This week

Previous assignment and answere

his discussion assesses your ability to explain the process by which students are identified for assessment according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  This discussion also supports your achievement of Course Learning Outcome 4 and the MASE Program Learning Outcomes 2 and 6.  In addition to reading the Announcements, prepare for this discussion by reading the Required Resources, the Week One Instructor Guidance, and the scenario provided below.

Scenario: In February, Mr. Franklin and you had a new student join your class.  Manuel recently moved to your school from another state due his father’s job change.  The school’s guidance counselor tells you that she has contacted his previous school regarding his cumulative file but it has not yet arrived.  In the six weeks that Manuel has been a part of your Language Arts class, you have noticed that he does not interact much with his peers in class, he has only turned in 25% of his homework assignments, and he has earned 53% - 68% on the classroom assessments that evaluate his level of curriculum mastery.

You have talked with his other teachers to gain insight into how Manuel is doing in their classes and to discover if there are any teaching strategies that they are finding successful.  Manuel’s math teacher reports that he is doing an outstanding job and is surprised that he is struggling in your class.  She says that he does not interact much with the other students but that her class is not designed for a lot of in-class student interaction.  Manuel’s science and social studies teachers both report experiencing behaviors and assessment outcomes similar to those causing you and Mr. Franklin concern.  In both of these classes, for example, Manuel does not interact much with the other students in the small group work they do in class.  The science teacher mentioned that during labs Manuel conducts his lab experiments with precision and scientific accuracy. 

Based on your observations and reports from Manuel’s teachers, Mr. Franklin and you consider further steps to try to better understand Manuel's learning profile so that that you can make adjustments to meet his needs.  As you are considering your next steps for Manuel's success, you discuss with Mr. Franklin that according to IDEA the school must follow a specific process for the assessment and evaluation of students with disabilities.

Initial Post: Post a response that:

· Explains the process you and Mr. Franklin must follow to identify Manuel for assessment according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).

· Describes consequences that may result from not following the processes, including, but not limited to, possible harm to Manuel.

· Explains the first step that you must take in order to proceed and why.  Include real world examples from your own personal or professional experiences as well as support from the reading to support your writing. 

Answer I gave for this discussion

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) stipulates the procedures to follow to assess the student’s possibility of disability. The assessment should incorporate a significant portion of the stipulated activities. The first requirement is conducting an individual psychological evaluation. According to Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012), this evaluation should include a measure of general intelligence, instructional needs, and learning strengths and weaknesses. The second requirement is adequate social history from interviews with the parent and student. The assessment would need to incorporate an academic history from records as provided by past teachers. The outlined are some of the measures to adopt with Mr. Franklin. However, they are part of a larger process to be followed, as stipulated by IDEA.

           Failure to follow the assessment process as required by IDEA may result in inadequate or incorrect information to facilitate decision making. As a result, arrived at solutions may not yield the best results from the student. Characteristically, the developed measures may harm Manuel as they may push him beyond his abilities. The failure to follow the due process may result in the development of techniques that are inappropriate to Manuel’s educational needs.

           The first step to take is believing in Manuel’s abilities. According to Recchia (2013), there is a correlation between believes teachers have about students with disabilities and what they teach them. Believing in Manuel’s abilities does not limit his involvement. An example is a classroom scenario where a teacher believes in disabled students and combines them with other students. This setup allows disabled children to learn more than they could have if they were in a classroom of disabled students only. Believing in Manuel could propel him to exceed expectations.

References

Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. A. (2012). Assessment in special education: A practical approach . Boston: Pearson.

Recchia, S. (2013). Inclusion in the early childhood classroom: What makes a difference? Teachers College Press

2nd Assignment

This discussion assesses your ability to describe the purpose of reliability and validity in the design of formal and informal assessments.  It also supports your achievement of the Course Learning Outcomes 5 and 6 and the MASE Program Learning Outcome 1.  For this discussion, you will continue assuming the role of the special educator collaborating with Mr. Franklin.  In addition to reading the Announcements, prepare for this discussion by reading the Required Resources, the Week Two Instructor Guidance, and the scenario provided below.

Scenario: You are talking to Mr. Franklin about your options for informal classroom assessments as you are waiting for Manuel's cumulative folder to arrive from his previous school site.  As described on p. 29 of your text, formal and informal assessments should be both valid and reliable.  When you mention this to Mr. Franklin he states that he had been under the impression that only standardized tests could be valid and reliable.  He then asks you to help him better understand these concepts so that he can create valid and reliable informal classroom assessments to use for all students.

