SPE 501 Educational and Diagnostic Assessment in Special Education

This course provides an overview of the processes involved in educational and diagnostic assessment of children and adolescents (K-21). Attention is given to the collaborative development, selection, administration, and interpretation of multiple measures of student learning, behavior, and the classroom environment to evaluate and support classroom and school-based systems of intervention for students and determination of special education eligibility. Multiple measures of assessment, including formal (e.g., norm-referenced) and informal (e.g., classroom-based) assessments, self-assessment, screenings, and issues of assessment such as limitations of testing and cultural and linguistic bias are emphasized. Focus is directed towards interpreting assessment results and connecting assessment to classroom supports, interventions, and instruction as well as planning and guiding instruction to meet rigorous academic and non-academic content and goals for each individual. The role special educator as a collaborative consultant and multidisciplinary team member is also considered. Legal, ethical, cultural, and linguistic assessment issues are addressed. A minimum of 10 hours of field experience is required. Pre-requisite(s): SPE 500 and SPE 506 or advisor approval. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours