1. Including Students with Disabilities in Equitable Arts Assessment
Sharon M. Malley, EdD
Arts and Special Ed. Consultant
Jean B. Crockett, PhD
University of Florida

2. Today’s Session Artist: Zachary Yellin, Arlington, VA
Assessments for All Learners:
Who are students with disabilities?
Why include them in arts assessment?
What are the challenges ?
Universal Design for Learning & the NCAS:
What are some examples of UDL?
How do the NCAS Cornerstone Assessments include SWD?
How equitable are arts assessments in your states, schools, & agencies?
Including Students with Disablities in Assessments:
What are some guidelines?
What are the implications for your practice?
Artist: Zachary Yellin, Arlington, VA

3. Who are students with disabilities?
Heterogeneous group
Specified disability categories are used for determination of eligibility, and overall educational planning.
Use of disability categories only is not effective – focus in teaching should be on individual student characteristics

4. Categories and Prevalence of Disabilities under the IDEA

5. Why Include Students with Disabilities in Assessment?
IDEA of 1997 and 2004: Students with disabilities must have access to and are expected to make progress in the general curriculum And be appropriately accommodated to participate in assessments.

6. Educational Rights - ESSA
The Every Student Succeeds Act – states and school districts hold schools accountable for the progress of all students. . . including students with disabilities

7. Arts education included in ESSA
In the definition of a “well-rounded” education - thus, arts assessment and accountability for students with disabilities must be considered.

8. What are the challenges?
What challenges do you perceive in meeting these mandates?

9. National Core Arts Standards: Addressing Inclusion
Inclusion has been intentionally addressed in the standards and Model Cornerstone Assessments

10. A committee of arts education and disability professionals
Sharon Malley, special education
Jean Crockett, special education
Mary Adamek, music
Alice-Ann Darrow, music
Kylie Peppler, media arts
Meryl Apler, media arts
Jenny Seham, Dance
Pamela VanGilder, Dance
Sally Bailey, Theatre
Lisa Dennett, Theatre
Karen Keifer-Boyd, Visual arts
Michelle Kraft, Visual arts

11. Universal Design for Learning Principles in Education
Represent information in multiple formats and media.
Provide multiple ways to engage students’ interests and motivation.
Provide multiple pathways for students’ actions and expressions.

12. Universal Design for Learning
What are some examples of UDL?

13. Inclusive language in the standards
(Student will) write a report describing how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork influence how it is perceived and valued.
(Student will) explain how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork influence how it is perceived and valued.

14. Inclusion in the Standards
The wording of the standards is inclusive.
There is a set of guidelines and resources for arts teachers to use when implementing standards.
There are separate resource lists for each of the arts disciplines.
There are inclusion guidelines for each of the Model Cornerstone Assessments.

17. Music Inclusion Strategies Grade 2 MCA (first page)

20. Visual Arts Strategies for Inclusion

21. Visual Arts Inclusion Guidelines: 2nd Grade
Creating:
Present information in a variety
of formats
Use of assistive and adaptive technologies
Presenting:
Tactile oriented exhibits
Nonverbal, action-oriented engagement
Responding/Connecting:
Varying means of expressing learning
Including stakeholders

22. Visual Arts Inclusion Guidelines: 5th Grade
Creating:
Adjustments to timelines and work spaces
Adjust height specifications to accommodate a wheelchair
Presenting:
Varying means of communication
Alternative methods for presenting artwork
Responding/Connecting:
Uses of technology for alternative response

23. Visual Arts Inclusion Guidelines: Middle School and High School
Creating:
Modifying painting approaches
Adjusting work spaces and timelines
Presenting:
Alternative exhibition spaces
Portfolios: Varying means of selecting and presenting work
Responding/Connecting:
Big ideas that address “difference” and “normal”
Critical thinking and approaches to narratives

24. Equitable Assessments
What are you doing to make your assessments more inclusive in your state, school, or agency?

25. The Guiding Principles

26. Responsibilities of all teachers of students with disabilities
All teachers must have knowledge and skills related to their subject matter discipline as well as specific knowledge and skills drawn from the field of special education.

27. Arts teachers responsibilities
Possess core knowledge
Share and collaborate with special education teachers
Know specific information about each student
Know and utilize content of IEP
Create a positive inclusive learning environment

28. Guiding Principles for Using the Core Arts Standards with Students with Disabilities
1. Maintain high expectations 2. Promote communicative competence 3. Use the principles of Universal Design for Learning 4. Know how to select and use appropriate accommodations for individual students 5. Make use of evidence-based practices 6. Target instruction and use formative indicators of student performance

29. All students should be challenged
Students with disabilities should be challenged to excel so that they are well prepared for successful post-secondary school education, careers, and lives in the community (Thurlow, 2012).

30. Arts Assessments for Students with Disabilities
Resources are available to meet the challenge of challenging all students!

31. Thank you! Jean Crockett, Ph D jcrockett@coe.ufl.edu
Sharon Malley, Ed D