Initial Post: Post an initial response that includes the following:

· A description of the concepts of reliability and validity written so that Mr. Franklin can understand and use them.  Include a real-world example from your own personal or professional experiences.

· An explanation of the importance of reliability and validity in creating unbiased assessments.

· At least three suggestions that Mr. Franklin can use to create informal assessments that are both reliable and valid.  Use the information from Chapter two in Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012).

Guided Response:  Review the posts of your classmates and the Instructor.  Respond to at least two peers asking questions that will encourage elaboration on information they provided in their initial posts, discussing the examples of reliability and validity they provided, and evaluating the effectiveness of the suggestions they developed for Mr. Franklin about how to create informal assessments that are both reliable and valid.  This will help to create a sense of community and extend the conversation while providing you additional opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real world experiences with this topic.

Though two replies are the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and application of the material, you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have made (including your Instructor) before the last day of the discussion period.  This will deepen the conversation while providing opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real world application.

The Answer I gave 

     Validity and reliability are some of the important aspects associated with assessments conducted in classroom setups.  Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) defined validity as the extent to which a test measures what it purports to measure. On the other hand, reliability refers to the degree to which a particular test maintains the same score over several undertaken tests. A test is not reliable if it does not yield a similar result over several times the test is conducted. An example is a bodyweight machine in a pediatrics unit. This scale is valid as it measures the weight of the babies brought to the unit. The scale becomes become reliable if it gives the same score in different measures.

            Validity And reliability are important in the development of unbiased assessments. According to Caldwell (2008), validity helps determine the purpose of an unbiased assessment, guiding the assessment’s design to fulfill the purpose. In measuring the content validity, an assessment needs to measure the skills or behaviors taught in a classroom. The author added that educators rely on the assumptions of reliability in measuring students’ performance. In formulating an informal assessment, there are several aspects that Mr. Franklin needs to consider. The first thing is the purpose of the assessment. The determination of the informal assessment’s purpose would help in the designing of an assessment gearing towards the fulfillment of this purpose. The other factor is the skills taught in classrooms. The informal assessment developed by Mr. Franklin need to consider the contents taught t the students. The third suggestion is the consideration of the different students’ abilities. In a classroom setting, students have different cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities. As such, a similar concrete assessment should factor the different abilities.

 

References

Caldwell, J. (2008). Comprehension Assessment: A Classroom Guide. Guilford Press

Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. A. (2012). Assessment in special education: A practical approach . Boston: Pearson

3rd Assignment

Understanding and Using Assessments

This assignment assesses your ability to evaluate the purpose, merits, and limitations of the various types of assessments that are used to guide the planning and development of the IEP.  This assessment also supports your achievement of Course Learning Outcomes 1, 2, and 8 and the MASE Program Learning Outcomes 5 and 6.   Helping families understand how to interpret the assessments that are used to discover students' learning profiles is a key function of your job.  There are many technical terms associated with testing and assessment that can seem incomprehensible, intimidating, and unfriendly to parents and others who do not have training in this field.  In addition, the reasons you choose and use particular assessments must be transparent to families.  For example, you will need to be able to explain why the assessments you have chosen are culturally and linguistically fair for the student who is being assessed and evaluated.  This includes both formal and informal assessments, but is particularly important when choosing standardized assessments.  In other words, you must be able to justify why your method of assessment is both valid and reliable, given the cultural and linguistic background of the student you are assessing. Using support from the required readings, the Instructor Guidance, the supplemental information derived from the discussions, and information from the scenario below, create a three-page handout for Manuel's parents to help them understand the assessments that you will be using to assess Manuel.  Include information describing why the assessments you chose are designed to be culturally and linguistically fair. Scenario: Manuel’s records have finally arrived at the school.  Included are his past attendance records, prior teacher reports and referrals,  medical history from the nurse’s office,  prior academic achievement, and standardized state and district test scores.  It seems that Manuel was also struggling academically at his past school, especially in classes that require heavy reading and writing, such as English and Social Studies, and you learn that he had a reading tutor from first through fourth grade.  You also notice that he seems to have done consistently better in his Math classes there as well.  You and Mr. Franklin have already spoken to his other teachers and his parents regarding your concerns and everyone, including Manuel's parents, agrees that something needs to be done.  His mother is concerned that being labeled as “Learning Disabled” will cause him embarrassment while, his father, who is an engineer, feels that his son’s talents are not being fully expressed.  They go on to explain that although Manuel is fluent in English, prior to moving to his new school, their community was predominately Hispanic and Spanish-speaking and he is bilingual in both English and Spanish.  They have heard that the assessments you will use to evaluate his ability will not take this potential language and culture barrier into account.  You decide to create a document for Manuel's parents to help them understand the difference between informal and formal assessments, how using both types of assessment is known to mitigate bias, the purposes, merits and limitations of standardized assessments, and the how the statistical results from assessments are used in the planning and development of an IEP.

