Austin Assessment app
Two versions of the app are available:
• Family App - for families and individuals
• Work App - for professionals screening multiple children
The validated screening test is the same for both
The Austin Assessment Family App
The Austin Assessment Family App is for individuals and families. Download it for free from the App Store and purchase one screening test at a time via in-app purchases. Once one screening has been completed, unlimited access to the game mode will become available. This is fun and may help your child become better at dealing with visual complexity.
The Austin Assessment family can be used on iPhones and iPads.
The Austin Assessment Work App
The Austin Assessment Work App has been developed for both individual professionals and teams screening multiple children. The package includes use on multiple devices by multiple professionals if needed.
Along with the screenings, you get corresponding reports and access to the online Austin Assessment Hub, which displays all screenings. On the hub, you can search for individual screenings and export data as a .CSV file.
The Austin Assessment Work App can be downloaded at no cost from the App Store.
For further information on how to set up a work account, purchase screening packs and add team members, please refer to our FAQ section.
What does the Assessment measure?
The Austin Assessment uses an engaging card-matching game to evaluate how a child processes visual information. The screening consists of two rounds:
- Multi-colored version: Children match pairs of colored cards
- Single-colored version: Children match pairs in a monochrome setting
Both versions begin with simple four-card layouts and gradually increase in complexity up to twelve cards. This progressive challenge allows the app to identify specific visual processing differences.
The app measures three key variables:
- Overall completion time: How long it takes to complete each round
- Matching accuracy: How correctly pairs are matched at each level
- Dwell time: The time taken to match the first pair at each level
Additionally, the app tracks eye movements during the assessment, providing valuable insights into visual search patterns.
Watch our demo video to see how to complete a screening
How Are Results Determined?
The Austin Assessment has been tested on over 900 children across three age groups (5-8, 9-12, and 13-18 years), establishing normative ranges for typical visual processing.
When your child completes the assessment, their performance is compared to children in their age group across all variables. The results page clearly shows:
✓ = Performance within the normal range
* = Performance outside the normal range (meeting a threshold that suggests possible CVI)
A child only needs to meet one of the six possible thresholds for further assessment to be recommended.
Next Steps After Screening
CVI is a medical condition that requires professional diagnosis. The pathway to diagnosis varies by region, but typically involves:
- Taking the Austin Assessment report to your family doctor or pediatrician
- Getting a referral to a vision specialist
- Attending follow-up assessments to determine the specific nature of visual processing challenges
The app allows you to print or email your child's report, which includes valuable information to guide medical professionals in their assessment.
What If My Child's Results Suggest Possible CVI?
If your child meets any threshold (marked with an asterisk *), you can:
- Download a detailed performance report
- Share this report with teachers, therapists, or medical professionals
- Use the information to help guide what supports and strategies your child might need
Important: The Austin Assessment is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. A positive result indicates the possibility of CVI, but a formal diagnosis requires evaluation by a skilled medical professional.
Research Validation
The Austin Assessment is backed by extensive research. Children with CVI typically display distinctive patterns when completing the assessment, including:
- Darting eye movements
- Increased time needed to match cards as complexity increases
- Decreased accuracy with more cards
- Greater distractibility
- Signs of frustration or anxiety with increasing complexity
These differences indicate impaired visual search performance and difficulties with visually guided movements.
View the full Austin Assessment research and references
Get Started Today
Download the Austin Assessment App and take the first step toward understanding your child's visual processing abilities.
Game mode
Exclusive to the Family app, Game Mode gives you unlimited access to new fun games of matching shapes. Play as often as you like, with friends and family, keep score, compete, improve and most importantly, have fun!
Game Mode is unlocked after purchasing and using a single screening test.
