Functional assessment is a systematic process used to understand the abilities, needs, and challenges of children with intellectual disabilities in their natural environment. The primary goal of functional assessment is to gather detailed information about a child’s skills, behaviors, and developmental levels, so that appropriate interventions can be designed to support their growth, learning, and independence. Unlike traditional assessments that focus solely on deficits, functional assessment emphasizes the child’s strengths, adaptive behaviors, and practical skills necessary for daily life. In the context of early intervention and early childhood education, functional assessment helps educators, therapists, and caregivers identify specific areas where the child requires support, determine the most effective teaching strategies, and monitor progress over time. Functional assessment involves collecting information across multiple domains, including cognitive skills, communication abilities, social-emotional development, motor skills, and adaptive functioning. Cognitive assessment focuses on the child’s problem-solving, attention span, memory, and understanding of concepts, while communication assessment evaluates both verbal and non-verbal communication, including gestures, facial expressions, and the ability to understand instructions. Social-emotional assessment examines how the child interacts with peers and adults, manages emotions, and adapts to changes in