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Faculty of Education
Graduate Studies Program

04.761 Assessment in Inclusive Education (NET)

Regular 2020/2021 Term 1

Instructor Name: Dr. Alexa Okrainec, Ph. D.

Office #: 219 (not on site due to the pandemic)
Telephone: 204-727-7303 (messages)
Email: okraineca@brandonu.ca

Course Description – 04.761 (3): ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION (3)

Prerequisite: 04:706 or approval of Chair of the Graduate Studies Program,
Faculty of Education. This course is designed to familiarize teachers with the
assessment practices and procedures utilized to evaluate students who need
learning supports. It will deal with comprehensive evaluations as well as
multidisciplinary approaches to assessment and inclusive programming. 3 lecture
hours per week, one term.

Course Format – A distance delivery format (asynchronous distance delivery) will

be used in which active online participation by students is invited and
encouraged. Instructional arrangements to deliver the course content will be
through Brandon University online (Moodle platform).
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Course Dates: September 13-December 17, 2020

Course Objectives:

Participants will:

1. Develop knowledge of the basic issues in assessment: definition, purposes, and

kinds of assessment and evaluation procedures.

2. Examine pragmatic strategies and models for assessment of students with

special needs.

3. Address assessment practices in the context of inclusive intercultural

education.

4. Understand the general process for initiating a referral and collaborating with
members of the learning support team.

5. Determine the qualities of a range of assessment/evaluation practices.

6. Develop proficiency in conducting and interpreting assessments.

7. Discuss current topics relating to assessment in inclusive education.

Required Texts & References:

Maich, K., & Hill, R. (2018). Special Education Case Studies. Don Mills, ON, CAN:
Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780199022175

Mather, N. & Jaffe, L. E. (Eds.) (2010). Comprehensive evaluations: Case reports

for psychologists, diagnosticians, and special educators. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
& Sons. ISBN 9780470617915
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Salvia, J., Ysseldyke, J. E., & Witmer, S. (2017). Assessment in Special and Inclusive
Education (13th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. ISBN-10: 1-305-64235-X

Additional Resources (internet links):

These will be posted on the Moodle course web site.

Course Assignments (APA version 7.0 required)

NOTE: In order to complete the course, all course assignments must be

completed.

1. Chapter questions (30% towards the final grade for the course). Students will
complete online chapter questions for 20 of the textbook chapters from the
textbook entitled “Assessment in Special and Inclusive Education” by Salvia and
coauthors (2017). The assigned chapter questions will be completed according to
the course schedule posted on the Moodle course web site. Each set of questions
will be worth 1.5 mark, for a total of 30% towards the final grade for the course.

2. Case studies (15% of the final grade for the course). This assignment has two
parts:

(a) Case Study Responses: Students will prepare THREE case study responses
(based upon three of the four sections of the case study textbook by
Maich and Hill entitled “Special Education Case Studies”). Exclusive of the
title page and reference list, each response will be two typed pages
(double spaced, 12-point font) and will be posted to a public forum on
the course web site. Each case study response is worth 5 marks, for a
total of 15 points towards the final grade. Case study responses will be
due as follows: (1) Primary - September 28; (2) Junior – October 7;
(3) Intermediate – October 26; (4) Senior – November 12.
NOTE: You will write up only three case studies.
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(b) Participation: Course participants must comment on a response

submitted by your classmates in order to obtain credit for each of the
case study assignment component of the course. (Each commentary will
be 100-150 words). Commentaries may be submitted throughout the
course. All commentaries must be posted by November 30.

3. Comprehensive Evaluations Case Reports assignment (25% of the final grade

for the course):

The textbook Comprehensive Evaluations by Mather and Jaffee (2010) provides

models for preparing comprehensive educational reports for students with special
needs.

Reading these sample specialist reports will help:

- Expand your understanding of the interpretation of assessment findings.

- Enhance your familiarity with common test instruments used in inclusive
education.
- Translate assessment results into meaningful educational
recommendations.
- Demonstrate a report writing style that could be applied in your work.
- Illustrate how assessments can pinpoint why a student is struggling and the
appropriate accommodations/interventions to enable student success and
inclusion.
- Promote an understanding of how different school districts, agencies, and
private practitioners approach comprehensive evaluations.

In Appendix A of the textbook (pages 619-620) a complete list of sample case

reports is provided. In the table, the report examples are presented in order from
the youngest to the oldest client evaluated (preschool to postsecondary). In
addition, the Table of Reports notes the types of learning challenges and the
instruments used for the assessment.
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For this assignment, there are two components:

(a) You must choose an educational level (preschool, elementary, secondary, or

postsecondary) and read three of the specialist reports for that educational level
(typically your work setting). Write a six-page critical reflection detailing how
these sample reports will inform your practice in assessment in inclusive
education (15 points). Due: October 13, 2020.