Instructions:  Use the instructions below for the content and written communication expectations.  Before submission, review your assignment using the Grading Rubric to ensure it meets the expectations for distinguished performance.  If you have questions about the assignment or the rubric, please contact your instructor using the “Ask Your Instructor” discussion before the due date. 

Content Expectations: Using MS Word, create a three-page handout for Manuel’s parents with the following information:

· The definition of informal and formal assessments.

· At least three examples of each type of assessment (informal and formal).

· A summary evaluation of research supporting the use of both informal and formal assessments as one way to reduce the likelihood of bias in assessments.

· A description of the research that explains the purposes, merits, and limitations of standardized assessments.

· An explanation of how the statistical concepts and terms provided with assessment results are used to inform the planning and development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The statistical concepts and terms you must include in this section are: mean, median, mode, frequency distributions, standard deviation, validity, reliability, and the normal curve.

Written Expectations:

· Syntax and Mechanics:  Exhibit meticulous use of grammar, spelling, organization, and usage throughout your submission.

· Organization:  Use the above listed guidelines for explicit sections/headings within your paper.

· Paragraphs:  Include a separate subheading and paragraph for each required element in the narrative.

· Source Requirement:  Reference at least 3 scholarly sources including the course text in order to provide compelling evidence to support your ideas.

· Page Requirement:  3 pages (750 words) not including the title and references pages.

· Additional Page Requirement:  Your submission must include a title and reference page.

· APA format:  All in text citations, page format and references must be written in APA 6th edition format.

Answer I gave

Understanding and Using Assessments

Introduction

Learning abilities differ from one student to another, and assessments are instrumental in providing teaching guidance while enabling the teaching strategies that would cover the students’ learning abilities. Salvia and Ysseldyke (2007), as cited by Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012), defined assessments as a process used in the special education that involves collecting students’ information to facilitate decision making. The process involves the determination of the students’ strengths and needs in all their learning aspects. The assessment for the special and exceptional students are different. According to Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012), the exceptional students’ educational and psychological assessment involves collecting information to facilitate decision-making in developing goals, objectives, and teaching strategies. Exploring the formal and informal systems to understand the assessment and impact on Manuel’s learning.

Formal and Informal Assessments

Understanding the various forms of assessments requires one to understand formal, informal assessments. Other assessments are the norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments. Sacks (2001) defined the formal assessments as involving the testing of the intellectual ability, also known as the learning aptitude, testing of achievement abilities, and other specific skills such as the motor and language skills, auditory discrimination, and the social adjustments. In a classroom setting, the formal assessments determine a student’s understanding of the taught content, facilitating decision making on the next course of action. A teacher may decide to revisit a course component due to the low performance in a formal setting or progress with teaching other aspects when the students yield good results. Examples of the formal assessments are the end of the chapter tests, standardized tests, and continuous assessment tests. A teacher may opt to use a random assessment test that randomly measures students’ understanding of the taught concepts without giving them time to prepare.

On the other hand, the authors noted that informal assessments involve systematic observation, students’ work analysis, interviews, questionnaires, and error analysis. The informal assessments provide a better understanding of the students’ cognitive and behavioral aspects. Studying the behaviors and errors in allocated tasks helps the teacher determine the unique needs a student may have. Informal assessments include asking questions during classroom sessions, asking questions during interactions, and observing behaviors.

Bias during assessments is one of the major hindrances of achieving accurate results during the process. Reducing bias in conducting assessments elicits confidence in the produced results. Paul (2020) observed that assessments should be conducted the same way in all the attempts to reduce bias. Characteristically, the teacher could incorporate computers, which reduce human interactions, further eliminating the possibility of bias and errors associated with the biased thoughts held by involved individuals. McMillan (2013) noted that while reducing bias and other principles apply the formal and informal assessments, there are no clear methods for detecting bias during the informal assessments. The authors highlighted that various scholars had explored the guidelines to use during informal assessments. Manuel’s schools would need to develop guidelines that teachers need to follow while conducting informal assessments. These guidelines need to consider the unique needs of the students and their demographic aspects.

