Scoring
TICE is composed of two sections: (a) Interactions with the Supervisor, and (b) Interactions with Co-Workers. A separate Answer Key is provided for each of these two tests, and each test is scored in a similar fashion. The Answer Key is placed over the Student Answer Sheet and each test item examined. If a circled response appears in the opening, that item has been answered correctly. If the response does not appear in the opening, that item is scored as an incorrect response. All forms discussed in this section are in the Appendix.
Reporting
At the bottom of each Student Answer Sheet is a space to report the scores for each student. Student performance is reported in terms of total score as well as the score for each subarea contained in the test, that is, the Interactions with the Supervisor test is composed of 12 items concerned with Handling Criticism and Correction, 9 items on Requesting Assistance, and 10 items on Following Instructions. Similarly, the Interaction with the Co-Worker test is composed of 12 items related to Cooperative Work Behavior, 9 items on Handling Teasing and provocation and 9 items on, Resolving Personal Concern. Space is provided for the teacher/trainer to report the Supervisor and Co-Worker tests in terms of both number and percentage correct for each of these categories.
The Answer Key used to score each test provides all the information needed to report the scores at the bottom of the Student Answer Sheet. To the left of each item on the Supervisor or Co-Worker Answer Key is a 1, 11, or III. Each of these Roman numerals corresponds to one of the three subareas of the test. Thus, after scoring is completed by determining the correctness or incorrectness of each item, all the correct 1 responses are counted and entered on the bottom of the Student answer Sheet in the "Number Correct" space. The number of correct responses in the II and 111 categories are also counted and entered at the bottom of the page. The total number correct is then computed by adding the numbers entered in the I, II and III columns.
Each of the numbers in the four columns (1. II, III, and Total) are then divided by the Total Possible numbers shown below the slash mark {/) in each column. This number is written in the Percentage Correct column for each of the four areas. Thus, the student score for each test of the TICE (i.e.. Supervisor and Co-Worker) is reported in terms of percentage correct of each sub-area and percentage correct of the total number of test items.
Interpretation
The major purpose of TICE is to assist special education and rehabilitation professionals to plan, implement, and evaluate training/intervention programs for mildly handicapped young adults who may be deficient in interpersonal skills needed for community employment. The authors of TICE recommend the following procedures for making these training decisions.
The Class profile form provides a graphic format for making such decisions and is filled out in the following manner. First, the name of each student in the class is written in the space provided. Second, the scores for each student are transferred from the Student Answer Sheet for both the Interactions with the Supervisor and the Interaction with the Co-Worker tests. These initial scores should be entered in the "Pre" columns ("Pre." here refers to pre-training scores). To the right of each score is a space for the teacher/trainer to record a decision regarding "need for training." That is, if the teacher/trainer believes there is a low need for training s/he will circle "L." If the teacher/trainer believes the need is moderate, "M" is circled, and if the need for training is seen to be high, "H" would be circled.
There can be no hard and fast rules as to exactly what TICE score indicates what level of need for training or intervention. Other diagnostic information (e.g., work-supervisor ratings) should be used in conjunction with TICE scores as an aid in making this determination. It is our belief, based on the methods used to develop this test, that the knowledge domains tapped by TICE are highly related to community employment. We believe, then, that anyone scoring less than 75% correct in any of the areas measured by TICE demonstrates at least a moderate (M) need for training and students scoring 50% or lower probably have a high (H) need for training in that area.
Scores on TICE may be used as described above to identify areas of knowledge deficiency for each student. For example, if a student scores low on both tests of the TICE, Jt may be concluded that s/he lacks general knowledge of how to interact with both supervisors and co-workers. Closer inspection of the scores, however, may indicate that the student scored at an acceptable level for one of the subareas of the Supervisor test (e.g.. Requesting Assistance) and one of the subareas of the Co-Worker test (e.g.. Personal Concerns), In developing a training program for this student, it may not be necessary to teach those areas in which acceptable scores were achieved. The subareas scores can be used as guides to assist the teacher/trainer in deciding a starting point for training or for deciding what areas to emphasize in training.
The user of TICE needs to be aware that the internal consistency reliability coefficients of the sub-scales within TICE (e.g.. Following Instructions, Cooperative Work Behavior) are not as strong as the reliability coefficients of either the Supervisor or Co-Worker test taken as a whole (see Section VI, Technical Report). This decrease in the reliability coefficient is due primarily to the small number of items measuring each sub-area. For example, the complete Supervisor Test contains 31 items, while the Following Instructions sub-area within that test contains only 10 items. As test reliability is a function of test length, the sub-scale reliabilities are lower than the reliability of the entire Supervisor and Co-Worker tests. Again, sub-scale scores can serve only as guides in deciding a starting point for training or for deciding areas of emphasis.
After training is completed, the impact of that training should be assessed. In order to measure change in a student's knowledge of interpersonal skills, it is appropriate to again use TICE. Other sources of information (e.g., behavioral observation, supervisor reports) can also be used to document changes in interpersonal knowledge or behavior in the work setting.
It should be pointed out that it is not appropriate to re-administer TICE on a regular basis to monitor short-term changes of knowledge. For example, giving TICE on a weekly basis invalidates the results of the test due to the practice effect that probably occurs with the student/trainees. Stated otherwise, the repeated administration of TICE on a short-term basis allows the subjects to practice answering the test items. Any increase in scores using repeated testing may then be due to repetition of specific items rather than an increase in knowledge of that area.
In summary, the Test of Interpersonal Competence for Employment (TICE) is for assisting educators and trainers of mildly retarded adolescents and adults to; (a) identify people with knowledge deficiencies of interpersonal skills necessary for community employment (b) develop training/intervention programs directed toward identified knowledge deficiencies, and (c) assess the impact of the training provided. Knowledge of the areas assessed by TICE is considered important to successful vocational adjustment. The Interpersonal Skills Training for Employment (ISTE) curriculum (Foss & Vilhauer, 1985) can be used to provide training to persons deficient in the areas measured by TICE.