Domain III CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION Competency 006 & 007

Celia Rodriguez Lilu Cheng Schwartz Christine Cavazos Domain III CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTIONCompetency 006 & 007

Competency 006: The educational diagnostician understands appropriate curricula and instructional strategies for students with disabilities. The beginning educational diagnostician: • Demonstrates knowledge of curricula for the development of motor, cognitive, academic, social, language, affective, career and functional skills for students with disabilities. • Demonstrates knowledge of individualized assessment strategies for instruction. • Applies skills for interpreting assessment and evaluation data and using data for instructional recommendations.

Competency 006 continues: • Demonstrates knowledge of a variety of instructional strategies, technology tools and curriculum materials to address the individual needs and varied learning styles of students with disabilities within the continuum of services. • Knows how to modify curriculum content for individuals with disabilities. • Knows how to select and adapt instructional methods, strategies and materials to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities. • Applies knowledge of functional skills instruction for transitioning across environments and the supports needed for transition and integration into various program placement.

Competency 007 The educational diagnostician understands the use of appropriate assessment, evaluation, planning and instructional strategies for developing students’ behavioral and social skills. The beginning educational diagnostician: • Demonstrates knowledge of requirements and procedures for functional behavioral assessments and manifestation determination reviews. • Knows applicable laws, rules and regulations and procedural safeguards regarding the planning and implementation of behavioral intervention plans for students with disabilities.

Competency 007 continues: • Demonstrates knowledge of ethical considerations in all aspects of behavior intervention. • Demonstrates knowledge of social skills needed for school, home, community and work environment. • Demonstrates knowledge of the effects of antecedents and consequences, including teacher attitude and behavior, on the behavior of students with disabilities. • Demonstrates knowledge of strategies for preparing students to live productively in a multiclass, multiethnic, multicultural and multinational world. • Knows strategies for crisis prevention, intervention and management for students with disabilities.

Competency 007 continues: • Applies knowledge of key concepts in behavior intervention (e.g., least intrusive intervention within the learning environment, reasonable expectations for social behavior, social skills curricula, cognitive behavioral strategies).

Test Sample Questions

Question #1 Patti, a middle school student, has been found to have traumatic brain injury resulting from an automobile accident. Assessment indicates that some of Patti’s intellectual abilities have been severely affected, while others have remained intact. Patti’s ARD committee can best address this result by including which of the following recommendations in her IEP? A. Emphasize direct instruction in Patti’s area of greatest need until significant improvement occurs in those areas. B. Provide Patti with the same grade-level instruction her classmates receive, and avoid any decrease in expectations for her performance. C. Excuse Patti from activities requiring skills that have been lost or weakened until she herself expresses a desire to attempt such activities. D. Prioritize the academic skills that Patti needs to learn, and use her remaining strengths to develop areas of need.

Answer for Question #1 The correct answer is D. Prioritize the academic skills that Patti needs to learn, and use her remaining strengths to develop areas of need.

Question #2 State Law prohibits schools from confining students with disabilities in a locked box, locked closet, or other specially-designed locked space. What is the one exception to this requirement? A-If the student is placed into a padded room B-If the student produces a weapon, and he/she may only be placed in the space. C-If the student is only kept in such a space for no more than 15 minutes D- There are no exceptions to this rule

Answer for Question #2 The correct answer is: B. If the student possesses a weapon and is a threat to him/herself or others, the student may be placed into a locked space, but only while waiting for the police to arrive.

Question #3 Curriculum-based assessment: A. Is the same as informal assessment B. Does not use standardized measurement procedures C. Tests items in a student’s required curriculum D. Both A and C

Answer for Question #3 D. Both A and C. Curriculum-based assessment is any assessment which tests items from the student's required curriculum. The assessment could take the form of a spelling probe, math test or reading tests with items on the student’s grade level reading books. While it is a type of informal assessment, rather than formal, the assessment does use a standardized procedure of measurement. Curriculum-based assessment can be useful for evaluators since the information gathered will tell how a student is doing compared to the educational requirement of that State, rather than the information gathered on achievement tests which are used nationwide and may or may not coordinate with a school’s curriculum. Achievement assessments are still useful, however, in showing areas of weakness and can be used to compare to IQ scores when utilizing the discrepancy model as a way of identifying a learning disabled student.

Question #4 During an initial Admission Review Dismissal (ARD) committee meeting for a student, the educational diagnostician recommends modifications in the regular curriculum to address mobility, vocational options and daily living skills. Which of the following classifications would most likely be identified on this student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP)? • Specific learning disability • Emotional Disturbance • Profound hearing impairment • Significant visual impairment

Answer for Question #4 Option D is correct because students with significant visual impairments may require modifications to access the educational curriculum, and such modifications might be in the areas of mobility, vocational options and daily living skills. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because students with specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbance and/or profound hearing impairments do not typically need modifications in all three areas of mobility, vocational options and daily living skills.

Questions #5 Martina, a 17-year-old student with Asperger’s syndrome, wants to seek employment after he graduates from high school. At her 3 year re-evaluation , the Admission Review Dismissal (ARD) committee conducts a review of existing evaluation data (REED). The diagnostician notes that Martina has recently mastered her intervention objective of maintaining appropriate conversational exchanges. Which of the following is the best objective to help Martina prepare for community and work environments? • Negotiating and collaborating with peers and others in a variety of settings • Reading the emotional cues of others to guide behavior in social interactions • Recognizing and responding appropriately to breakdowns in communication • Expressing an awareness of the emotional state of self and others

Answer for Question #5 Option A is correct because negotiating and collaborating with peers are appropriate and necessary skills for this level of social development. They focus on regulating behavior and emotion, which is essential for optimal socio-emotional communication in the workplace. Option B is incorrect because, although reading emotional cues of others is an appropriate skill for this student’s stage of development, it focuses on joint attention. Option C and D are incorrect because they are considered emerging-level goals.

Question #6 After reviewing the new evaluation data, the ARD committee determines that the behaviors in question are a manifestation of Martin’s disability. The next step the committee must take is to: A. Return Martin to his original instructional arrangement or obtain a written waiver from the parents. B. Offer Martin’s parents a resolution session within 15 days of the manifestation determination or agree to mediation. C. Conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to provide behavioral supports or review Martin’s current behavior intervention plan (BIP). D. Take Martin’s parents to a due process hearing to defend the assessment data or offer an independent educational evaluation (IEE).

Answer for Question #6 Option C is correct because the local education authority (LEA) must conduct an FBA or review the BIP already in place. Option A is incorrect because the student may still be sent to an alternate education placement for up to 10 consecutive days. Option B is incorrectbecause resolution sessions are only conducted when one of the parties is considering a due process hearing. Option D is incorrect because the LEA only offers an IEE when a parent requests one, but there is no need for a due process hearing in this situation.

Question #7 A manifestation determination review (MDR) must be conducted within how many days of a decision to change a SPED student’s placement due to disciplinary reasons? • 5 • 10 • 15 • 30

Answer for Question #7 B is the correct answer. 10 days. When conducting the MDR, the team members must review all relevant information in the child’s file, including the child’s IEP, any teacher observations, and any relevant information provided by the child’s parents. The members determine: (1) if the child’s conduct was the direct result of the school’s failure to implement the child’s IEP: or (II) if the child’s conduct was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the child’s disability. If the members determine that either clause is applicable, then the child’s conduct must be considered a manifestation of his/her disability. If the child’s conduct is a manifestation of his/her disability, the ARD committee must: conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA), unless the school had conducted a FBA before the behavioral occurred that resulted in the change of placement, as well as implement a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) for the child. Where a BIP has already been developed, the ARD committee must review the BIP and modify it as necessary to address the behavior. If the child’s conduct was the direct result of the school’s failure to implement the child’s IEP, the school must take immediate steps to remedy those deficiencies.

Question #8 A socially-withdrawn child has an FBA conducted and a BIP written. The BIP specifies that this child will be placed in a large class in order to draw him/her out socially. The child reacts by screaming and running away, instead of interacting with peers. What is wrong with this BIP? • It uses ineffective negative reinforcements. • It is unethical since new negative behaviors emerged, and the FBA should have been more thorough and considered this outcome. • None of the above • Both A. and B.

Answer for Question #8 • D is the correct answer. Since negative reinforcement is meant to increase a specified behavior, in this case social interaction, it proves ineffective in this case. Also, this reaction would most likely have not occurred if a proper and thorough FBA had been conducted. Choosing to not do so would be unethical treatment of a problem behavior.

Question # 9 If Larry's IEP includes a behavior contract, which additional information must his committee also include in his IEP? A. a description of how the effectiveness of the behavior contract will be evaluated B. an agreement signed by Larry to adhere to all terms specified in the behavior contract C. documentation of strategies that have been used previously to address Larry's problem behavior D. identification of a specific date after which the behavior contract will no longer be in effect

Answer to Question # 9 Answer: A Only option A accurately identifies a piece of information that must be included in Larry’s IEP once his ARD committee decides to include a behavior contract in the IEP.

Question # 10 The behavior contract included in Larry's IEP is most likely to achieve its intended result if which of the following occurs? A. The behavior target identified in the contract is defined in a flexible way that can vary over time. B. Larry is allowed to play an active role in helping develop the terms of the contract. C. Baseline data is shared with Larry before beginning implementation of the contract. D. Rewards specified in the contract are determined by significant adults in Larry's life (e.g., teacher, parent).

Answer to Question # 10 Answer: B Only option B would be expected to help ensure that Larry’s behavior contract will achieve its intended result.

Extra Support • Special Education Rules and Regulations (Side-by-Side document) http://framework.esc18.net/Documents/Side-by-Side%20MAR%202012.pdf • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 - Supplemental Federal Regulations http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2008-12-01/pdf/E8-28175.pdf • http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/stplan/9496/pdf/chap07.pdf • http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/guidance/sbIEP.html • http://www.txddc.state.tx.us/resources/publications/2012_hi_ed_guide_Eng.pdf

Domain III CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION Competency 006 & 007