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.