E-raamat: Understanding Assessment in the Special Education Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators

About the Authors		xi
Acknowledgments		xiii
Introduction		1	(2)
Understanding Assessment and Special Education Assessment		3	(8)
Importance of Assessment		3	(1)
Purpose of Assessment		4	(1)
The Difference Between Testing and Assessment		5	(1)
Role of the Education Professional in the Special Education Process		5	(1)
Assessment and Federal Law		5	(6)
Autism		6	(1)
Deaf-Blindness		6	(1)
Developmental Delay		6	(1)
Emotional Disturbance		6	(1)
Hearing Impairment		7	(1)
Mental Retardation		7	(1)
Multiple Disabilities		7	(1)
Orthopedic Impairment		7	(1)
Other Health Impairment		7	(1)
Specific Learning Disability		8	(1)
Speech or Language Impairment		8	(1)
Traumatic Brain Injury		8	(1)
Visual Impairment		9	(2)
Understanding and Identifying Students Who Might Exhibit a Disability		11	(6)
Understand the Meaning of a ``High Risk'' Student		11	(1)
High Risk Students: Determine the Severity of the Problem		12	(1)
Understand How Tension Affects High Risk Students		13	(1)
Become Familiar With Common Avoidance Behavior Patterns Exhibited by High Risk Students		14	(2)
Often Selectively Forgets		14	(1)
Forgets to Write Down Assignments Every Day		14	(1)
Usually Takes Hours to Complete Homework		14	(1)
Always Finishes Homework Very Quickly		15	(1)
Cannot Seem to Get Started With Homework		15	(1)
Frequently Brings Home Unfinished Classwork		15	(1)
Consistently Leaves Long-Term Assignments Until the Last Minute		15	(1)
Frequently Complains of Headaches, Stomachaches, and Other Physical Ailments Before or After School		15	(1)
Often Exhibits Spotlight Behaviors		16	(1)
Conclusions		16	(1)
Understanding and Making a Referral to the Child Study Team		17	(8)
Understand Your Role in the Referral Process		17	(2)
Learn About the Membership of the CST		19	(1)
Understand What Takes Place at the CST Meeting		19	(1)
Learn About the Various Sources of Information Available on Your Student		20	(2)
Permanent Record Folder		20	(1)
Prior Academic Achievement		20	(1)
Prior Test Scores		20	(1)
Group Standardized Achievement Test Results		21	(1)
Attendance Records		21	(1)
Prior Teacher Reports		21	(1)
Group IQ Test Information		21	(1)
Prior Teacher Referrals		21	(1)
Medical History in the School Nurse's Office		21	(1)
Understand the Options of the CST		22	(2)
Parent Interviews		22	(1)
Medical Exam		22	(1)
Hearing Test		22	(1)
Vision Test		22	(1)
Classroom Management Techniques		22	(1)
Help Classes		23	(1)
Remedial Reading or Math Services		23	(1)
In-School Counseling		23	(1)
Progress Reports		24	(1)
Disciplinary Action		24	(1)
Change of Program		24	(1)
Consolidation of Program		24	(1)
Referral to Student Protective Services		24	(1)
Conclusions		24	(1)
Understanding and Obtaining Parental Informed Consent for Assessment		25	(6)
Understanding the Requirements of an Evaluation for a Suspected Disability		31	(4)
Understanding the MDT and the Comprehensive Assessment		35	(10)
Understand the Responsibilities of the Team Assigned to Do the Comprehensive Assessment: The Multidisciplinary Team		35	(2)
Understand the Membership of the MDT		37	(8)
School Psychologist		37	(1)
School Nurse		37	(1)
Classroom Teacher		37	(1)
School Social Worker		37	(1)
Special Education Teacher		37	(1)
Educational Diagnostician		38	(1)
Physical Therapist		38	(1)
Behavioral Consultant		38	(1)
Speech-Language Pathologist		38	(1)
Audiologist		38	(1)
Occupational Therapist		38	(1)
Guidance Counselor		39	(1)
Parents		39	(6)
Understanding the Various Methods of Assessment Options Available to the MDT		45	(16)
What Is a Comprehensive Assessment?		45	(1)
What Is Norm-Referenced Testing?		46	(6)
Norm-Referenced Tests		47	(1)
What Are the Informal Assessment Methods Available to the MDT?		47	(1)
Criterion-Referenced Tests		47	(1)
Ecological Assessment		48	(1)
Curriculum-Based Assessment and Curricululm-Based Measurement		49	(1)
Portfolio Assessment		50	(1)
Authentic Assessment		50	(1)
Task Analysis		51	(1)
Outcome-Based Assessment		51	(1)
Learning Styles Assessment		52	(1)
Primary Areas of Assessment		52	(8)
Intelligence		53	(1)
Language		54	(1)
Perceptual Abilities		54	(1)
Visual-Perceptual Ability		55	(1)
Auditory-Perceptual Ability		55	(1)
Perceptual-Motor Ability		55	(1)
Attention		55	(1)
Academic Achievement		56	(1)
Reading		56	(1)
Mathematics		56	(1)
Written Language		57	(1)
Behavior and Emotional and Social Development		58	(1)
Assessing Problem Behavior		58	(1)
Assessing Adaptive Behavior		59	(1)
Assessing Emotional and Social Development		59	(1)
Conclusions		60	(1)
Understanding Basic Statistics and Scoring Terminology Used in Assessment		61	(12)
Age Equivalent		61	(1)
Alternate Forms Reliability		62	(1)
Concurrent Validity		62	(1)
Construct Validity		62	(1)
Content Validity		63	(1)
Correlation		63	(1)
Criterion-Related Validity		63	(1)
Grade Equivalent		63	(1)
Interrater Reliability		64	(1)
Mean		64	(1)
Median		64	(1)
Mode		65	(1)
Range		65	(1)
Percentile Rank		65	(1)
Predictive Validity		66	(1)
Raw Scores		66	(1)
Reliability		67	(1)
Reliability Coefficients		67	(1)
Scaled Scores		67	(1)
Split-Half Reliability or Internal Consistency		68	(1)
Standard Deviation		68	(1)
Standard Error of Measurement		69	(1)
Standard Scores		69	(1)
Stanine		70	(1)
Test-Retest Reliability		70	(1)
T Scores		70	(1)
Validity		71	(1)
z Scores		71	(1)
Conclusions		71	(2)
Understanding Students' Behavior During the Assessment Process		73	(6)
Understand the Possible Effects of Examiner Variables		73	(1)
Understand How to Observe Overt Signs of Tension		74	(1)
Understand Behaviors That Are Observed...		74	(2)
... in the Initial Adjustment to the Assessment Process		74	(1)
... in the Student's Spoken Interactions With the Evaluator		75	(1)
... in the Student's Attempt to Adapt to the Requirements of the Assessment Process		75	(1)
... in the Amount and Type of Effort Shown During the Assessment Process		75	(1)
... in the Student's Handling of Time Factors During the Assessment Process		76	(1)
... by the Types of Responses Made During the Assessment Process		76	(1)
Understand Behaviors That Provide Insight Into the Student's Organizational Abilities During the Assessment Process		76	(1)
Conclusions		77	(2)
Understanding the Components of a Professional Evaluation Report		79	(14)
Practical Guidelines for Writing a Professional Evaluation Report		79	(1)
Always Write in the Third Person		79	(1)
Single-Space the Report to Condense the Length		80	(1)
Bold or Italicize New Sections, and Separate Them by Skipping Two Lines		80	(1)
Check for Spelling and Grammar		80	(1)
Understand the Components of the Report		80	(5)
Identifying Data		80	(1)
Reason for Referral		81	(1)
Background History		81	(1)
Behavioral Observations		82	(1)
Tests and Procedures Administered		82	(1)
Test Results		82	(1)
Steps for Writing Test Results		83	(1)
Step 1: Write the Name of the Test		83	(1)
Step 2: Create a Table for Each Test		83	(1)
Step 3: Write a Brief Statement About What Each Subtest Measures		83	(1)
Step 4: Report the Student's Standard Score, Classification, and Percentile for Each Subtest		83	(1)
Step 5: Make a Statement Regarding Something to Note About the Student's Performance on Each Subtest		84	(1)
Conclusions Section		85	(1)
Recommendations Section		86	(7)
Understanding What Is Required for a Presentation to the IEP Committee		93	(4)
Concluding Thoughts		95	(2)
Glossary		97	(6)
References and Suggested Readings		103	(16)
Index		119