(b) You must choose an exceptionality (e.g., ADHD, autism, gifted, etc.) and read
two sample comprehensive reports. Prepare a four-page critical reflection
outlining how your examination of these two sample reports will enhance your
practice in assessment in inclusive education (10 points). Due: November 24,
2020.

4. Synthesis Assignment (30% of the total grade).

Students have three possible options for the final synthesis assignment: a
scholarly paper, a professional poster presentation, or an annotated bibliography.
Please submit your paper/poster session/annotated bibliography topic for
approval by November 1, 2020. The final assignment must be submitted
electronically on the Moodle course website by December 7, 2020. If you are
searching for a meaningful topic for this synthesis assignment, a list of potential
topics is provided on the Moodle course website (see the assignment
description).

Select one of the following three options for your synthesis assignment:

A. Academic Paper. Students will prepare a 10-page academic paper on a

topic that is significant for assessment of individuals with learning
differences. The paper will relevant to the assessment of individuals
with special needs in an inclusive education context. Students should
base the content of the academic paper on at least ten carefully
selected sources of information (e.g., scholarly articles, book chapters,
provincial documents, web resources).
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The paper will be double-spaced and use 12-point font. The body of the
paper will be ten pages, double-spaced, 1-inch margins. The paper will
be prepared as an MSWord document or pdf file. Formatting of the
academic paper will be in accordance with the rules outlined in the
seventh edition of the APA Publication Manual. Course participants will
upload their academic paper to the course web site for grading. The
paper must be of a publishable quality.

B. Electronic Poster Session. Using PowerPoint, students will prepare a

poster session consisting of a title slide plus 12 slides of content. The
poster session must be visually interesting and capture key points about
one particular (student-chosen) topic. The topic must be scholarly and
important to the assessment of students with learning differences in the
inclusive education context.

In addition to the PowerPoint slides, students will prepare a reference

page in Microsoft Word (entries must be formatted in APA style 7th
edition).

Course participants should base the content of the electronic poster

presentation on at least ten carefully selected sources of information
(e.g., scholarly articles, book chapters, provincial documents, web
resources).

In preparing the poster session, students must ensure that the content
of their PowerPoint slides is connected to their reference list. One
strategy is to number each entry on the reference list and then use
superscript numerals on the slides to connect the content of the e-
poster to the reference sources. Another option is to include the APA
citation on each slide (use a small font size for the citations so that the
slides do not look cluttered).
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Course participants will upload their electronic poster assignment to the

course web site for grading. The electronic poster must be high quality
and suitable for presentation at a professional meeting.

C. Annotated Bibliography. An annotated bibliography on inclusive

assessment and evaluation of students with learning differences or
challenges is due on December 7. This formal bibliography will include
citations of sources with summary and evaluation information for each
source. The assignment should be typed and double-spaced. Relying on
multiple sources, course participants will research an assessment and
evaluation topic relevant to advanced inclusive assessment practices
and approaches for understanding the learning needs of students who
are exceptional. You may use your text to help you narrow your ideas
and begin to find resources. A minimum of 10 sources should be used
with no more than four coming directly from a website (using the
computer to find scholarly articles is not considered a web source). Only
one book or encyclopedia may be used as a cited source of the ten. You
must use the APA (version 7.0) citation format throughout the
assignment.

The emphasis is on finding accurate, reliable sources and providing a

clear summary and evaluation for each source. Examples of topics for
your annotated bibliography are listed under the assignment description
on the Moodle course website.

(Note: For all course assignments, the current APA format (Version 7.0) must be
used for the reference list and citations. A hard copy of the APA Publication
Manual is available at the Brandon University Bookstore. In addition, the
American Psychological Association has provided a copy of this title during the
pandemic – see the resources listed on the Moodle course website for details.

Proposed Class Schedule (optional)

The proposed schedule will be posted to the Moodle course website.

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Instructor suggestions for getting the most out of the course (optional)

Time management and steady involvement in the course are essential for success.

Course Grade Evaluation

Assignments & Due dates (optional):

Minimum grade requirement for graduate program: B
Grade Equivalencies: A+ 96-100 B- 70-74
A 90-95 C+ 65-69
A- 85-89 C 60-64
B+ 80-84 C- 55-59
B 75-79 D 50-54
F Under 50%

There are consequences for academic dishonesty. (See “Academic Integrity,”

below.)

