Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, New York

COLLEGE of LIBERAL ARTS
Department of School Psychology

COURSE:  0527-734-01

            Title:  Linking Assessment to Intervention                     Fall 2007
            Credit Hours:         4                     Wednesday:  8:00 -9:50; 1-3379
                                                                  Thursday:  8:00 – 9:50; 1-3367
            Prerequisite(s):     Assesment I, II, & III
            Course taught by:  Jennifer Lukomski, PhD
                                           475-2416    e-mail: jalgsp@rit.edu

            Office Hours:  Tuesday  2:00 – 4:00,  Wednesday 10:00 -12:00

2.0       Course information: 

Quarter(s) offered (check)
___x__ Fall    _____ Winter     _____ Spring    _____ Summer

Students required to take this course: 
All School Psychology students

Course Goal
Consistent with the RIT school psychology mission and goals in this course during their second year of study, students learn to develop competency in selecting, administering and interpreting psychological and educational assessment data  and link that assessment data to appropriate and empirically based interventions.   In this course students select appropriate assessment techniques or measures in response to the needs of a specific child.  In addition students integrate the assessment data from cognitive, academic and social emotional measures into a comprehensive understanding of the child’s strengths and areas of need, in the context of the child’s environment and school performance.  This assessment data then informs appropriate interventions.

3.0 OBJECTIVES:

I. Students will learn to conduct all phases of psychoeducational evaluations including selection of appropriate instruments, administration of selected tests, behavior observations, review of student records,  integration of test data, reporting test results.
II. Students will learn the importance of collective information,including collaborating with speech pathologists, physical therapists, reading specialists, special education teachers, regular education teachers and parents when conducting a thorough assessment.
III. Students will learn to develop relevant and research based interventions based on available test data.  
IV. Students will learn to integrate background/developmental information. Students will include social and adaptive skill information in their assessment reports when developing  intervention plans.
V.  Students will develop and apply their understanding of multicultural issues in psychoeducational assessments, consultation and interventions. Students will be sensitive to child’s family background, values, customs, and expectations. Students will be exposed to test data and interventions from a variety of children from different ethnic backgrounds as well as low incidence disabilities.
VI. Students well become thoroughly knowledgeable in the
classifications necessary for eligibility for special education services. They will learn the differences between IDEA and 504 plans.  They will learn about relevant reauthorizations of IDEA as related to assessment and intervention.
VII.Students will learn and practice communicating assessment results to parents.   Students will interview parents regarding their child/adolescent’s developmental and background information.
VIII. Students will learn about the new recommendations for the assessment of children with learning disabilities. They will learn the importance of keeping abreast with the changes in IDEA and learn how to incorporate RTI data into their assessment reports
IX.Students will use word processing to write their reports.   They will be encouraged to use the internet for current information regarding disabilities, law changes, and interventions. Students will use software applications for scoring and be alerted to the limitations of report writers. Students will make recommendations regarding assistive technology.

4.0    Course description
This is an applied course in linking the diagnostic assessment of exceptional children and adolescents to recommendations for appropriate interventions.  Students learn to select and develop a plan of assessment for a variety of referral questions.  Students continue to learn and expand their skills in administering tests.  Students primarily learn to interpret, and integrate test data and report the results and recommendations for parents, teachers and multidisciplinary evaluation teams.  
The understanding goal threads are
1) What makes a good report
2) How to differentiate essential from nonessential information
3) How does this information inform us and lead to effective interventions.

Required Texts

• Kirk, S.A., Gallagher, J.J., & Anastasiow, N.J. (2006).  Educating exceptional children (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
• Mather, N., & Jaffee, L.E. (2002).  Woodcock-Johnson III: Reports, recommendations, and strategies.  New York, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Woodrich, D.L., & Schmitt, A.J. (2006).  Patterns of learning disorders: Working systematically from assessment to intervention.  New York: The Guilford Press.

Additional Readings will be handed out in class

          Optional Texts

• Dehn, M.J. (2006).  Essentials of processing assessment.  Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 
• Flanagan, D.P., & Kaufman, A.S. (2004).  Essentials of WISC-IV assessment. 
  Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Flanagan, D.P., Ortiz, S.O., & Alfonso, V.C. (2007).  Essentials of cross-battery assessment (2nd ed.).  Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Levine, M. (2001). Educational care (Second Edition). Cambridge, Ma: Educators Publishing Service.
• McCallum, S. (2003). Handbook of nonverbal assessment.  New York: Kluwer Academic.
• Rhodes, R. , Ochoa, S., & Ortiz, S.  (2005). Assessing culturally and linguistically diverse students. New York: Guilford Press

