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EDIS 5040
Spring, 2017 Pullen
EDIS 5040:
Psychoeducational Assessment
Spring 2017
Instructor: Paige C. Pullen, Ph.D.
E-mail:
Credits: 3 hours
Day and Time: Mondays 6:00 - 8:30
Classroom: Ruffner
Office Phone: 434.242.9783
Office Hours: by appointment
Honor Code:
You should pledge all work in the spirit of the Honor System of the University of Virginia. I shall indicate the assignments and activities that you are to do individually and those that you can do collaboratively. You should write and sign the complete pledge at the end of all quizzes, examinations, individual assignments and papers: "I pledge that I have neither given nor received help on this examination (quiz, assignment, etc.)". Please refer to the University Graduate Record for more information regarding the Honor Code.
Students with Disabilities:
All students with special needs requiring accommodations should present the appropriate paperwork from the Student Disability Access Center (SDAC). It is the student’s responsibility to present this paperwork in a timely fashion and follow up with the instructor about the accommodations being offered. Accommodations for test-taking (e.g., extended time) should be arranged at least 7 days before an exam.
The SDAC is located in the Department of Student Health and can be contacted at 434-243-5180/5181.
Counseling and Psychological Services:
While we as faculty always hope and strive for a positive learning community for you, our students at UVA, there are times when events, whether personal, at the university, or at a national or global level, disrupt lives of you and/or your peers and your sense of community. While these events can negatively impact your ability to focus on academics, they can also create opportunities to engage in meaningful and honest discussions about difficult and important topics. My personal hope is that you feel supported and that you reach out for help if needed. Although I sincerely hope that you do not need to contact them, I provide the information for the CAPS Center below.
Harrison Bowne "Tersh" Smith Jr. Memorial Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Location: Student Health Center, 400 Brandon Avenue
(two blocks from UVa Hospital on Jefferson Park Avenue between Monroe and Brandon Avenue)
Daytime Phone (Monday – Friday): 434-243-5150
After Hours and Weekend Crisis Assistance: 434-972-7004
Fax: 434-243-6693
Course Description:
Graduate Record Course Description: Prepares teachers of exceptional children to administer, score, and interpret several standard educational instruments; to use informal procedures in educational assessment; and to interpret the combined results of psychological, sociological, medical, and educational assessments as they apply to the development and evaluation of individualized educational plans.
Course Design: I’ve designed this course to broaden students' knowledge of assessment theories and methodologies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the use of these methodologies to develop instructional strategies for students with unique learning needs. I designed the course with two tracks: (a) special education and other school-based professional majors; and (b) communication disorders majors. Lecture, discussion, and workshop formats will be used to help students apply knowledge of assessment principles and procedures drawn from the literature, students' experiences, and the experiences of their peers.
Student Learning Objectives:
1. The student will demonstrate knowledge in areas related to:
a. the appropriate roles of assessment in teaching exceptional students and/or working with exceptional students in clinic-based settings.
b. the significance on assessment techniques of behavioral, academic, cultural, and economic differences among individuals.
c. contemporary techniques for assessing student progress and planning appropriate interventions for students at risk for or with disabilities (emphasis is on individuals with speech and language disorders, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and traumatic brain injury.
d. the role of psycho-educational assessment in determining eligibility for special education or related services.
e. the interpretation of test data on language development, academic achievement, and behavioral functioning of students with or at risk for disabilities,
f. the use of summative and formative assessment data in the development and implementation of Individual Educational Programs (IEPs) and Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs).
g. legal and policy issues that influence the assessment of exceptional learners, including HIPPA regulations, regulations of the IDEA, and Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
2. The student will demonstrate the following skills:
a. evaluate formal instruments used to assess students for eligibility for services in special education programs and or speech-language clinics.
b. evaluate the relative value of norm-referenced and various criterion-referenced assessment procedures for determining eligibility, appropriate placement, and appropriate educational programming for students with learning and behavior disorders,
c. administration of frequently used formal assessment instruments, and
d. design valid and useful informal assessment procedures.