Standardized Assessments

Standardized assessments are commonly used in all educational levels. Reynolds and Fletcher-Janzen (2004) noted that in the standardized assessments, the test questions and instructions are similar for all the examinees. The difference of this assessment from the informal assessment is that the teacher puts in a lot of time in item development, refining, and item selection. The author noted that one of the advantages of this standardized assessment lies in its reliability due to its documentation in a technical manual. Reynolds and Fletcher-Janzen (2004) added that the assessments measure content associated with common mathematics and English programs. This assessment has disadvantages. According to Tischler (2011), standardized assessments are biased towards minority groups. Some of the standardized assessments’ vocabularies and concepts are more familiar to white students than their African-American counterparts. The different ethnic groups that the minority groups belong to mean that they are more accustomed to their ethnic languages than the English language. This difference in language proficiency could interfere in the understanding of assessment questions hence the difference in performance. Criticism associated with the standardized assessments also stems from the secrecy of the companies involved in their preparations. The standardized assessments and the teacher’s opinions can be a subjective means of decision making.

Development of Individualized Educational Programs (IEP)

The statistical terms and concepts provided from the assessment results facilitate the planning and development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Validity, reliability, and mean are important statistical concepts informing the formulation of the IEP. Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) defined validity as the measuring of what a test purports to measure. A valid and reliable assessment provides accurate information to facilitate the development of an IEP program. Mean, median, and mode would provide numerical information to enable the development of an IEP by highlighting the required financial and human resources. On the other hand, frequencies help determine the changes to make on the IEP depending on the different needs of the student population.

References

In McMillan, J. H. (2013). SAGE handbook of research on classroom assessment. SAGE

Paul, P. (2020). The Education of d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: Perspectives on Language and Literacy Development. MDPI

Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. A. (2012). Assessment in special education: A practical approach . Boston: Pearson

Reynolds, C. R., & Fletcher-Janzen, E. (2004). Concise Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of the Handicapped and Other Exceptional Children and Adults. Hoboken: Wiley

Sacks, A. (2001). Special education: A reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO

Tischler, H. L. (2011). Introduction to sociology. Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning

his discussion assesses your ability to explain the purpose of using Response to Intervention (RTI) as a pre-assessment and evaluative tool and to explain the multidisciplinary nature of the assessment and evaluation process in special education.  This assessment also supports your achievement of Course Learning Outcomes 1 and 3 and the MASE Program Learning Outcome 6.

Initial Post: As you recall from the previous readings, no single procedure is used as the sole criterion for determining eligibility for special education.  In addition to a variety of technically sound instruments that are both valid and reliable, a team approach should always be used to make decisions.  This team should include both qualified professionals and the student's parents.  As a member of a team, whether it is as part of the Child Study Team or in some other role, the special educator has an important role to play.

One of your roles is to serve as a liaison between families and the school setting.  In this capacity you will sometimes need to write a formal letter to a student’s parents with explanations about the assessment and evaluation process.  In this discussion you will practice this skill by writing a formal letter to Manuel’s parents.  In addition to reading the Announcements, prepare for this discussion by reading the Required Resources, the Week Three Instructor Guidance, and the scenario provided below.

Scenario: Based on the conversations with Manuel's parents and the other teachers, you and Mr. Franklin decide to implement several Tier One interventions in your classroom.  These include conducting a universal screening of reading and writing achievement for all students in the class, changing your instructional strategies to include high interest reading and writing assignments, and the use of a portfolio.  You and Mr. Franklin want to build on the earlier meeting you had with Manuel's parents to help them to feel part of the assessment and evaluation process.  You decide to write a etter to inform them about the purpose of RTI and how you plan to use RTI to help in your assessment of Manuel's learning profile.

Post a response that is formatted as a letter to Manuel’s parents to include the following:

· An explanation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) approach and its purpose as a pre-assessment and evaluative tool.

· A statement with examples describing how RTI has been shown to reduce the likelihood of cultural bias in the assessment and evaluation process.

· A description of the multidisciplinary nature of the assessment and evaluation process with an emphasis on the roles and responsibilities that Manuel’s parents, you, and Mr. Franklin each have in the process.

