Assessment In Special Education

Catalog description

This course will introduce assessment practices in special education with an emphasis on ethical, legal, and data-driven decision making for students with mild disabilities. Candidates develop skills in selecting, administering, scoring, and interpreting formal, informal, and curriculum-based assessments to inform instruction and communicate results effectively to families, educators, and other stakeholders. Course Learning Outcomes 1. Apply assessment terminology, measurement theory, and ethical practices to select, administer, score, and interpret formal, informal, and curriculum-based assessments. Use assessment results to make valid, data-based decisions for instruction and to communicate findings effectively to key stakeholders. (CEC Initial: 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3) 2. Apply principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and culturally responsive practices to select, adapt, and modify assessments that accommodate students with exceptionalities, including students who are nonverbal, English learners, or from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. (CEC Initial: 1.2, 2.2, 4.1, 5.1) 3. Apply knowledge of referral and classification procedures to interpret, report, and communicate assessment results to families, educators, and other stakeholders using both written and digital formats, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and adherence to legal and ethical standards. (CEC Initial: 1.1, 1.3, 4.2, 7.2) 4. Evaluate eligibility, program planning, and placement decisions for students with exceptionalities, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds or referred via response to instruction (RTI). Apply principles for prioritizing curriculum areas, sequencing, implementing, and evaluating individualized learning objectives, while considering advantages and limitations of various placement options across the continuum of services. (CEC Initial: 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 4.1, 5.6) 5. Engage in reflective practice and professional self-assessment to identify personal strengths, areas for growth, cultural biases, and dispositions toward students with intense exceptional needs and their families. Use reflection to inform instructional improvement and establish meaningful professional development goals. (CEC Initial: 1.1, 1.3, 6.1, 6.2) View Class Schedule