Syllabus

The mission of the Center for Excellence in Education at Northern Arizona University is to prepare education professionals to create the schools of tomorrow.

Instructor: J'Anne Ellsworth, Ph.D.in Psychology

Associate Professor in Educational Specialties

Course Credit: 3 hours

Address: Northern Arizona University, Box 5774, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011

Office: (Bldg 27), CEE Room 144

Phone: (928) 523-2951 (NAU) (928) 567-0899 (home)

Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu

Instructor: Martha Ellsworth, M.A.in Community Counseling

Address: Northern Arizona University, Box 5774, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011

Office: (Bldg 27), CEE Room 148

Phone: (928) 523-8742 (NAU) (928) 567-0899 (home)

Catalog Description: Evaluation of Exceptional Children (1-3) Selected competency-based modules on the evaluation of exceptional learners, proceduaral safeguards, and the team approach to assessment. Offered as requested by the Arizona Department of Education.

Course Structure: This is a web based class that does not meet face-to-face. The format of the course will be web based, with use of on-line readings and a required text. Students may choose to be a part of a group through the university conference center (WebCT), by initiating

and participating in a chat room, or dialogue with other class members with the Buddy or MSN (AOL, ICQ) Messenger process. Members may also meet in real time to develop strategies and competencies. This is not a requirement but it is helpful for many students who like support during learning. Students may work together to learn and perfrom activities and are expected to communicate and network at least once each week. In addition, students will converse with the isntructor through web-based communication. Tests and assignments will be conducted on-line.

Course Description: This course is designed to provide graduate level instruction in the theoretical and practical foundations of evaluation and assessement of students with special need. (See certification ages(s), and disability categories.) Emphasis will be placed on the background needed for evaluators to determine special education eligibility. Skills taught will include assessment practices necessary in: pre-referral intervention design, school team IEP planning/development, and linking assessment data to instructional methodologies.

Course Objectives	AZ Standards
1. Understand the origin and purpose of special education evaluation and assessment.	Standard 9.2
2.Recognize key litigation, laws, ethical issues, trends, and case studies relevant to the evaluation and assessment of the disability groups addressed by this course.	Standard 9.2
3. Understand the degree and nature of similarity and differences between students with disabilities.	Standard 9.1
4. Understand the special education process of student identification, evaluation, eligibility, Individual Education Plan development, and other forms of programmatic documentation	Standard 9.4
5. Understand the tools available for evaluation and assessment of student needs and monitoring academic progress including documentation and report writing.	Standard 9.5
6.Linking assessment to instruction for pre-referral intervention and IEP development and implementation.
7. The role of the special educator as a collaberator with colleagues and parents in promoting student learning and IEP planning/development.	Standard 9.0, 9.6

COURSE STRUCTURE: The format of the course will be web based, with a choice of three texts. Students may choose to be a part of a group through the university conference center (WebCT), by initiating and participating in a chat room, or dialogue with other class members with the Buddy or ICQ process.. Members may also meet in real time to develop strategies and competencies.

Students may work together to learn and perform activities and are expected to communicate and network at least once each week. In addition, students will converse with the instructor through web based communication. Tests and assignments will be conducted on-line.

COMPUTER SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Success in a web course depends, in part, on the hard ware and software that is available to the participant. To make the process pleasurable, it is critical to take the course on a system that is reliable -- that has sufficient speed to load materials quickly, that does not "crash" or freeze intermittently, and through a net provider that is consistently accessible. Optimizing your system is crucial to a feeling of success.

The computer system will enhance the web course experience if it includes multimedia capability,56kbps DSL or ISDN connection, 16 megs of RAM (minimum), Netscape 3 or above or Internet Explorer 4+.

Salvia, J. and Ysseldyke, J.E. (2004) Assessment In Special and Inclusive Education 9th Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin

EVALUATION AND GRADING: Exams will be available on the web from the beginning of the course and will be open note and open book. There are various projects assigned, based on the individual modules. Each module will provide a list of competencies, assignments, readings and evaluations. These exercises will provide practice in target skills for this class. The material offers participants the opportunity to sculpt the class to individual needs and taste. A personalized syllabus can be developed that tailors the class to personal learning style, age and grade interest and perceived areas that need to be augmented. All assignments will be graded on a mastery basis.

Final grades will be assigned based on completed assignments. Letter grades will be assigned, however, ALL course competencies must be addressed successfully to receive a passing grade. In addition students who receive an A must accomplish some extra credit project (of their choice). This is one way the student shows s/he has accepted personal responsibility for the course.