· A summary of the Tier One Interventions you and Mr. Franklin have implemented so far and your plans for your next steps.

Answer I gave

REF: RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI) APPROACH

I wish to inform you about the RTI assessment conducted on your son, Manuel. The RTI approach is essential as it facilitates decision making concerning the general performance of the student. Using this approach on your son would help develop a seamless system for your son’s instruction depending on the assessments’ outcome. Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) highlighted the National Research Center on Disabilities (NRCLD) 2007 definition of RTI. According to the text, RTI is an assessment and intervention process that undertakes systemic monitoring of the students’ performance. The outcome would help devise the instructional alterations or necessitate an increased intensity of the progress depending on the monitoring data.  Kindly note that the RTI approach has a special education with a multitier approach or service delivery. This approach would be benefit your son as it uses a problem-solving framework and scientific research to determine and deal with academic and behavioral difficulties.

The RTI approach is different from the discrepancy model in that the former resolves some of the weaknesses of the latter.  The advantages associated with the RTI model provides better assessment results compared to the discrepancy model. These advantages also reduce cultural bias. Unlike the discrepancy model, the RTI intervention provides accurate results for students of all ages. According to LDinfo Publishing (2017), the discrepancy model is not suitable for young students as it does not yield accurate results. The other difference is that while the discrepancy model requires the participants to have attained a particular fail, which is not the case for RTI. The students do not need to fail to a given level to be identified, and action can be taken. LDinfo Publishing (2017) added that the discrepancy model is a time-consuming assessment process. However, that is not the case for RTI, as the approach will require a minimal disruption on Manuel’s educational sessions to undertake the test. Resnick (2009) highlighted that the RTI reduces bias as it collects data for all the students in the classroom instead of those that could be having special education needs.

 

Sincerely,

Mary Garcia

Mary Garcia

 

 

 

References

LDinfo Publishing (2017). Response to Intervention (RTI) vs the Discrepancy Model.  https://www.ldinfo.com/rti.htm#compare (Links to an external site.)

Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. A. (2012). Assessment in special education: A practical approach . Boston: Pearson

Resnick, B. (2009). What is Response to Intervention (RTI)? Rush Neurobehavioral Center.  http://rnbc.org/2009/10/what-is-response-to-intervention-rti/

Purpose of the Report

The report aims to provide additional details about Manuel to aid in the formulation of an assessment and learning plan that would meet his intellectual needs. This report also provides Manuel’s information as he studied in the previous school while outlining the referral reasons. This information would facilitate decision-making by developing an assessment that considers the student’s unique needs. The development of relevant assessment tools and interventions to use on Manuel would be more accurate through the reliance on the information provided by Manuel’s former school and what has been gathered when working with Mr. Franklin. The decisions made about Manuel would be better informed due to the report. It would also be easy to put into perspectives most aspects that have been observed in Manuel’s behaviors and learning abilities.

The Need for Individualized Instruction Strategies

The benefit of using the Response to Intervention (RTI) strategies is the provisional of plenty and meaningful instructional data for use in the development of well-targeted individualized instructional programs (Pierangelo & Giuliani 2012). The advantages of using the RTI tier two would help facilitate the acquisition of Manuel’s learning needs. According to Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012), tier II focuses on students lagging behind their classroom peers and requiring targeted interventions to accomplish the grade targets. The authors added that tier II aims at hastening learning among students requiring additional interventional support. The intervention could be used in a regular setting and may involve a targeted intervention or a small group of student. RTI Action Network (n.d.) observed that succeeding in the tier II intervention requires a systems approach that ensures the coordination of the purpose, components, and crucial measures ensuring the student’s and school’s success.

Manuel needs the individualized strategy instruction strategy to capitalize on the areas he is lagging on. Manuel has a bilingual ability and performs well on subjects that are in line with his interests. He is also making friends, and he jokes with friends on topics he enjoys, such as the BMX bikes and the computer games they play. Manuel feels embarrassed by his slow reading and disregards the subjects nor related to his career goal, engineering. Despite writing well, Manuel does not finish the in-class assignments and tests, and homework are often short. Manuel’s needs require the individualized instruction strategies that would help improve the weak areas while magnifying the strengths. These strategies could work on Manuel without being taken out of the classroom scenario.