Required Text:
For Students in the Special Education Program or Other School-Based Program:
Overton, T. (2016). Assessing learners with special needs: An applied approach (8th ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson.
For Students in the Communication Disorders Program:
Shipley, K. G., & McAfee, J. G. (2016). Assessment in speech language pathology: A resource manual (5th ed.). Boston: Cengage.
Selections from journals, other texts, and websites are listed on the class bibliography and will be made available on the Collab website. The class syllabus, lecture notes, grading rubrics, and other supporting materials will also be made available on the Collab website for the class.
Course Requirements and Assignments:
Please note that none of these assignments can be completed successfully by simply expressing your opinion or depending exclusively on your experience. Because an essential component of professional behavior is to draw from the profession’s knowledge base, I expect students to work from a scholarly literature base when they prepare their responses for class activities/assignments.
Preparation, participation, and contribution:
Attendance is mandatory. If you must miss a class, please let me know prior to the class. In-class discussions, activities and lab experiences are an essential component of the course. It is imperative that students attend all sessions and fully participates in order to complete the course successfully. A contribution log is in the resources section of UVACollab.
You are expected to have completed all readings before class; class discussions and lecture rely upon this information. Non-text readings are all available on the class Collab site.
Most classes will have an activity lab that provides students with the opportunity to apply the theories and concepts that they have learned through readings and lectures. Labs may consist of, but are not limited to, case studies, chapter exercises, collaborative activities, and various assessments.
Quiz
One quiz will be administered online that is specific to you according to your major area of study (i.e., Communication Disorders or Special Education). The quiz covers readings from the textbook and lecture/course material. The quiz is closed book. You do not attend class the night of your scheduled quiz.
Data Analysis Project
You will be provided with data for a student from assessment measures about which you have learned. Using the data provided, you will write a parent report and a teacher report that includes an explanation of the results of the assessments in lay terms. For each report, you will provide suggestions as the expert in your field for the classroom or clinic setting as well as for the parents. I will provide several sets of data from which to choose that represent your various interests and specializations. I will provide a detailed information sheet in class.
Student Assessment Project
Guidelines for the Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation of the Woodcock – Johnson III, Tests of Achievement Brief Battery:
Each student will administer, score, and interpret the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement-Brief Battery or other assessment as approved by the instructor. This is a practice administration only. Because practice administrations by novice evaluators are not considered valid, the results are to be kept confidential and may not be shared with the examinee and his or her family. Please ensure that the individual/parent whose cooperation you obtain for this assignment is fully aware of this before you administer the test. See Appendix for details.
Final Exam:
The final exam will consist of case study, and short answer questions. The final exam is cumulative, open book and take-home. Please note that all pledged exams are due by the end of the final exam period as noted on the syllabus and cannot be accepted late.
Grading:
Grades for the semester will be predicated on each student's performance on the activities described in the assignments section of this document. I shall assign final grades according to the following scale of A through F.
Grading Scale
99-100% / A+ / 80-82% / B-95-98% / A / 78-79% / C+
90-94% / A- / 73-77% / C
87-89% / B+ / 70-72% / C-
83-86% / B
Assignment / Percentage of Grade / Due Date
Participation, Preparation, and Contribution / 10% / Weekly;
Log Due on Last Day of Class
Quiz (By program area) / 15% / 2/27; 3/13
Data Analysis Project / 25% / 4/3
Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation of the WJ - III Brief Battery / 25% / 4/24
Final Exam / 25% / Due 5/8
Tentative Course Schedule
Date / Topic / Deadline for Readings / Assignment DueWeek1
1/23 / Course Overview
Textbook Review
Student Introductions
Week2
1/30 / Foundations of Assessment / Overton, Chapters 1-2
Shipley, Chapters 1-2
Week 3
2/6 / Testing Terminology and Statistics / Overton, Chapters 3-5
Shipley, Chapters 3-4
Week 4
2/13 / Academic Assessment: Achievement Tests
Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement / All-Overton, Chapter 8
(On Collab for Communication Disorders Students)
Selections from WJIII Examiner’s Manual
Week 4
2/20 / Achievement Tests
Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement
WIAT / Selections from WJIII Examiner’s Manual
Week 5
2/27 / Special Education Students Only
CBM/RTI / Overton, Chapters 6-7 / Online Quiz for Communication Disorders Students
Week 6
3/13 / Communication Disorders Only
Assessments for Communicative and Speech Disorders / Shipley, Chapters 5-6 / Online Quiz for Special Education Students
Week 7
3/20 / Academic Assessments-Language and Literacy / Shipley, Chapters 7-8
Week 8
3/27 / Academic Assessment (con’t.)
