SPED/532 - Special Education Assessment

Course Description

This course provides an overview of assessment in the K-12 special education classroom. Participants focus on assessing learners with special needs, with an emphasis on measuring a learner's abilities and diagnosing his or her strengths and needs. Commonly used tests and evaluation systems used in public school special education programs are examined. Participants review guidelines and procedures for developing the individualized education program and evaluate the use of progress monitoring assessments to assess student performance. The special education referral process, the use of response to intervention for assessment and remedial purposes, and basic remediation principles and strategies are also discussed.

This graduate course is 4 weeks.

PLEASE NOTE:
Attendance and participation are mandatory in all university courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

This course is not available for enrollment to residents of Alabama, Arkansas, and Kentucky.

Course Objectives

Overview of Assessments in the General and Special Education Classroom

• Summarize the role of assessment and the legal and ethical implications of assessments in the special education classroom.
• Examine different types of assessments and the information they provide for instruction.
• Compare the purposes of norm-referenced assessments with criterion-referenced assessments.
• Describe the role of the special educator and general educator in the assessment process.

Assessments for Evaluation and Diagnosis; The Referral Process, Multidisciplinary Team, and Response to Intervention

• Identify the different types of assessments that are used to determine eligibility for students with learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, emotional disabilities, and speech and language disabilities.
• Summarize results of assessments in terms of a child’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Identify basic statistics and scoring terminology used in assessments.
• Discuss the role of assistive technology in the assessment process.
• Evaluate pre-referral strategies commonly used in school systems.
• Identify the steps of the special education referral process and the role assessments play in this process.
• Describe the role of the multidisciplinary team in the assessment process.
• Evaluate the use of response to intervention (RTI) as a form of assessment and a means of providing interventions for students with identified disabilities.

The Use of Assessments in the Development and Monitoring of the Individualized Education Program

• Apply the appropriate steps to design a comprehensive report for a student with an identified disability.
• Describe ways in which a student’s specific learning needs and characteristics should guide the development of the individualized education program (IEP).
• Analyze the essential components of a well-written individualized education program (IEP).
• Compose a list of commonly used assessments for progress monitoring purposes in the general and special education classroom.

Basic Remediation Strategies and Multicultural Issues Pertaining to Assessment

• Identify step-by-step procedures used in the remedial process.
• Identify commonly used remediation strategies used in the special education classroom.
• Evaluate the importance of accommodations and modifications for students with special needs.
• Examine multicultural and diversity issues pertaining to the assessment process.

Disclaimers

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.

Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

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