Texas Focus 2007

The World on a String:

Connecting through the

Expanded Core Curriculum

Texas Focus Family Pre-Conference

June 18, 2007

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Evaluation for the VI Student: What a Parent Should Know

Marnee Loftin, Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, TSBVI

GOALS FOR THE SESSION

  • UNDERSTAND THE FULL AND INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION PROCESS
  • UNDERSTAND THE REASONS TO REQUEST AN EVALUATION
  • UNDERSTAND THE MODIFICATIONS THAT WILL BE MADE DURING THE EVALUATION
  • UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF AN EVALUATION
  • UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATION OF AN EVALUATION
  • UNDERSTAND YOUR PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES DURING AN EVALUATION
  • UNDERSTAND YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS DURING AN EVALUATION
  • UNDERSTAND THE BASIC INFORMATION RECEIVED DURING AN EVALUATION

A FULL AND INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION MUST BE COMPLETED :

IF THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW RELATED SERVICE

IF THERE IS A NEED TO MODIFY THE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PLAN

IF THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT A NEW ELIGIBILITY/DISABILITY

IF THE FIE IS APPROACHING THE THREE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

COMPONENTS OF A FULL AND INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION

A Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) is a process that is designed review areas of functioning for an individual student. This information is used to provide an overall view of the individual strengths and needs of a student. Based upon this information, the Individual Educational Program (IEP) is developed. The following presents a summary of information that is likely to be included in each section of the FIE.

LANGUAGE

Language spoken by the student; most efficient way that the student communicates, comparison of receptive and expressive language skills, specific evaluation data if available, and eligibility for Speech Impairment

PHYSICAL

Medical conditions that impact student’s ability to learn, such as chronic health conditions; frequent hospitalizations; medications that may impact their alertness in the classroom; information about the eye conditions, functional implications of this condition and adaptive devices; information about hearing and any adaptive devices; gross and fine motor skills; ability of the student to use O&M skills to move through their day; need for adaptive PE; other medical information such as neurological data that has relevance to the educational program, and eligibility for Visual Impairment, Auditory Impairment, Other Health Impairment, and Orthopedic Impairment

SOCIOLOGICAL

Circumstances that affect student’s ability to learn, such as different cultural experiences, lack of educational experiences, recent family stressors/ changes that may have a detrimental impact on their learning; frequent moves or change in levels of service

EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIORAL

Issues that impact a students ability to learn such asdifficulty in attending, disturbed interpersonal relationships with other students and staff, feels of anxiety or depression; severe mood swings; severe signs of stress; difficulty in adjusting to visual impairment; extreme passivity; difficulty in accepting corrective feedback; and eligibility for Emotional Disturbance or Autism/PervasiveDevelopmental Disorder

INTELLECTUAL AND ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR

Information about a student’s ability tomaster abstract concepts and to generalize from previous experiences; most efficient learning style; specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses; overall level of daily living skills necessary for independent living; disability-specific skills; partial eligibility for Learning Disabilities; and eligibility for Mental Retardation

EDUCATIONAL

Information about students’ educational competencies including actual academic skills; functional skills; readiness concepts; or basic daily living skills. For the older student information focuses upon vocational skills and more advanced community living skills. Information may provide partial eligibility for decisions about Learning Disabilities.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Information about technology that will assist student in meeting educational goals specified by the IEP Team.

Loftin 2007

ISSUES THAT MAY SUGGEST

A NEED FOR FURTHER EVALUATIONS

Language:

  • Inability to follow instructions
  • Problems in attending in class
  • Difficulty with remembering instructions/information
  • Trouble distinguishing sounds or words
  • Difficulties with articulation or language development
  • Concern over language dominance
  • Difficulty with transitions/changes:

Physical

  • Change in visual functioning: Eye exam/FVLMA
  • Concern over eye health: Eye Exam
  • Difficulty in attending/following instructions: Hearing Screening
  • Change in functional use of vision or new environment: FVLMA
  • Change in medium/ concern over current medium: FVLMA
  • Problems in discriminating Braille: OT evaluation
  • Problems in completing self-help tasks: OT evaluation
  • Problems in any small hand movements: OT evaluation
  • Problems with transitional movements: PT evaluation
  • Problems with self-stimulatory behaviors: OT or PT evaluation
  • Problems with participation in PE: Adapted PE evaluation
  • Problems in traveling to different locations: O&M evaluation
  • Excessive reliance upon sighted guides during travel: O&M evaluation

Sociological

  • Difficulty in maintaining communication with parents
  • Questions about guardianship
  • Transition issues
  • Conflicts between home and school
  • Significant changes in the family
  • Lack of educational opportunities because of frequent illnesses
  • Lack of educational opportunities because of frequent moves or lack of services

Emotional/Behavioral

  • Difficulty with peers or teachers
  • Concerns about anxiety or depression
  • Difficulty with adjusting to blindness
  • Concerns about classroom behaviors
  • Concerns about passivity or lack of independence:
  • Concerns about challenging behaviors
  • Concern about cooperating with staff requests
  • Concern regarding poor classroom performance
  • Possible presence of Emotional Disturbance
  • Possible presence of Autism/PDD

Intellectual/Adaptive Behavior

  • Difficulty in mastering academic concepts
  • Difficulty in generalizing to new situations
  • Difficulty in mastering new concepts
  • Difficulty in remembering previously-mastered concepts
  • Difficulty in mastering independent living skills
  • Difficulty with problem-solving
  • Difficulty with short- or long-term memory
  • Possible presence of Mental Retardation
  • Possible presence of Learning Disabilities

Educational

  • Significant weaknesses in specific academic areas
  • Significant skills deficits within an academic area
  • Resistance to using recommended adaptive devices
  • Inefficiency in completing educational tasks
  • Slow speed in processing educational information:

Difficulty in mastering abstract concepts

  • Difficulty in generalizing to new situations
  • Possible presence of Learning Disabilities

Assistive Technology

Inefficient use of technology

  • Changes in medium
  • Changes in visual functioning
  • Changes in environment
  • Resistance to use of specific technology

Loftin 2007

PLANNING A FULL AND INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

1. How is eligibility determined for a student with a visual impairment?

Students with a visual impairment must have their Full and Individual Evaluation current within the past three years. In Texas, a student with a visual impairment must have the following documents to qualify for services:

  • An eye exam completed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist that documents a serious visual loss or the presence of a progressive eye condition.
  • A Functional Vision/Learning Medium Assessment that documents the ways in which a student uses his/her vision and the appropriate medium that they use to accomplish a variety of tasks.

These documents must specify that an educational need is documented as the result of the visual conditions.

2. What is the Full and Individual Evaluation?

Any student who is in special education or who is being considered for special education must have a Full and Individual Evaluation. It is completed first at the time of admission to special education and documents the way in which each student meets specific criteria for different eligibilities. It is reviewed at least every three years after that time. It is also reviewed when the IEP Team determines that there is a possibility of a need for a related service, need for modification of the IEP, or to determine the presence of an additional eligibility.

3. Must a Full and Individual Evaluation be completed every three years?

Originally schools were required to provide new data every three years on each student in special education. Most recently changes in federal law made it possible for IEP teams to simply review the data. This process reviews previous data and determines if it reflects current level of performance and is adequate for developing an IEP. If they feel that it is adequate and there is no question about other eligibilities or related services, the IEP Team may decide to only document that the FIE is still current and adequate.

4. Is there a name for this review of the Full and Individual Evaluation?

This process is called by many different names by different districts. It can be called the Review of Existing Evaluation Data (REED), the Planning ARD (PARD), the Triennial Review, or the Full and Individual Evaluation Planning. In each case the ultimate determination of the group is to recommend any needed evaluations that are necessary to deliver a Free and Appropriate Public Education. (FAPE).