Parental Involvement

The parental involvement is instrumental in ensuring the success of the RTI strategies. Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) highlighted the parents’ involvement in all steps of the RTI program is essential in ensuring the interventions’ success. The text added that the parents’ inclusion in the team provides an essential decision-making perspective, hence improving the strategy’s effectiveness. Manuel and his parents would need to be involved in the intervention from its start point to the end. This involvement ensures that both are informed about the strategies, and the benefits yielded from their application. Manuel and his parents are more likely to ensure the program’s success when informed of its intention as opposed to when they are left in the dark. The school could consider explaining the intervention and its intentions to Manuel. The explanation would use simplified language that is in line with Manuel’s understanding. On the other hand, the school could write to the parents explaining the strategies and their importance.

It is worth noting that information on the intervention would be provided to Manuel and his parents before the utilization. Providing the information in advance ensures that the involved parties can seek clarification on the interventions while assisting in its implementation. The provision of information on the interventions’ strategies lowers the possibility of resistance towards its implementation. Resistance lowers the interventions’ success due to elevated failure rates. The information provided to the parents should explain the factors considered from the report provided by the former school and the changes that have been denoted so far.

Recommended Interventions

The following are some of the recommended interventions to employ.

1. Team Meeting with Teachers

Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) observed that this intervention entails the involvement of teachers that have had a previous interaction with Manuel. The authors added that the teachers meet to determine the strategies that could be implemented to yield the best student results. This intervention would be essential in determining Manuel’s information from the previous teachers. Manuel’s past information is essential in putting into perspectives his instructional and behavioral needs.

1. Parent Meetings

Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) stated that this intervention entails organizing meetings with the parents to determine the student’s motivation and details on the family background. Using this intervention would help determine Manuel’s culture, among other demographic information. The determined information would guide the implementation of the Tier II intervention while avoiding putting Manuel in a disadvantaged position.

1. Medical Examinations

Conducting medical examinations on Manuel helps rule out underlying health conditions that could be the cause of the encountered classroom difficulties.

1. Hearing test

Pierangelo and Giuliani (2012) highlighted that a hearing test should be the first to be administered of none has been undertaken on the student in the last six months to one year. Using this intervention would determine or rule out an association between hearing challenges and Manuel’s incomplete assignments.

Next Assignment

This discussion assesses your ability to explain the special educator's role in the use of assessment and evaluation results to develop an appropriate IEP for a student.  This assessment also supports your achievement of the Course Learning Outcomes 2 and 3 and the MASE Program Learning Outcomes 7 and 8. 

In addition to reading the Announcements, prepare for this discussion by reading the Required Resources, the Week Four Instructor Guidance, and the scenario provided below.  In particular, you should review the Initial Referral to the Multidisciplinary Team form found on p. 112-113 of your text, the Child Study Team Referral Form  from week three, and  Part I of the Comprehensive Report  found in the Instructor Guidance for this week.

Scenario: In addition to your role on the Child Study Team, you are also a member of the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MDT).  This team is preparing to meet because while the Tier Two Interventions have been helpful, Manuel is still struggling with his reading fluency and his writing, and is continuing to fall further behind.  The MDT has received the signed and dated formal permission for referral from Manuel's parents and the school psychologist has conducted an academic achievement evaluation as described in your text.  One of your roles as the special education inclusion teacher in your school is to translate the results of all the assessments in a way that is understandable to parents, the child, and to the regular education teacher.  Another aspect of your role is to write the Initial Referral to the MDT such as the one described on p. 112 of the text.  Finally, in your role as the special education inclusion teacher you are tasked with reviewing the results of all the assessments in order to to help the Manuel, his parents and his other teachers to understand the various strategies that are recommended based on his assessment outcomes.

You have reviewed the RTI data collected to date, including the informal observations of Mr, Franklin and Manuel's other teachers and samples of his classroom work, and have compared those data to Part I of the Comprehensive Report  prepared by the school psychologist.  That report is located in the Instructor Guidance for this week.  The data paint a compelling and congruent picture of Manuel's current academic functioning.  You are now ready to write an Initial Referral for Manuel so that his eligibility for special education services can be determined.

Initial Post: Review the Initial Referral to the Multi-Disciplinary Team form on p. 112 and 113 of your text. Compare the information needed for that form with the Child Study Team Referral Form that you filled out last week for Manuel.  Explain the different functions of the two documents and state how they are alike and how they are different.  Then, explain how you plan to share the data on the Initial Referral to the Multi-Disciplinary Team form in a way that Manuel, his parents, and Mr. Franklin can understand.  Be sure to include an explanation for why you are the one sharing this information with them. Include pertinent professional or personal real world examples to illustrate your points.