Course Policy This class will underscore personal responsibility for education. It will also work on Bloom's Mastery Learning model, by which it will be expected that all students will provide evidence of sufficient mastery of the material. If it were not important for students to thoroughly understand the information it would not be a required course. Students who do poorly on assignments will be expected to redo assignments and relearn materials until a satisfactory grasp of the materials exists. Thus, it follows, that a student with the capability to become or continue as an educator will finish the course with at least a B.

Typically, each credit hour is worth 1000 points, so an A in the course would mean completing 3000 points worth of assignments and showing competency level in the 7 objectives for the course. In addition, the student will fulfill a contract to accomplish a personal project or service activity. Only one extra assignment is needed per class, not per module. This project is negotiable, but might be something like:

Help with service organizations, such as Special Olympics, Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts

Write and publish insights from the class - for example an "in house" news letter

Attend educational forums or programs View media specials on discipline and management Read and report on management in education issues, discipline plans, etc.

Please remember: In order to receive an A, students must contract to become personally involved in the educational process, "going the second mile" so to speak, in showing motivation and interest in being a self-sustained learner. Only one extra assignment is needed, regardless of the credit hours taken.

Attendance: Continuity is important in a web course. Therefore, all students will be expected to maintain at least weekly web contact. The course is meant to be asynchronous, so in the event of a protracted absence, please contact the instructor Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu to keep her informed. After all, this material suggests that teacher student relationships are invaluable, and the instructor wishes to extend that community building, even in an external learning environment. Under ordinary circumstances, three hour courses can be completed within a fifteen week period, although faster or slower progress is expected and welcomed.

Additional Information: Plagiarism or any other form of cheating cannot be tolerated. Any student participating in such activities may expect to receive an F. Assignments submitted to fulfill requirements in another class may not be submitted to fulfill the requirements of this class without prior instructor approval.

Group participation is also required since collaboration and community building are an integral part of success classroom management. Plan to visit the WebCT early in the class Working together is encouraged. Working together on assignments is seen as collaboration and networking and is quite acceptable. It will be necessary for you to do exemplary work if you are working in a group. If you are about to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or that sets up some feeling of discomfort - be safe and discuss it with the instructor. This is a course where "YES" is taught and modeled, so there is a good chance that the things you want to do will be valued.

GROUP WORK IS NOT SOMETHING YOU GIVE A FRIEND AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER. IT IS SOMETHING YOU EQUALLY PARTICIPATED IN CREATING. IT IS WORK THAT IS RICHER THAN SOMETHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE ON YOUR OWN. DOING ASSIGNMENTS AS A TEAM IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR. THIS PRIVILEGE CAN BE RESCINDED AT ANY TIME IN THE PURSUIT OF COURSEWORK. Remember the purpose of the course is to enrich your understanding and abilities.

There are assignments that are subjective and are about your own experiences. These can not be done as a group. These are easy to discern because they ask about you and how you feel and the ways you are thinking.

Assignment failure = Class Failure Reward yourself for hard work and find ways to be excited about learning.

Week	Activities
One	Buy Book Read Syllabus Read FAQs Browse through the entire course and print out helpful material IF you do not know how to use the web, consider spending time in the NAU Web Boot Camp to build web and Internet expertise. Begin Reading your book.
Two	Read your book Begin Assessments Prepare Assignments
Three	Read your book Continue assessments Prepare Assignments
Four	Hate web courses and not able to learn using the computer? Contact the teacher by phone or email and let's set up a contingency rather than losing the course or credit - failing or losing face!!! Still time to withdraw -----. Read your book Continue assessments Glossary Quiz
Five	Read your book Prepare Assignments Continue assessments
Six	Read your book Prepare Assignments Continue assessments
Seven	Read your book Prepare Assignments Continue assessments Midterm
Eight	Module 2 Read Chapter continue assessments read articles and assignments
Nine	Module 2 Read Chapter continue assessments read articles and assignments
Ten	Module 2 continue assessments read articles and assignments
Eleven	Module 3 Read 2 Chapters Prepare Assignments
Twelve	Module 3 Prepare Assignments
Thirteen	Module 3 Prepare Assignments
Fourteen	Module 3 Prepare Assignments
Fifteen	Prepare your final assignment, a PsychoEducational Evalauation on yourself.
Course Overview	If you want to see all the assignments at a glance, click here. You may want to print the list and keep track of your submissions.

Syllabus

ESE 503 Evaluation of Exceptional Children