Interpreting Assessment Results

1. Interpreting Assessment Results Topic 12 SPED 405: Assessment of Students with Disabilities Kathy Kelker, Instructor

2. Topic Objectives Students who complete this topic will be able to: • Identify key criteria used in the diagnosis of specific categories of disabilities. • Identify procedures used in the evaluation of students and how these procedures relate to educational planning and interventions. • Identify procedures used in the interpretation of test data. • Interpret test data and make appropriate educational recommendations. • Write specific behavioral objectives to implement recommendations.

3. Topic 13: Key Terms • educational planning • eligibility decision • behaviorally stated objectives • projective tests • inter-individual interpretations • intra-individual interpretations

4. Definitions of Important Terms Eligibility decision is the determination of whether a student has a disability as defined in IDEA and is need of special education. The Child Study Team decides whether a student is meets the criteria to make him/her eligible for special education services. Students who are not eligible, but who have educational needs, can receive additional help through a Section 504 Plan, Title 1, or remedial programs.

5. More Definitions Educational planning means translating assessment information into specific interventions and strategies that promote educational success Annual Goals and Short-Term Objectives are the parts of the IEP in which assessment data is turned into specific skills to be taught to the student Behaviorally Stated Objectives are steps in the educational process that, when accomplished, will lead to accomplishment of the IEP goals. Objectives must describe observable behaviors that can be measured to determine the student’s progress.

6. Types of Comparisons Inter-individual interpretations compare a student to a peer norm group. Intra-individual interpretation of test results compares a student with his or her own performance (e.g. personal strengths and weaknesses).

7. ELIGIBILITY DECISIONS • What are the general criteria used in diagnosing mental retardation? • Which of the disabilities is diagnosed if the student has communication problems affecting developmental progress? • Which of the disabilities is diagnosed if the student has discrepancies between ability and academic performance? • For what diagnosis may behavioral observations, clinical interviews, and projective tests be used? • Which types of tests are typically administered to diagnose learning disabilities? • For what disabilities are classroom observations required? See Activity 12.1, p. 487

8. Interpreting Test Results In special education, test interpretation involves professionals and parents reviewing all of the assessment data to determine what the implications are for the student’s educational program. The members of the IEP Team look for patterns in the assessment data that link the information to a particular disability category (or categories), and then begin to think about the implications for instruction found in the data.

9. Rule #1 in Test Interpretation Rule out other causes for low performance before pursuing a disability diagnosis. (Pay attention to the exclusionary factors in the special education category criteria.)

10. Before a decision is made that involves educational achievement or intellectual ability, screening for ____________ should be completed. • If emotional or behavioral problems are suspected, the student should be referred for ____________________. • If a student has average or above intellectual functioning but has difficulty in academic areas and problems with fine-motor skills, he/she may be found to have ____________________. (See Activity 12.2, pp. 489-90)

11. A student who displays low ability in all academic areas, is sub-average in intellectual functioning, and has below-average adaptive behavior may be found to be _______________. • A student who has a communication problem that is affecting his/her relationships with peers and ability to progress in school academically may have a __________________. • A student who is impulsive, acts out, does poor school work, and is overly active in the classroom may be found to have ___________.

12. Writing Test Results • Include demographic information: student name, date of birth, parents’ names, address, grade placement, date(s) of evaluation, methods of evaluation, and name of examiner. • Include background information (e.g., family, social and medical histories, cumulative school record). • Discuss reasons for referral and any previous interventions and their results. • Report results of school observations. • Report test results in a succinct fashion. • Describe areas of strength or weakness in behavioral terms. • Interpret test results by domain, instead of by individual test. • Determine whether or not the data support the student being eligible for special education in a particular disability category • Make recommendations for educational or behavioral intervention and support. • Make recommendation for further assessment, if needed.

13. Written Report Format • Identifying data • Referral information • Background (personal, medical, and school history) • Parent information • Classroom observations • Tests given • Results of assessment • Interpretation of results • Summary • Eligibility Determination • Recommendations

14. Educational Planning • After eligibility has been determined, then the assessment results can be studied to decide what information they provide for revamping the student’s educational program. • When interpreting for educational planning, an analysis of error patterns is critical.

15. Writing Educational Objectives When presented with consonant-vowel-consonant (cvc) flashcards, Sue will be able to pronounce cvc words with 95% accuracy by January 15. When presented with 30 consonant-vowel consonant words, Sue will read words with 95% accuracy over 10 or more trials by January 15.

16. More Educational Objectives When presented with short vowel sounds, Sue will be able to match short vowel sounds for a, e, i with the written letter with 95% accuracy by February 15. When presented with short vowel sounds, Sue will be able to match short vowel sounds for a, e, i with the written letter with 95% accuracy over 20 trials by February 15. When presented with visual and auditory cues, Sue will be able to dictate a short story using specific cvc words with 95% accuracy by January 15. When presented with visual and auditory cues, Sue will be able to dictate a short story using specific cvc words with 95% accuracy over 5 or more trials by January 15.

17. Assessment with KeyMath-R revealed that Sue Smith had difficulty with the following skills: • Understanding fractions (terms half, divided equally, 2 halves = 1). • Adding two-digit numbers with regrouping (e.g., 46 + 37). • Subtracting two-digit numbers without borrowing (e.g., 35-23). • Measurement and comparisons (inch, yard, greater than, heavier). Write objectives for each of these weak areas. (See Activity 12.4, pp. 502-03)

18. Identify the correctly written behavioral objectives. Rewrite inappropriate objectives so that they would meet Montana standards. • When given four addition problems, Mary will be able to find the sums with 100% accuracy by Friday. • To correctly solve multiplication facts by next year. • To read a passage with 90% accuracy and within a 2-minute time limit. • When presented with 10 cvc words, Joan will be able to spell the words with 90% accuracy by February 15. • To identify the 50 states with 100% accuracy on a map by November.