Assessing Students with Disabilities Order Instructions: Assignment 2: Assessment Project – Part 2
Now that your superintendent reviewed your first submission and provided feedback, you will make the suggested revisions. You will also complete this section of the white paper. You will justify your topic selection and its relevance to the school district’s goal of improving its assessment results.
Note: Refer to the Overall Scenario of Assignments 1-4 by clicking here.
Write a three to five (4-5) page paper in which you:
Revise Assignment 1 using the feedback that the superintendent provided. (The revision of the previous assignment is not included in the page count for this assignment).
Describe the relevance of your assessment topic in terms of meeting the K-12 assessment goals in your chosen school district as it relates to the specific focus you identified in Assignment 1. Provide specific examples of assessment goals that the school district currently uses to support your rationale.
Explore at least three (3) key reasons why you selected the topic in question. Highlight the fundamental aspects of the topic that make it fit into either traditional or alternative assessment research. Justify your response.
Suggest three (3) strategies that educators could employ in order to utilize technology within the classroom and thus aid your chosen school district in meeting its K-12 assessment goals. Provide relevant examples of these strategies to support your response.
Provide at least three (4) additional reliable, relevant, peer-reviewed references not previously used published within the last 5 years.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Analyze traditional theories of assessment.
Apply new advances and current thought in the field of educational assessment.
Evaluate alternate forms of assessment for special populations.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in educational assessment.
Write clearly and concisely about educational assessment using proper grammar and mechanic
Assessing Students with Disabilities Sample Answer
Assessing Students with Disabilities
Introduction
This paper seeks to present several findings in relation to the use of technology in assisting learning in Maynard Evans High School in the Orange County school district. The paper, therefore, provides an in-depth analysis of the trends that have emerged and the best practices developed in relation to computer-based assessment in an effort that also seeks to apply these principles on K-12 learning and on students of the 9th-grade level.
It is important to consider the fact that many jurisdictions have been developed to support technology-based learning in students with disabilities because of its cost-effectiveness. On the overall, it costs roughly $3,045 to implement such technology for a single class, which is not much. Moreover, this approach is considered to improve teaching and learning outcomes through a digital form of education. This clearly suggests the fact that disabled students are more likely to learn through the inclusion of technology.
The potential for a computer-based learning approach in catering to the special needs of students with disabilities is, therefore, an effective approach that would aid in meeting the learning needs of the students. This is attributed to the fact that digital learning has the capacity to provide a platform for these students to learn, test and receive immediate feedback as they prepare for their examination.
It is essential to consider the fact that the students with special learning need account for 5% of the total population In the United States of America (Zcool.com. n.d). However, the vast growth of ICT in the United States of America and the government’s initiatives directed towards meeting the learning needs of this population have seen the need of using Assistive Technology (AT) in enhancing the process of learning among this population.
The Assistive Technology (AT) is defined as an electronic device that can be used in increasing, maintaining and improving the abilities of individuals with different disabilities (Young, 2012). There are a number of AT devices and software are that can be included in enhancing the course of learning that can be achieved through careful planning in order to benefit the students and to meet the goals of K-12 in Maynard Evans High School.
It is therefore important to note that in order to meet the goals of K-12; the Assistive Technology will be used in this institution to help the students with different learning needs in learning how to complete some of their tasks in order to pass areas of difficulties (Young, 2012). For instance, when a student uses an AT in listening to a digitalized version of a book, this helps them in passing an area of challenge. About seven students at Maynard Evans High School in Orange County have some form of learning disabilities.
Students with Special Learning Needs
It is important to note that difficulties in recognizing and solving problems, reading, writing, and even math in students at Maynard Evans High School in Orange County school district remains one of the challenges that are common. This is notable considering the fact that most learning disabilities and difficulties are usually diagnosed in high school (Langova, Anna. n.d). The problem is that if these disabilities are not diagnosed or corrected when the student is in high school, then the students are likely to face issues later on in his or her life. In essence, during this phase, some students are bound not to know their learning disability and would later realize this in their jobs, families, and relationships.
Political, Legal, and Issues Related to the Inclusion of AT
According to the law, the element of inclusion in a classroom should be a factor that educational facilities need to consider when teaching both the students with disabilities and those with special learning needs to other normal students (Vasquez III Forbush, Mason, Lockwood, & Gleed, 2011). In this case, the element of inclusion is aimed at educating students within a regular classroom rather than in special chosen schools.
In this case, the students with different disabilities and learning needs, including those with severe impairments are able to be included in a general class sitting, with the required support services and aids to ensure these students achieve success academically, behaviorally and socially (Vasquez et.al.2011)
On the other hand, the federal state has developed appropriate measures for students with special learning needs and disabilities through an approach that allows equal access to education to all the students irrespective of their disabilities, gender, age through a publicly funded education system programs and opportunities.
Applications of This Topic to K-12 Assessment
It is essential to consider the fact that education remains the primary objective of the K-12 assessment. In order to ensure that the goals of K-12 are achieved in Maynard Evans High School in Orange County, there is a need to take consideration of the students who have different learning needs and as well as those who present disabilities.
In general, it is imperative to determine that some students with learning disabilities are considered to be average in intelligence, a factor that affects their success in education (Ault, Bausch, & McLaren, 2013). These learning shortcomings are also referred to as hidden disabilities since some students may pose as intelligent and brilliant, although they have a disability in some way.
In order to determine the manner in which technology can be used to assist students in this institution to learn, it is imperative to determine that the content of this paper will focus on three types of students with learning disabilities. These are described below.
Students with Auditory Processing Disorder (ADP): this condition has an adverse effect on the flow of sound through the ear and how it is processed and interpreted within the systems of the brain. Individual students with this disorder find it difficult to recognize the differences between sounds in words even when they are clear and loud. About 3 students at the school have this condition.
Dyscalculia: this is considered a specific learning disability that has the capacity to have an effect on a student’s ability to understand numbers during math lessons. Students with this type of learning disability are likely to have challenges in comprehension to clearly identify arithmetical symbols including the challenges in memorizing numbers. Two students at the school have this condition.
Dysgraphia: this is another kind of disability that affects a student’s ability to write, thus affecting the motor skills of an individual. As a result of this, a student is bound to experience illegibility in writing, poor spatial planning on a paper, spelling errors, inconsistent spacing, and challenges in composing clear writing as well as thinking while writing. Two students at the school have this condition.
Specific Needs of the Students
It is therefore essential to consider the fact that learning disabilities remain the primary reason as to why some of the students of Maynard Evans High School in Orange County are struggling to make a transition to Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), a factor that remains one of the students needs (Ault, Bausch & McLaren, 2013). The students are currently undertaking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) within the education system in this county.
It is additionally important to consider that the students would also require the involvement of their parents and guardians in their educational development (Ault, Bausch & McLaren, 2013). Parents are needed as this would be appropriate in assisting the students to make efforts towards achieving their education goals as determined in K-12.
In diagnosing learning disabilities, the following indicators of learning disabilities are examined: trouble following direction, problems staying organized, difficulty with writing and/or reading, problems paying attention, poor coordination, difficulty remembering, problems with math skills, and difficulty with concepts that relate to time. Moreover, the student might exhibit immature manner of speaking, easily distracted and has difficulty staying on task, impetuous behavior, inconsistent school performance, as well as difficulty listening well (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2014).
The students with special learning needs would want to achieve their personal education goals within this institution, a factor that would also improve their classroom involvement and social lives (Zcool.com. n.d). Additionally, students with special learning needs would also achieve better standards of communication with their peers within the institution.
In this case, it will be essential to ensure that the system introduces assistive technology in aiding the process of learning in students with special learning needs. Through this, Maynard Evans High School may ensure a blend of computer-assisted instructional programs that infers to software and applications that are developed to provide instructional and practical opportunities for several devices such as iPads, mobile phones, computers, and laptops to aid the students in learning (Young, 2012).
These systems would, therefore, provide immediate feedback to the students with different learning disabilities who in turn may be in a position to benefit from such nonjudgmental computerized practices. This technology will, therefore, assist the students with special learning needs as well as those with disabilities in this institution to develop knowledge on how to spell, write, solve and construct expressions and mathematical symbols, a factor that would assist the students in coping with math drills.
All in all, as determined, the potential for a computer-based learning approach in catering for the special needs of students with disabilities is, therefore, an effective approach that would aid in meeting the learning needs of the students. This, therefore, determines the need to introduce assistive technology in aiding the process of learning in students with special learning needs. Through this, Maynard Evans High School may ensure a blend of computer-assisted instructional programs that infers to software’s and applications that are developed to provide instructional and practical opportunities for several devices such as iPads, mobile phones, computers, and laptops to aid the students in learning.
Assessing Students with Disabilities References
Ault, M. J., Bausch, M. E., & McLaren, E. M. (2013). Assistive technology service delivery in rural school districts. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 32(2), 15-22. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1420524203?accountid=6180
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2014). what are the indicators of learning disabilities? Retrieved from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/learning/conditioninfo/Pages/symptoms.aspx
Langova, Anna. (n.d.) Word help. [Photograph] Retrieved from http://all-free-download.com/free-photos/word_help_185278_download.html
Vasquez III, E., Forbush, D. E., Mason, L. L., Lockwood, A. R., & Gleed, L. (2011). Delivery and Evaluation of Synchronous Online Reading Tutoring to Students At-Risk of Reading Failure. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 30(3), 16-26.Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=74530433&site=ehost-live
Young, G. (2012). Examining assistive technology use, self-concept, and motivation, as students with learning disabilities transition from a demonstration school into inclusive classrooms. Unpublished Doctoral thesis, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved from http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2316&context=etd
Zcool.com.cn. (n.d.) Modern science and technology picture 02 HD pictures [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://all-free-download.com/free-photos/modern_science_and_technology_picture_02_hd_pictures_168754_download.html
