Syllabus
Master of Science in Education
EDU 722: Special Education Assessment in Inclusion Settings – Summer A 2024
Credits - 3
Description
This course focuses on assessment approaches for identifying students with disabilities and assessing progress toward learning goals and standards. Participants examine formal assessment tools and procedures used in the diagnosis of disabilities and identification of the instructional and behavioral needs of students. Participants will explore a range of student strengths and exceptionalities as they determine best educational practices to meet the needs of all learners in the least restrictive setting.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
The objectives for this course are listed below. In addition, student learning outcomes supporting the course objectives will be specified at the beginning of the week for each module.
- Identify and describe the defining features of each of the major exceptionalities.
- Examine federal requirements for the pre-referral, referral, and identification of exceptional students & understand how they impact the general education curriculum.
- Identify the role of assessment in the special education process using a logical step-by-step approach.
- Describe and evaluate a range of assessment tools used for diagnostic purposes.
- Make assessment, diagnosis, and programming recommendations based on conclusions in order to include children in the Least Restrictive Environment.
- Examine familial, environmental, and societal influences on student development and achievement.
- Examine potential bias issues that may impact the identification and education of students with exceptionalities.
- Create an Individualized Education Plan that includes present levels of academic and functional performance, goals, accommodations, and placement.
Assignments
Discussions
Students will respond to prompts related to course materials and engage with colleagues in the course to support understanding and the co-construction of knowledge. There are seven whole-class discussions in this course.
Interview
In this assignment, students will be asked to interview someone directly involved in assessing students with Intellectual Disabilities following a provided template. Students will then write a post on the discussion board reflecting on the interview.
Infographic
In this assignment, students will read and analyze the different concepts and approaches to identifying exceptional learners. They will then create an infographic depicting the essential features and relationships between them.
Reading Quiz
Students will take a short answer reading quiz that covers types of assessment and bias as described in the textbook.
Case Study
Students will navigate through a branching scenario based on a new fourth-grader entering their classroom. After completing the scenario, they will be asked to write a 2-3 page response to questions relating to their choices.
Community Bulletin Board
Students will participate in a community forum to share tips, resources, hints, and information related to Assessment, Student Support, and Individualized Education.
Exceptionality Research
Students will choose two exceptionalities to research in-depth following a provided template. They will then compare and contrast the two.
Comprehensive Evaluation Analysis
Students will read, analyze, and evaluate sample psychological and academic evaluation reports for a hypothetical new student. They will then write a 1-2 page research-based reflection describing the ways in which the needs of their hypothetical student will impact the work that they do in the school or classroom.
IEP
As the final assignment for this course, students will develop an IEP for one of two sample students. This will include a 3-4 page written reflection on a series of questions related to using the IEP you developed in instruction.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Points - 100 total |
|---|---|
| 7 Discussion (including interview) | 31 points |
| Infographic | 4 points |
| Reading Quiz | 8 points |
| Case Study: Joseph | 8 points |
| Exceptionality Research | 12 point |
| Comprehensive Evaluation Analysis | 12 points |
| Developing an IEP | 20 points |
| Community Bulletin Board | 5 points |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course Dates:
Week 1: May 8 – May 12
Week 2: May 13 – May 19
Week 3: May 20 – May 26
Week 4: May 27 – Jun 2
Week 5: Jun 3 – Jun 9
Week 6: Jun 10 – Jun 16
Week 7: Jun 17 – Jun 23
Week 8: Jun 24 – Jun 30
|
Learning Module |
Topics |
Reading & Multimedia |
Assignments |
Due Dates |
|
Week 1 |
Introduction |
|
Participate in Discussion Infographic |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by FRIDAY night |
|
Week 2 |
Assessment Boot Camp |
|
Participate in Discussion Reading Quiz |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
Week 3 |
Diagnosing Specific Learning Disabilities |
|
Case Study: Joseph Community Bulletin Board: Assessment |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET |
|
Week 4 |
Diagnosing Intellectual Disabilities |
|
Discussion: Interview Discussion: Growing up Gifted |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by FRIDAY night |
|
Week 5 |
Understanding Exceptionalities |
|
Participate in Discussion Exceptionality Research |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
Week 6 |
Comprehensive Evaluations |
|
Comprehensive Education Analysis Community Bulletin Board: Student Supports |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET |
|
Week 7 |
Individualized Education Plans |
|
Participate in Discussion |
Sunday, at 11:59 p.m. ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night. |
|
Week 8 |
Conclusion and Final Reflection |
|
IEP Participate in Discussion Community Bulletin Board: Individualized Education |
IEP: TUESDAY at 11:59 PM ET Discussion/Community Bulletin Board: FRIDAY, at 11:59 ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night. |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Education page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Education Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/education/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
AI Use
The Graduate Programs in Education holds the position that Grammarly and other AI writing and generative technology should not be used when completing course assignments, unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools the University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office. 16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office. The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook. Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course. The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following: Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.Attendance Policy
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
UNE Course Withdrawal
Academic Integrity