6.0       Topics Course Outline:

7.0 Intended Learning outcomes and associated assessment methods of those outcomes

1. Readings & Quizzes –  Critically read assigned material and be prepared to discuss it.  We will have weekly quizzes on the assigned readings for that week.  These quizzes will be 3 or 4 short questions and given on Wednesdays.
2. Test Reports – A major goal of this course is to develop skills in the integration of information gained through formal and informal assessment procedures.  The course focus is on the preparation of clear and concise reports that communicate the child’s unique areas of strength and weakness, and that make logical statements regarding
   diagnosis and recommendations. The successful completion of this course will be competency based. That is, students will write additional reports until such time as the student and the professor agree that skills in diagnostic evaluation, interpretation, and communication are sufficient to begin functioning as an intern.  When choosing your test batteries, try to use measures that you have not used in previous courses.  Consult with me regarding the test battery you will use for each case.  Before consulting with me, make sure you have background information on the child you will be assessing.   You may use one reevaluation for this class, if your field supervisor is willing to allow you to administer the tests under the supervision.    Two of the five reports will be based on your
   administration of instruments which are be to given in batteries.   The  first, third and fifth report will be based on data supplied to you.
   
   Select from two of the following three report options (Please see me, or e-mail me with the child’s age, possible referral issues, and your battery prior to beginning the testing.)
   
   
   1. I. For a preschool child administer one of the following: the DAS-II, Bayley II, Leiter-R, KABC-II or SB -V – depending on child’s age, background and referral question.   Also administer one of the following: the Bracken Basic Concept Scale –R,  DIAL-3 , or Mullen Scales of Early Learning.  Also administer the TELD and the CBCL.     (AGAIN – depending on the child’s age and background modifications may be made to this battery AFTER consulting with me.)
   2. II. For one of your reports administer the WJ-III –COG (Extended -14 subtests ) and the WJ-III Achievement tests.   Also administer the BASC, the BRIEF and  your selection of Social Emotional Tests (at least 2 different ones). As well as an Adaptive Measure ( either the Vineland, ABAS,  or the SIB-R).
   3. III. For one of your reports administer either the KABC-II, SB-V,  CAS, or WISC-IV.   Also administer the WIAT-II .  Administer the CTOPP,  UNIT,  the Bender Visual- Motor Gestalt Test –II,  or the BRIEF, and your selection of social-emotional tests  (at least 2 different ones).  
3. Fifth Report -  The fifth report will be compiled based on data that will be distributed to you in class.  This report will be presented as your case for the mock parent conference.  The report will be submitted for a grade.   You are not to discuss the data with anyone.  When you turn in this report, you must turn in all of the original data. For this fifth report it will be important to have at least one recommended intervention that you have researched that links to the assessment findings.
4. Critiques -  For report two, three and report four  you will critique a peer’s report – a different peer for each report.  This peer critique will need to be completed prior to handing in your report on the due date.  After the peer has reviewed your work (for report two and four protocols – only of the cognitive piece and report) you can either accept the edits and revise your report or leave your report in its original form.  However, if a peer finds scoring errors, the errors must be corrected and interpretations  revised where necessary before you submit your report.
5. When you hand in your report to me you please hand in all the protocols, the version of the report your peer critiques with the peer’s edits,  and the peer’s comment sheet with the peer’s evaluation. (See attached forms).  The peer critique will be evaluated for 1)accuracy of protocol  review, 2) thoroughness, 3)editing corrections, and helpful suggestions.
6. For Report 1 and Report 3 test data will be provided.
7. Parent Informing Session – For report five you will present the assessment interpretation to a mock parent.  At this session you will have a parent, or parents and possibly adolescent present.  All parents will be role-played by classmates.  This informing session will be approximately 20 to 30 minutes in length.
8. There will be a final activity during Exam week, scheduled for Wednesday November 14th from 8:00 am to 10:50 am.   We will be continuing with the Parent informing sessions.   

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

1. You can rewrite reports, however, the total points possible for a resubmitted report will be based on a scale that is five points lower that the original points possible.   Additionally all rewrites need to be resubmitted by the following week.
2. Remember these are children’s lives with whom you are dealing. Protocol

scoring errors can cause inaccurate conclusions about a child and can have a severe impact on the child’s educational career.   The first place to check when scores and patterns don’t make sense is if there are any scoring errors.

Report #1                                          20  points                                           240 –216  = A
Report #2                                          40 points                                            192  - 215 = B
Report #3                                          20 points                                            168  - 191 = C
Report #4                                          40 points
Report #5                                          40 points
2 critiques  #2& #4 (2 @ 10pts)       25 points
               #3 (1 @ 5pts)
Parent Informing Session                15 points
Class Participation                           10 points
8  Quizzes @ 3 or 4 points              30 points                   

8. 0 Program goals supported by this course

The primary problem goal supported by this course is Goal 3:  Students will develop competency in selecting, administering, and interpreting psychological and educational assessment data. 

9.0     Supplemental Information
Students with Disabilities:   The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, reaffirmed by the 1992 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), was created to protect the rights of the disabled population. Anyone in this class who has a disability or any other situation or problem that requires special accommodations should let me know as soon as possible, not after the first project/exam/etc.   We will discuss the necessary accommodations. There are resources on campus that you should know about as well. Please see me after class or during office hours.