile is optional. Because assigning program- and state-level IDs to each child for data management purposes is a growing trend, AEPSi gives you the option to include your own unique child ID in each child’s record.
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Can I do a “search” to find information in AEPSi?
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After you log in to AEPSi, a Child Search box will appear on the left side of your screen. You can use this search box to search for child records to which you have access by the child’s first or last name or your program’s unique ID for that child (an optional feature in AEPSi). As AEPSi grows, more search capability may be added.
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What level of support (e.g., e-mail, phone, in-person training) are included in the annual AEPSi subscription fee? What costs extra?
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Once you subscribe to AEPSi, your Account Holder will be asked to designate one or more individuals at your program to serve as your AEPSi Administrators—the point person for your account. An Implementation Manager at Brookes Publishing Co. will set up time for an orientation to the AEPSi system and provide one-to-one training to your AEPSi Administrator(s) on managing AEPSi, creating Registered Users, creating Child Records, and controlling access rights. Depending on the size of the program, this training may be 1 half-hour to 1 hour. AEPSi also offers 24/7 toll-free phone or e-mail technical support, on-line tutorials, and a detailed User’s Manual for all Registered Users. On-site training and train-the-trainers workshops are available through Brookes On Location, Brookes Publishing Co.’s professional development service. See training options for details.
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I can’t print a page. What should I do?
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AEPSi is a web-based application, and all pages are printable just like any other web page you surf is printable. If you have trouble printing, please check your printer settings and preferences. If you are able to print other web pages (such as Google) but not AEPSi pages, please contact Technical Support: 866-386-2666 or techsupport@brookespublishing.com.
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How do I assign a Test Period to an AEPS Test in AEPSi?
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When you create a new Child Observation Data Recording Form (CODRF) to enter AEPS Test results in AEPSi, the system will automatically assign a Test Period. For example, if there are already two assessments in the child record, AEPSi will assign the next new Test Period as “3.” The new CODRF will also include a Test Date field for you to record the date of your observations. The acceptable date formats for the Test Date field are mm/dd/yy or mm/dd/yyyy.
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How do I make sure no one overwrites the child data I enter into AEPSi without my knowledge?
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Typically, only a child’s team members will have access to edit a child’s data. AEPSi employs “record locking” so that more than one person cannot attempt to edit the same portion of a child record at the same time. However, it is possible for another team member to edit and overwrite data you have saved. Please coordinate with your colleagues to avoid duplicating work and overwriting another’s data. It is the responsibility of the team members to collaborate and ensure that child data are not inadvertently overwritten.
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How will I see who else has edited or added to “my” child’s record?
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Entries to the child’s journal and calendar contain the name of the person who created the entry. However, Provider names are not associated with individual items or scores on the Child Observation Data Recording Form. Please coordinate with your colleagues to avoid duplicating work and overwriting another’s data. It is the responsibility of the team members to collaborate and ensure that child data are not inadvertently overwritten.
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Can I get a report showing all students in the program who have been evaluated or who have not yet been evaluated during a certain period?
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Not at this time, but it’s a good idea! This report may be added in future releases of AEPSi. If you have ideas or needs for reports in AEPSi, please share them on the AEPS Discussion Board in the Suggestions Forum.
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See also
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