Guided Response: Respond to at least two peers with questions about their initial posts that will encourage further discussion about how the Initial Referral to the MDT supports the special educator’s role in applying assessment and evaluation results during the process of developing an appropriate IEP. 

Though two replies are the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and application of the material, you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have made (including your Instructor) before the last day of the discussion period.  This will deepen the conversation while providing opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real world application.

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My answer

The Initial Referral to the Multi-Disciplinary Team form and Child Study Team Referral Form have differences and similarities that act as their strengths and weakness when comparing them. The information needed for the Initial Referral to the Multi-Disciplinary Team Form is more detailed than that of the Child Study Team Referral Team. For instance, while the former explores the student's background information by examining aspects such as education, family history, and home, the latter does not include the said information. The initial referral form is detailed on the employed interventions as it undertakes a cognitive and achievement assessment. However, the child study team document only has assessments examining the students’ academic and behavioral characteristics. However, the two documents are similar. The duo includes the reasons for referral. Also, they include factors necessitating the students’’ recommendation to the team. These factors are such as reading skills and comprehension.

Information from the assessment is complicated, and Manuel and his parents may not understand. As such, I would need to interpret the results of the assessment in simple and understandable language. I would also avoid the use of jargon and difficult terms to ensure they understand. Their understanding of the information ensures their facilitation in the employed strategies. I would be the one doing the explanation due to my experience in undertaking assessments and explaining them. The different results always have different things to say about the students. The other results I have garnered in the different assessments always had a unique message they send. In my experience, I offer individualized experience, depending on the unique needs of the students.

Week 4 - Assignment

· Due Oct 12 by 11:59pm

 

· Points 5

 

· Submitting an external tool

The Multidisciplinary Team and Parental Participation in the Assessment Process

This assignment assesses your ability to investigate how participants of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) contribute to the development of the Individualized Education Program.  This assessment also supports your achievement of the Course Learning Outcomes 2 and 3 and the MASE Program Learning Outcomes 5 and 8. 

Instructions: Using support from the required readings, the Instructor Guidance, supplemental information derived from the discussions and outside sources, and information from the scenario described below you will write a three page journal reflecting on various aspects of your journey so far. Scenario: You have come to the point in the process where Manuel's Individualized Education Program (IEP) is about to be created assuming he meets the federal eligibility criteria.  As a result Manuel may have the opportunity to receive individualized help.  The Multidisciplinary Team is going to become involved and each member will contribute his or her unique perspectives and observations.  Although Manuel’s mother and father support the recommendations for additional services, they have also expressed feeling mixed emotions about the process and the contributions of the multidisciplinary team in the development of the IEP.  As the special educator working closely with Manuel in the classroom and with Mr. Franklin, and as a reflective practitioner, you are writing in your journal about this next step in the process.  You have found that the writing helps to clarify possible issues and that you often feel confident about your next steps after writing in your reflective journal.

Use the instructions below for the content and written communication expectations.  Before submission, review your assignment using the Grading Rubric to ensure it meets the expectations for distinguished performance.  If you have questions about the assignment or the rubric, please contact your instructor using the “Ask Your Instructor” discussion before the due date.

Content Expectations: Write a reflective journal to include the following elements.

· Your feelings as you have come to the point in the journey where Manuel’s IEP is about to be created and he will receive individualized help.

· Your thoughts about how each participant contributing to the IEP will help to make this a positive and strong experience for Manuel and his parents. 

· Your plan for ensuring that Manuel and his parents continue to play a key role in the process.  Include at least four specific suggestions for their participation. 

· Your strategy for talking to Manuel about his need to services.  Describe how you will frame the conversation so that he does not feel "dumb."

Written Expectations:

· Syntax and Mechanics:  Exhibit meticulous use of grammar, spelling, organization, and usage throughout your submission.

· Organization:  Use the above listed guidelines for explicit sections/headings within your paper.

· Source Requirement:  Reference at least 3 scholarly sources including   the course text in order to provide compelling evidence to support your ideas.

· Page Requirement:  3 pages not including the title and references pages.

· Additional Page Requirement:  Your submission must include a title and reference page.

· APA format:  All in text citations, page format and references must be written in APA 6th edition format.

