EDSP 525 Transition and Assessment for Exceptional Learners

This course provides a study of the process of the use of assessment for the diagnosis and development of effective interventions for exceptional learners in the general development of special education services and transition planning for post-secondary education, employment, and independent and community living. Included are discussions of implications for interventions, curriculum planning, and program development.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

The field of special education constantly evolves in the context of legal mandates, best practices, understandings of causation and planned instruction, and services available for support. With IDEA 2004, a renewed focus has been placed in transitional practices for moving students from secondary environments to the worlds of work, independent living, and community living. This course seeks to use tried-and-true methods for developing successful transition plans (strategies and coordination) to meet individual student needs. The legal mandates and the Christian moral mandates are used as a foundation for such important work.

Textbook readings, selected journal articles, and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (5)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete five (5) discussions within this course. For each Discussion, the candidate will post a thread of 400–500 words in answer to the prompt provided and post at least two replies of 200–250 words to other classmates’ threads. The thread and both replies must each individually include at least 1 scholarly reference and 1 biblical reference in current APA format. (CLO: A, B, C, E)

Case Studies Analysis Assignment

The candidate will review information for three special education students with the goal of identifying the strengths, preferences, interests, and needs of each. He/she will then formulate appropriate possible post-secondary goals – or Age 25 Projections – based on the analysis of the information. The student will use the information from the case studies to complete the SPINS chart in the Case Study Analysis Assignment Template provided within the assignment page in Canvas. At least 4 strengths, 3 preferences, 4 interests, 4 needs, and 3 post-secondary goals/age 25 projections will be provided for each student. (CLO: B, C)

Context for Learning Assignment

The candidate will provide context information for a focus learner with an individualized education plan. The candidate will locate the Context for Learning Template located in the SOE edTPA Milestones course in Canvas and download it to complete the assignment. He/she will select one focus learner and use this focus learner to complete the template. Each template section should be filled out entirely by typing within the brackets following each prompt. The response should be no more than 4 single space pages (prompts included). (CLO: A, C, D)

Lesson Plan Assignment

For this assignment, the candidate will develop a three-lesson learning segment using the provided template. All three lesson plans should be written for the entire group the candidate will be instructing, including any modifications or accommodations to meet individual focus learner needs. The candidate will use the same focus learner he/she identified in the Context for Learning Assignment. Sources used should be cited in current APA format within the required sections of the template. (CLO: A, C, D)

Planning Commentary Assignment

The candidate will describe the plans for the learning segment and explain how the instruction is appropriate for the focus learner and the content that is being taught. For this assignment, the candidate will analyze the three lesson plans he/she submitted for the Lesson Plan Assignment by completing the edTPA Task 1 Planning Commentary. The candidate will locate the Planning Commentary Template located in the SOE edTPA Milestones course in Canvas and download it to complete the assignment. The candidate will use the same focus learner that he/she has been using since the Context for Learning/Lesson Plan Assignment. Each template section should be filled out entirely by typing within the brackets following each prompt. The response should be no less than 8 and no more than 12 single space pages (prompts included). (CLO: A, C, D)

edTPA Task 1 Assignment – CORE (CompMS)

The candidate will combine all previously completed edTPA Task 1 elements (i.e., Context for Learning, Lesson Plans, and Planning Commentary) and submit them to CORE. (CLO: A, C, D)

Student Portfolio Assignment

The candidate will create a portfolio based upon a case study (IEP goals, linkage to state standards, evidence description chart). For this assignment, the candidate will choose the most appropriate goals based on the learner’s PLOP and needs/supports and determine standards that correlate with those goals, providing evidence of how he/she would teach and monitor progress on those goals. The candidate must use one of the focus learners from the Case Analysis Assignment to complete this assignment. The candidate must fill out the required portfolio information within the Student Portfolio Assignment Template and submit to complete the assignment. Current APA format must be used for any sources cited. (CLO: A, C, D)

Assessment Project Assignment

Teacher candidates will use a provided case study containing results from multiple methods of assessment and data sources in order to determine eligibility and programmatic recommendations for the case student. The candidate will review a provided case study and analyze assessment results as well as the anecdotal and qualitative information to determine student levels, strengths, and weaknesses and develop a two-page psychoeducational report using the provided template providing a summarization of requested information. (CLO: A, C, D, F)

IEP Assignment

This assignment allows the candidate to demonstrate his/her ability to use multiple types of assessment information from a provided case study to develop an IEP for a student with an exceptionality. The candidate must use the same focus learner from the edTPA assignments (as first chosen in the Case Studies Analysis Assignment), the information provided in the assignment instructions, and the IEP Template to develop an IEP for the student. The candidate must review the IEP Grading Rubric in Canvas carefully to ensure each section of the IEP fully addresses the required criteria. (CLO: A, C, D, F)

ITP Assignment

The candidate will develop a transition plan based upon a case study outlining necessary transition planning for academic, social, vocational, and community skills. The purpose of this assignment is to focus on creating identified outcomes, action plans, and coordinating agencies to prepare the focus learner for the world of work and living. After reviewing the focus learner’s present levels and needs, the candidate will prepare the focus learner’s daily living experiences, community living skills, vocational preparation, and post-secondary learning goals. The candidate must one of the focus learners from the Case Studies Analysis Assignment to complete this assignment and fill out the provided template with the required information. The student must follow all current APA guidelines for any sources cited. (CLO: A, C, D, F)