Assessing Students with Special Needs CHAPTER 1: Defining and Describing the Assessment of Students with Special Needs Assessing Students with Special Needs Fifth Edition John J. Venn University of North Florida © 2014, 2007, 2004 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Overview Defining Assessment History of Assessment Legal Obligations Ethics of Assessment Fundamental Principles

Overview Assessment is the process of using tests and other measures to make educational decisions. Teachers of students with disabilities need a working knowledge of assessment to address student needs and to provide appropriate educational services.

Defining Assessment Assessment An assortment of techniques and procedures for evaluating, estimating, appraising, testing, and drawing conclusions about students Measurement Determining the ability or performance level of students using tests and other measures Behavior observations, interviews, rating scales, checklists, rubrics, and progress monitoring data Testing Usually given once with a standard set of questions

Defining Assessment Assessment Decision making is the key element of assessment Measurement Includes many different ways to gauge student progress Testing Students with special needs often experience test anxiety and fear of failure

History Intelligence Testing Testing Large Groups Individual Achievement Testing Bias in Assessment Curriculum-Based Measurement

Legislation IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act NCLB – No Child Left Behind Act

Ethics Permission for testing is necessary in most situations Privacy of test results must be maintained Standardized test administration includes specific procedures for giving and scoring tests

Fundamentals Assessing students with special needs is often similar to testing all students Assessment is essential and necessary for progress monitoring and accountability Continuous assessment is best in instructional situations Assessment is complex

Fundamentals Assessment changes frequently with new tests and measurement procedures Use more than one assessment to make significant educational decisions Assessment includes formal tests and informal measures Assessment is a tool for helping us provide excellent instruction and intervention to students with disabilities

Summary An elaborate process with a multifaceted structure Contributions from many disciplines Legal mandates Ethical considerations Many different tests and assessments Teachers should be well-versed in assessment An essential tool for providing the best possible education and related services