My Answer

The formulation of Manuel’s individualized education plan (IEP) is a great milestone towards special educational and behavioral needs. This plan would be instrumental in improving his strengths while working on his weaknesses. According to Pierangelo & Giuliani (2012), information obtained from assessments is instrumental in developing the IEP program. Manuel has shown great socializing and bilingual abilities as denoted in his desire and prowess in translating. The greatest fear in handling Manuel’s case was the possibility of being separated from the regular classroom and the friends that he had made. This separation would have emanated from the need to take him to a special class.

The IEP gives a reprieve as the plan could be implemented in a regular classroom scenario. The information garnered through the plan would facilitate decision making while determining the strategies to implement in ensuring the best for Manuel. The implementation of the IEP would be the best time for Manuel. For the first time in his educational life, Manuel’s special needs and reason for a referral from the previous school will be adequately addressed. With the creation of the IEP impending, there is a need to determine the strategies to adopt in ensuring adequate involvement of Manuel, his parents, and Mr. Franklin. A well-formulated participation framework ensures nobody is left out. Involvement of the relevant parties is important in ensuring the success of the plan.

Contribution of the Involved Participants

Each participant’s participation is instrumental in ensuring a strong and positive experience for Manuel and his parents. The participation of team members would be through the meetings to inform Manuel and his parents of the progress in the implementation of the IEP. Every participant has the role of ensuring Manuel and his parents obtain the positive outcomes aimed at the culmination of the IEP. Attending meetings related to the development of the IEP Plan is instrumental in determining strategies and the supplementary aids needed in dealing with arising issues. According to Billingsley et al. (2013), consideration of supplementary aids and services helps students achieve their goals. Manuel and his parents will help realize Manuel’s goals if there had been a change in the same from what they were in the previous school, and as he started his studies in the new school. These goals would determine the reinforcement or elimination of used aids and tools. Each participant has a role to play in devising Manuel’s IEP plan. Billingsley et al. (2013) highlighted that the IEP is the lifeline to the student’s success. It is imperative for every participant to effectively play their role in ensuring that achievement of the set goals.

Ensuring the Involvement of Manuel’s Parents

The involvement of Manuel’s parents in the development of the IEP plan is instrumental in ensuring its success. Fine (2014) stated that the Public Law 94-142 requires the parents’ continuous involvement in the decision-making, educational planning, and implementation. The author added that parents have always been blamed for their children’s educational challenges, and hence exempted from professional decision making. The first strategy in ensuring Manuel’s parents’ involvement is keeping them in the loop about the progress in the creation of the IEP plan. Updating the parents from time to time makes them develop an interest in the process and hence play their part. Keeping them informed makes the parents realize the change that occurs in each stage of the process. The other tactic would be using various forms of communication. This strategy ensures that the team in charge of developing the IEP can reach Manuel’s parents at all cost. According to Fine (2014), the IEP team must document all attempts to reach the child’s parents. The other method would be to inform the parents of their contribution in ensuring the plan’s success. Every parent aims at ensuring the best for their children. Therefore, Manuel’s parents will be eager to participate by knowing that their output is important in ensuring their child’s improvement. The fourth tactic would be giving examples of improved cases following the creation of the IEP plan. Most people are so focused on the results, and when they feel that they are not in line with their expectations, they cease being committed. Showing Manuel’s parents’ successful cases that had committed parents would make them motivated to offer full support to ensure that their son joins the list of successful cases.

Strategies for Talking to Manuel

Communicating with Manuel is the start point for informing him of the need for specialized services. However, caution needs to be taken in passing the message so that Manuel does not feel dumb. Tassoni (2007) observed that children thrive on good relationships. A good relationship with Manuel provides a means of understanding him and providing a better understanding of his needs. The author observed that on the occasion of a strong relationship with a child with special needs, the adults see the children past their special needs and see the person as instead of the diagnosis. This relationship will enable sending the message in a specialized manner while considering Manuel’s attitudes and temperaments. In framing the conversation, the first thing would be informing Manuel about his remarkable skills and abilities. The next thing would be to inform Manuel of the need to improve these skills to achieve the most desired level.

References

Billingsley, B. S., Brownell, M. T., Israel, M., & Kamman, M. L. (2013). A survival guide for new special educators. John Wiley & Sons

Fine, M. J. (2014). The Second handbook on parent education: Contemporary perspectives. San Diego: Academic Press

Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. A. (2012). Assessment in special education: A practical approach . Boston: Pearson

Tassoni, P. (2007). CACHE level 3 in child care and education. Heinemann