5. What if the IEP Team needs new data to plan the educational program or to determine additional eligibilities?

If any new evaluations are recommended, the review document notes the reason for this evaluation. The evaluation must take place within 60 calendar days after consent for evaluation is received. The evaluation may not take place until consent by parent is received. If parents don’t respond within a reasonable period of time, there are certain steps that the district will take to obtain consent.

Once the evaluation is completed, the FIE must be updated to reflect the new information and the impact that it has upon the educational program of the student.

6.Can a parent request evaluation even if other members of the IEP Team feel that an evaluation is not necessary?

As a parent, you have the right to request evaluation at any time. You should be clear about the reasons that you are requesting the evaluation and be certain that you can support it with data. You also have the right to request that the evaluation be completed by someone with specific expertise in the field of visual impairment.

7. Can a parent refuse an evaluation if they do not feel that it is necessary or appropriate?

The parent has the right to refuse to consent to an evaluation. In some instances, the school district may follow a procedure that will continue to explore the possibility of evaluating your child. It is important that you consider any refusal for evaluation very carefully. Remember that IEP Teams are recommending evaluations because of some concern that they have about the progress your child is making. Be certain that you have explored all options for compromise before you refuse an evaluation.

8. Are there certain data that must be included in the Full and Individual Evaluation?

Federal law describes the different types of data that must be included in the Full and Individual Evaluation. It includes the following sections:

  1. Language
  2. Physical
  3. Sociological
  4. Emotional/Behavioral
  5. Intellectual and Adaptive Behavior
  6. Educational
  7. Assistive Technology

9. What information should be included in each of these sections?

Language: Language spoken by the student; most efficient way that the student communicates, comparison of receptive and expressive language skills; specific evaluation data if available, and eligibility for speech impairment

Physical: Medical conditions that impact students ability to learn, such as chronic health conditions; medications that may impact their alertness in the classroom; information about the eye conditions, functional implications of this condition and adaptive devices; information about hearing and any adaptive devices; gross and fine motor skills; ability of the student to use O&M skills to move through their environment; need for adaptive PE; and any other medical information such as neurological data.

Sociological: Circumstances that affect student’s ability to learn, such as different cultural experiences, lack of educational experiences, or recent family stressors/ changes that may have a detrimental impact on their learning

Emotional/Behavioral: Issues that impact a students ability to learn such asdifficulty in attending, disturbed interpersonal relationships with other students and staff, feels of anxiety or depression; severe mood swings; severe signs of stress; difficulty in adjusting to loss of vision; extreme passivity; difficulty in accepting corrective feedback;

Intellectual and Adaptive Behavior: Information about a students ability tomaster abstract concepts and to generalize from previous experiences; most efficient learning style; specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses; overall level of daily living skills as well as skills necessary for independent living.

Educational: Information about students’ educational competencies, which may include actual academic skills; functional skills; readiness concepts; acquisition of basic skills. For the older student information focuses upon vocational skills and more advanced community living skills.

Assistive Technology: Information about technology that will assist student in meeting educational goals specified by the IEP Team.

10. Do each of these areas need to be assessed each time that the FIE is reviewed?

The purpose of the review is to determine what type of new information is needed to plan an appropriate education or to determine eligibilities. The IEP Team will review progress to determine any areas of need and request additional evaluations based upon these areas of need. Students with visual impairments have certain unique learning needs. However, the following examples present certain types of behaviors that would suggest needs for additional evaluations during this review:

Language:

  • Problems in attending in class
  • Difficulty with remembering instructions/information
  • Trouble distinguishing sounds or words
  • Difficulties with articulation or language development
  • Concern over language dominance
  • Difficulty with transitions/changes:

Physical

  • Change in visual functioning: Eye exam/FVLMA
  • Concern over eye health: Eye Exam
  • Difficulty in attending/following instructions: Hearing Screening
  • Change in functional use of vision or new environment: FVLMA
  • Change in medium/ concern over current medium: FVLMA
  • Problems in discriminating Braille: OT evaluation
  • Problems in completing self-help tasks: OT evaluation
  • Problems in any small hand movements: OT evaluation
  • Problems with transitional movements: PT evaluation
  • Problems with self-stimulatory behaviors: OT or PT evaluation
  • Problems with participation in PE: Adapted PE evaluation
  • Problems in traveling to different locations: O&M evaluation
  • Excessive reliance upon sighted guides during travel: O&M evaluation

Sociological

  • Difficulty in maintaining communication with parents
  • Questions about guardianship
  • Transition issues
  • Conflicts between home and school
  • Significant changes in the family
  • Lack of educational opportunities because of frequent illnesses
  • Lack of educational opportunities because of frequent moves or lack of services

Emotional/Behavioral

  • Difficulty with peers or teachers
  • Concerns about anxiety or depression
  • Difficulty with adjusting to blindness
  • Concerns about classroom behaviors
  • Concerns about passivity or lack of independence:
  • Concerns about challenging behaviors
  • Concern about cooperating with staff requests
  • Concern regarding poor classroom performance
  • Possible presence of Emotional Disturbance
  • Possible presence of Autism/PDD

Intellectual/Adaptive Behavior

  • Difficulty in mastering academic concepts
  • Difficulty in generalizing to new situations
  • Difficulty in mastering new concepts
  • Difficulty in remembering previously-mastered concepts
  • Difficulty in mastering independent living skills
  • Difficulty with problem-solving
  • Difficulty with short- or long-term memory
  • Possible presence of Mental Retardation
  • Possible presence of Learning Disabilities

Educational

  • Significant weaknesses in specific academic areas
  • Significant skills deficits within an academic area
  • Resistance to using recommended adaptive devices
  • Inefficiency in completing educational tasks
  • Slow speed in processing educational information:
  • Difficulty in mastering abstract concepts
  • Difficulty in generalizing to new situations
  • Possible presence of Learning Disabilities

Assistive Technology

Inefficient use of technology

  • Changes in medium
  • Changes in visual functioning
  • Changes in environment
  • Resistance to use of specific technology

Loftin 2007

ROLE OF THE PARENT

IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS

BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE IEP TEAM

  • Participate in the discussion about evaluation
  • Understand the reason for the evaluation
  • Address specific concerns that you have about your child
  • Ask questions if you don’t understand the “jargon”
  • Ensure that the TVI and Evaluation Specialist consult prior to the evaluation

BE A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION

ABOUT YOUR CHILD

  • Provide an explanation of the visual condition and the etiology,
  • Know developmental milestones, as well as possible impacts of the visual condition
  • Provide information about the strengths and needs that you see in the home environment
  • Discuss techniques that may decrease anxiety for your child
  • videotapes of your child engaged in daily living skills/leisure activities,
  • Share a portfolio of “special” work that you have saved over the years
  • Provide estimates of time that your child spends in completing homework or maintaining performance
  • Share the extent to which you must provide support to help your child meet their goals
  • Discuss the participation of your child in social or extracurricular activities
  • Share how your child engages in family activities

BE AN ADVOCATE

  • Ensure that your input is included in the report
  • Review to determine if your questions are addressed in the report
  • Ask questions until you are certain you understand the report
  • Review to determine that useful recommendations are included in the report

Loftin 2007

Consultation Between VI And Evaluation Staff

Obtain Basic Information About The Visual Condition And Modifications Through Review Of

  • The visual condition and specific educational implications
  • The most recent functional vision and low vision reports
  • Specific suggestions for modification of the testing environment
  • Recommendations for low vision devices or adaptive devices that are required
  • The learning media assessment

Discuss Areas Of Concern That Often Emerge Such As:

  • Over-identification of additional disabilities such as autism
  • Inappropriate administration of standardized tests
  • Inadequate recommendations for an individual educational plan.

Discuss Unique Developmental Patterns Of Students With Congenital Blindness

Clarify Misunderstanding Regarding The Nature Of Low Vision