Roger Pierangelo is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education and Literacy at Long Island University. He has been an administrator of special education programs and served for eighteen years as a permanent member of Committees on Special Education. He has over thirty years of experience in the public school system as a general education classroom teacher and school psychologist, and is a consultant to numerous private and public schools, PTAs, and SEPTA groups. Pierangelo has also been an evaluator for the New York State Office of Vocational and Rehabilitative Services and a director of a private clinic. He is a New York State licensed clinical psychologist, certified school psychologist, and a Board Certified Diplomate Fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychology and Forensic Psychology. Pierangelo is currently president of The National Association of Special Education Teachers, executive director of The American Academy of Special Education Professionals, and vice-president of The National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education.

Pierangelo earned his BS degree from St. Johns University, his MS from Queens College, Professional Diploma from Queens College, PhD from Yeshiva University, and Diplomate Fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychology and Forensic Psychology from the International College of Professional Psychology. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, New York State Psychological Association, Nassau County Psychological Association, New York State Union of Teachers, and Phi Delta Kappa.

Pierangelo is the coauthor of numerous books, including The Big Book of Special Education Resources and The Step-by-Step Book Series for Special Educators. George Giuliani is an assistant professor at Hofstra Universitys School of Education and Allied Health and Human Services, in the Department of Counseling, Research, Special Education, and Rehabilitation. He is the executive director of the National Association of Special Education Professionals, president of the National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education (NAPCSE), vice-president of the National Association of Special Education Teachers, and an educational consultant for various school districts. He has provided numerous workshops for parents and teachers on a variety of special education and psychological topics.

Giuliani earned Board Certification as a Diplomate Fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychology and Forensic Psychology from the International College of Professional Psychology. Giuliani is also a New York State licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist, and has an extensive private practice focusing on children with special needs. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, New York State Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, Suffolk County Psychological Association, Psi Chi, American Association of University Professors, and the Council for Exceptional Children. Giuliani earned his BA from the College of the Holy Cross, MS from St. Johns University, JD from City University Law School, and PsyD from Rutgers University, The Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.

Giuliani is the coauthor of numerous books, including The Big Book of Special Education Resources and The Step-by-Step Book Series for Special Educators.