EDU 431 Assessment for Special Education Teachers

3 credits

Fall 2006

Instructor: Colette Wickersham, MS, NCSP

Phone:753-8646 work 753-2490 home

Email:

Required Texts: Overton, T. (4th Ed.) Assessment in Special Education: An Applied

Approach. Merrill Prentice Hall. 2003.

Lichtenberger/Smith. Essentials of WIAT-II and KTEA-II Assessment. Wiley and Sons, 2005.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Elementary Education Program (ENG 102,

Math 120, EDUC 203, EDUC 304) or instructor’s approval

Content Overview:

This course is designed to provide special education teachers with a hands-on approach to assessment. We will examine the differences between testing and assessment, the differences between achievement and intellectual assessment, and the differences between formal and informal assessment. Students will learn the role of basic measurement principles including basic statistics, reliability and validity in the assessment process. This course will also provide students with a thorough understanding of several different diagnostic achievement tests for use with students from early childhood ages through adulthood, including adaptive behavior. The students in this class will be required to administer 3 formal tests to children and interpret these results. The legal aspects of assessment will also be discussed and reviewed.

Exams:

Two non-cumulative exams will be given during the semester. Test items will be drawn from lectures, text readings, handouts and any assigned readings. Test questions will include multiple choice, true-false and short essay questions. Each exam will be worth 50 points.

Administration of Formal Tests:

Each student will administer, score and interpret 3 achievement tests during the semesterincluding the WIAT-II, KTEA-II and either the Bracken-R or the Brigance Preschool/Kindergarten Screens. Test protocols will need to be thoroughly completed. Students will submit the completed test protocol for grading along with a 2 page written report. The written report should include the following information:

  1. Background informationof the examinee including: age, grade, educational history, pre-referral interventions (if any), current family situation, significant health history and/or serious medical accidents or illnesses.
  2. Behavioral observations which should include observations of the child/adult during the testing session. Typically this section includes observations regarding the examinee’s attitude toward the testing session (relaxed, nervous, inattentive, etc), attention span, language style (short one-word responses vs. lengthy descriptive answers), activity level, and any unusual habits or mannerisms noted. A validity statement should be included at the end of this section. A validity statement is simply a statement by you, the examiner, as to how accurate you feel the test results are based upon the behavior of the examinee during the evaluation.
  3. Test Administered. A brief description of the test and its purpose
  4. Test results which should provide an overview of the test results in minimally the areas of reading, math and written expression, including a statement of thestudent’s strengths and weaknesses.
  5. Summary/recommendationswhich should integrate all of the findings as well as include any recommendations the examiner may have gleaned from the test results and/or testing process. All reports should have at least one recommendation.

Each test protocol will be worth 25 points and each accompanying test report will be worth 25 points for a total of 50 points, due on or before the day listed on the schedule. Students will be allowed to re-score inaccurate test protocols for partial credit as this will be further explained in class. Students will select one test protocol/report to present to the class with presentations tentatively scheduled for November 30th.

Before testing anyone, you must obtain informed written consent (on permission form provided by instructor) from that person. (or his/her parent if testing a child) Failure to obtain consent will results in a reduction of points. Please complete consent form even if testing your own children. The consent form should be attached to the test protocols upon submission.

Five in-class assignments will be due by the end of the class period on the day assigned and will be worth 10 points each. They will generally be completed in small groups with the exception of the individually presented test interpretations. These presentations should be approximately 5-10 minutes in length and include an overhead of the test scores (for the rest of the class to reference).

Grading:

90% or more of total course pointsA = 300 - 270

80% to 89%B = 269 – 240

70% to 79%C = 239 - 210

60% to 69%D = 209 - 180

Less than 60%F = < 179

Extra Credit:

Students will be allowed to administer one additional achievement test for up to 15 extra credit points. Great Basin College Library will have a Key-Math and a Woodcock-Johnson-III available for check-out during the semester. Please keep in mind that there is only one of each of these tests available, so plan accordingly.

Attendance:

Attendance is required and expected. There will be a number of in-class assignments that will be completed in mainly small group arrangements and only accepted for grading on the day assigned.

Accommodations:

The counselors at the Career Center will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate accommodations. Please call 753- 2279 for assistance. Any student needing special classroom accommodations should contact the instructor immediately.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1.To provide students with an understanding of the importance of assessing the “whole” child by incorporating social, behavioral, cultural and medical information as well as actual test results into the assessment process.

2.To gain a thorough understanding of the assessment process from pre-referral through eligibility by engaging in classroom lectures and discussions as well as participating in role playing activities centering around each of these stages

  1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of measurement principles including mean, median, mode, standard deviation, variance, standard scores, z scores and percentile ranks. These scores will be utilized in describing and interpreting test results accurately and confidently to the instructor by administering two widely utilized individual achievement tests as well as participating in classroom discussions and presentations.
  1. Students will be exposed to the legal aspects of special education assessment by addressing and discussing relevant court cases and current IDEA mandates.
  1. Students will obtain an understanding of Early Childhood Assessment and the particular aspects that make it unique and challenging. This will be completed by assessing a child between the ages of 3 and 7and providing a written report regarding the student’s experience.
  1. Students will also discuss IEP development as it pertains to test results and learn to identify student’s strengths and weaknesses. Actual examples as well as the students own assessment results will be utilized to demonstrate this process.