Assessing Students with Special Needs to Produce Quality Outcomes promotes outcome-based evaluation to guide the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) in selecting appropriate Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, classroom modifications and accommodations, as well as optimal instructional strategies. It advances the development of assessment-based IEPs to enable the MDT to pinpoint and address specific needs to improve student outcomes. Obtaining data from a variety of perspectives and settings improves the opportunity for identifying overall competencies and needs in preparation for higher functioning in all settings. Assessing Students with Special Needs to Produce Quality Outcomes presents an integrated look at a variety of assessment methods in an easy to read book. FEATURES: Recommends student-centered, strength-based assessment techniques by providing reality-based stories to aid the reader in understanding how the tools of formal, informal, and authentic assessment merge to provide a more complete understanding of the student. Provides special features for linking IEP development and daily instruction to highlight the fundamental relationship between assessment and the IEP. Emphasizes the growing role of technology in the assessment process as identified by IDEA 2004 to utilize assistive technology in evaluation and instruction. Includes innovative, research-based techniques not extensively explored in other assessment textbooks. Explains the impact of cultural diversity on assessment issues and provides specific recommendations for addressing nondiscriminatory, culturally-sensitive evaluation to prepare the reader to meet the needs of a diverse society. Proposes authentic strategies to increase parent, teacher and student participation in the IEP process as mandated by IDEA 2004.

This comprehensive text for future teachers of learners with disabilities is grounded in the idea that assessment is at the center of all good teaching. Its hallmarks are its accessibility, balanced coverage of both this formal and informal assessment, plus thorough exploration of the link between gathering information and actually using it to make informed decisions. Offering a step-by-step Assessment Question Model on the inside front cover, it equips readers to understand the complete assessment process, from choosing the best tool, to adapting instruction to improving outcomes. Popular, as well as lesser-known, tools are examined in order to acquaint readers with promising procedures for assessing students with special needs.

At last, a practical guide to the what, how, when, and where of effective assessment! When determining whether or not a student should receive special education services, what the specific nature of the student′s instruction should be, or the extent to which a student is making educational progress, it is critical to know not only what sort of assessment method is most appropriate, but how, when, and where it should be administered. Including a pretest, posttest, and key vocabulary terms, Effective Assessment for Students With Special Needs helps educators make these weighty decisions with highly practical information such as: Formal and informal methods of data collection When to use various assessment practices and what they can show an evaluator Standards for conducting assessments to ensure accuracy Using data to make decisions about the education of students with disabilities and those who are gifted and talented

This book is intended to facilitate the meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities in district and state assessments as required by the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. First, an introductory chapter offers reasons for including students with disabilities in district and statewide accountability systems. Chapters 2 through 6 address the specifics of including children with disabilities, such as deciding how students participate in district and state tests, eligibility for assessment accommodations, how to decide which accommodations are appropriate for use in assessments, the characteristics of alternate assessments, and including English language learners with disabilities in assessments. Chapters 7 through 10 address using assessment results, how the Individualized Education Program (IEP) can be restructured to promote greater participation in the accountability system, teacher and service provider collaboration, gaining support from administrators, parent involvement in testing decisions, and the legalities of restructuring accountability systems that include all students. Extensive appendices include sample forms and worksheets for participation decision making, IEP development, assessment accommodations, and student feedback; checklists of criteria for deciding about participation, accommodations, and assessment type; a guide to staff development; and a list of Technical Assistance and Dissemination Networks. (Individual chapters identify additional resources.) (CR).

Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs, Second Edition helps prepare teachers for the task of evaluating the skills of infants, toddlers, and preschool children with developmental delays and those considered at risk to experience developmental delays or difficulties. A child’s environment is a critical consideration when focusing on assessment, and authors Susan Benner and Joan Grim explore the important issues of family resources, health, multidimensional environmental influences, economic deprivation, and domestic violence on infant and child development. This textbook conveys a sense of respect for parents, the powerful influence assessment results can and do have in the lives of young children with special needs, and an understanding of the complexity of child development, progression, and measurement. This book sets the tone for important values and beliefs to honor throughout one’s professional life. This fully revised edition addresses recent legislation, updated versions of assessment, and the newest assessment tools that teachers will come across. The popular full-length case studies of the first edition have been updated, and vignettes of other cases are fully integrated across chapters, bringing the text alive with meaning. Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs, Second Edition now includes expanded discussion on progress monitoring and response to intervention, functional behavioral analysis, pros and cons of norm-referenced testing, web-based gathering tools, ELL students, and screening for autism.

Children with and without disabilities are increasingly more challenging in schools. Current legislation has increased accountability for the education of all children which has forced schools across the nation to redesign instruction for all children regardless of educational placement. "What Works in Special Education and for At-risk Learners" focuses on the implementation of general education initiatives in programs and schools serving all students including those with mild to severe disabilities. The book will provide strategies for improving the educational environment. The book will also look at issues that impact all levels of the school system emphasizing that in order to make effective changes the vision and goal setting must begin with the Superintendent and extend to the building administrator, the classroom teacher, the student and parent.What Works in Special Education offers a critical look at the current educational system and its impact on students while offering specific strategies for Administrators to change the school climate in order to effectively teach all children. This book provides a framework, procedures and specific tools for assessing and implementing systems and strategies at all levels (from Central Office to the Classroom) in order to ensure that all children general grow and learn. These strategies can be used by general and special education administrators based on a district or a school's need to change the environment in order to increase positive student outcomes for all children regardless of abilities or disabilities. Tools and strategies are provided to cover topics including 1) Creating effective teams using strategies that increase communication, 2) Building leadership capacity among staff members 3) Developing, implementing, monitoring viable curriculum 4) Assessing engaged learning in special education classrooms and 5) Assessing school and teacher level factors for quality of implementation. The primary focus of the book is to assist administrators at all levels of a school system in implementing general education initiatives such as RTI/PBIS, general education curriculum and other strategies in order to include and not exclude students with disabilities or at-risk learners.

For undergraduate and graduate courses in special education assessment. A practical approach to assessing learners with special needs from early childhood through transition Assessing Learners with Special Needs: An Applied Approach provides readers with a practical, step-by-step approach to learning about the complex procedures of the assessment process. The 8th Edition provides a new presentation format and a new format for assessing student mastery of material through interactive learning activities. Extend learning beyond the classroom Pearson eText is an easy-to-use digital textbook that students can purchase on their own or you can assign for your course. It lets students read, highlight, and take notes all in one place. The mobile app lets students learn on the go, offline or online. Creating a course allows you to schedule readings, view reading analytics, and share your own notes with students, motivating them to keep reading, and keep learning. Learn more about Pearson eText.