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

 handing in work for which you have already received credit in another
course
 quoting word for word without putting the excerpt in quotation marks and
citing the author with the page or paragraph number
 paraphrasing without citing the author with the page or paragraph number
 misquoting instead of either quoting directly or paraphrasing completely
(i.e., changing only some of the original words)
(Refer to the Graduate Calendar, section 3.9, for other examples of academic
dishonesty.)

Academic Integrity

The Brandon University Academic Integrity Policy can be found here:

https://www.brandonu.ca/senate-
office/files/2020/08/AcademicIntegrity_Policy_SenateApproved20200723.pdf

Violations of this policy will not be tolerated. Plagiarism, cheating, falsification of

records or research misconduct will result in disciplinary action. Please also see
section 3.14 (Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct) of the Undergraduate
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Calendar or section 3.10 (Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct) of the Graduate

Calendar. A student who is determined to be responsible for academic dishonesty
or misconduct may be subject to the imposition of one or more of the following:
a. Requirement to repeat the assignment or examination, with or without
grade reduction
b. Assignment of a grade of zero in the assignment, test or exam
c. Assignment of "F-AD" in the course in which the offence is committed
d. Suspension from some or all courses in which a final grade has not been
entered and the assignment of "F-AD" in all such courses
e. Suspension from all Brandon University teams, clubs or like organizations
for a period of 1 to 5 years
f. Suspension from the faculty for a period of 1 to 5 years
g. Expulsion from the faculty
h. Suspension from the University for a period of 1 to 5 years
i. Expulsion from the University
j. Cancellation or revocation of degree

Instructor / Course Evaluation

The anonymous course evaluations will be completed online. All students are
expected to complete the evaluation. Dates of the evaluation will be
communicated by the Graduate Studies Office.

Statement on Accessibility and Accommodation

Brandon University values diversity and inclusion, recognizing disability as an
aspect of diversity. Our shared goal is to create learning environments that are
accessible, equitable, and inclusive for all students. Student Accessibility Services
(SAS) works with students who have permanent, chronic, or temporary
disabilities. SAS supports students by developing individualized plans of
accommodation, helping students to understand their learning needs, and
assisting faculty with provision of accommodations for students registered with
SAS.

If you have, or think you may have, a disability (e.g. mental health, attentional,
learning, vision, hearing, physical, medical, or temporary), you are invited to
contact Student Accessibility Services to arrange a confidential discussion at (204)
727-9759 or magnussonm@brandonu.ca. Additional information is available on
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the Student Accessibility Services website: https://www.brandonu.ca/student-

services/student-accessibility-services/

If you are registered with SAS and have a letter requesting accommodations, you
are encouraged to contact the instructor early in the term to discuss the
accommodations outlined in your letter.

Attendance at Lectures and Practical Work

(refer to the Graduate Calendar, section 3.7.1)

1. All students are expected to be regular in their attendance at lectures and

labs. While attendance per se will not be considered in assessing the final
grade, it should be noted that in some courses participation in class
activities may be required.
2. For limited enrolment courses, students who are registered but do not
attend the first three classes (or notify the instructor that they intend to
attend) may have their registration cancelled in favour of someone else
wishing to register for the course.
3. Students who are unable to attend a scheduled instruction period because
of illness, disability, or domestic affliction should inform the instructor
concerned as soon as possible.
4. Instructors may excuse absences for good and sufficient reasons.

Wellness Services

Positive well-being is highly correlated to learning and student success. Wellness

is a combination of physical, social, spiritual and mental health. Personal
Counsellors at Brandon University are dedicated to providing support to students’
wellness, primarily their mental well-being, through prevention activities, early
identification, and timely interventions using a holistic lens.

Please contact the Personal Counsellors in the Student Services Department at

204-727-9737 or visit Room 102 A.E. McKenzie Building to make an
appointment. There are crisis counselling appointments available daily.

If you believe that you or someone else is in imminent danger of harm, call 911.

Sexualized Violence Education and Prevention Coordinator: 204-727-7498

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24-hour crisis supports

Over 18 years of age: Mobile Crisis Unit = 204-725-411

Under 18 years of age: Child and Adolescent Treatment Centre = 204-578-2700
Klinic Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1-888-292-7565

Reminder

Please save this course outline. Students who are pursuing the course route for
their Master of Education program will require it for use in their final course:
07.750 Graduate Summative Seminar. We also recommend that these students
write a reflection upon completion of each graduate course, in order to prepare
for the 07.750 Graduate Summative Seminar.