Key Math
Oral and Written Language / Overton, Chapter 9
Week 9
4/3 / Assessment of Behavior
BASC-2
Conners’ Ratings Scales - Revised
ADHD Scales / Data Analysis Project Due
Week 10
4/10 / Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorders
ADOS
CAR / All-Shipley Chapter 9
(On Collab for Special Education Students) / Guest Lecturer-Dr. Stacy Dean
Week 11
4/17 / Measures of Intelligence and Adaptive Behavior
WISC
UNIT
Vineland Adaptive Behavior
Scales – II / Overton, Chapter 10
Week 12
4/24 / Communication Disorders--
Assessments for Stuttering, Voice and Resonance
Special Education--
Interpreting Assessment for Intervention / Chapters 11-12
Overton, Chapter 13 / WJ III ACH Project Due
Week 13
5/1 / Culminating Activity / Brixx Pizza; 7 pm
Final Exam / Due May 8
Procedural Details:
· Please turn all electronic devices off in class.
· The APA (American psychological Association) style of writing and citation is expected of special education and speech/language professionals. I realize that following the APA Manual can be tedious and may not fit for all assignments. However, I do expect that you come reasonably close in following the basics of APA style. See APA Suggestions handout on Collab or visit the following website, http://www.apastyle.org/, http://webster.commnet.edu/apa/index.htm, and http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html
· This course is rigorous and requires that you keep up with assignments by submitting work on time. Falling behind on projects will surely diminish your experience of this course and will negatively affect your acquisition of course knowledge and, potentially, your grade.
· If you are a student with special needs, please let me know as soon as possible. Please have written documentation. You may also want to visit the following websites to review your rights and responsibilities as a student: http://vpsa.virginia.edu/policies/rights and http://www.virginia.edu/studenthealth/sdac.html
· I do not allow “incompletes” in this class, except under extreme circumstances (Trust me, you not want to find out what I mean by “extreme.”)
· Students must keep a copy of all assignments turned into the instructor.
· All papers must be stapled or clipped.
· Students must attach a copy of the appropriate rubric with each class project. Rubrics are on the class website.
Council for Exceptional Children: Initial Content Standard 8: Assessment
ü Assessment is integral to the decision making and teaching of special educators and special educators use multiple types of assessment information for a variety of educational decisions.
ü Special educators use the results of assessments to help identify exceptional learning needs and to develop and implement individualized instructional programs, as well as to adjust instruction in response to ongoing learning progress.
ü Special educators understand the legal policies and ethical principles of measurement and assessment related to referral, eligibility, program planning, instruction, and placement for individuals with exceptional learning needs, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
ü Special educators understand measurement theory and practices for addressing issues of validity, reliability, norms, bias, and interpretation of assessment results. In addition, special educators understand the appropriate use and limitations of various types of assessments.
ü Special educators collaborate with families and other colleagues to assure nonbiased, meaningful assessments and decision-making.
ü Special educators conduct formal and informal assessments of behavior, learning, achievement, and environments to design learning experiences that support the growth and development of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
ü Special educators use assessment information to identify supports and adaptations required for individuals with exceptional learning needs to access the general curriculum and to participate in school, system, and statewide assessment programs.
ü Special educators regularly monitor the progress of individuals with exceptional learning needs in general and special curricula. Special educators use appropriate technologies to support their assessments
[CEC, 2009, p. 4].