Bryan and Pat

Sometimes it is difficult to understand the discomfort of depression because it seems unreasonable to us. Children, youth, or even adults who are depressed may seem to others to have a completely irrational view of the world and to be frightened of things that are extremely unlikely to happen.

Bryan is a 10 year old boy who manifests many of the signs of childhood depression. He expresses sadness, social withdrawal, disinterest in sports, and increasing complaints of stomach aches. Over the past 10 weeks, Bryan has become increasingly disinterested in his studies. Although he continues to display excellent scores on standardized achievement tests, he has been receiving failing grades in many subject areas. His grades began deteriorating immediately after his father and mother separated. The separation resulted after a protracted period of conflict between his parents that ultimately included both verbal and physical aggression. During the interval that immediately pre¬ceded the separation, the parents admit to being preoccupied and had little inclination to interact with Bryan. Both parents have experienced depression in the past, and Bryan's mother is currently involved in therapy and receiving antidepressants. Bryan believes that he is at fault for his parents' separation and that there is little hope for a reconciliation between his parents. Although his father visits him on a weekly basis, Bryan is afraid that each visit is the last and that he will never see his father again.

Without anticipating problems, teachers may find themselves working with depressed or suicidal students. Too often, problems are ignored until they become undeniable and very dramatic.

Pat is a fifth-grade girl who is at or above grade level in all academic areas. However, she has been highly oppositional and defiant of all teachers since kindergarten. Large for her age and strong, she pushes, hits, and threatens her peers, who are fearful of her and will not initiate any interaction with her. She sometimes bangs her head on her desk or the floor, shouting, "I'm no good!" or "I want to die!" Pat was evaluated for special education only after terrorizing her classmates and a substitute teacher by tying the cord of a classroom window blind around her neck and jumping from a table, bringing the blinds crashing down with her in an apparent suicide gesture.

Bryan

1. In what ways is Bryan's case typical of children experiencing depression? 2.
3.
Bryan is sad, socially withdrawn, disinterested in activities, and has physical manifestations.

4. What do you think were the primary causal factors contributing to Bryan's depression?

The continual aggression of his parents toward one another before their separation was most likely the cause of his depression.

5. Supposing that you were Bryan's teacher, how would you have responded (what would you have done) to deal most effectively with his anxiety and depression?

I would assure Bryan my classroom is a safe place for him. I would also provide him with extended time on assignments if needed. I may have Bryan read a book like What Hearts, which is a story about his age that is going through the same disruption in his life as Bryan, divorce. The book is appropriate and leveled for children Bryan’s age. This book or something similar would allow Bryan to know other children go through similar situations. I would let Bryan know he could come to me to discuss difficulties that are hindering his education. I would be certain to show Bryan compassion.

Pat

1. What do you see as the essence of Pat's problems?

More often than not, bullies are bullied at home. This is often a learned behavior. There is obviously something violence related going on in another environment Pat is exposed to. Pat could also be self-cautious because of her size and could be acting out as a defense mechanism. Pat has low self-esteem and feels she is worthless. Therefore, she does not feel she deserves to live.

2. If Pat's problem behavior were to have been prevented, what would have been required (at various ages or grades)?

A relationship with Pat that is genuine and compassionate could have helped teachers recognize early warning signs. Opening the lines of communication to both Pat and her family could have helped Pat. There is really not enough information to make a determination for specific strategies that may have been helpful. Therefore, more research and data is definitely needed.

3. Given Pat's behavior, what suggestions do you have for her teacher?

I would recommend Pat’s teacher be extra careful to not use negative language when speaking to Pat with anything, because she already has a low sense of self-worth. Her “emotional bank account” (Steven Covey) is empty. I would constantly praise Pat for what she does correctly instead of focusing on what she does incorrectly.

My Role in Presenting “Teaching Students with Autism”

Throughout the research project of “Teaching Students with Autism,” I was responsible for the research of various teaching methods that are used in the classroom. Because the area is broad due to the fact that autism is a spectrum disorder ranging from low-functioning to high functioning, it was difficult to narrow successful teaching methods for the classroom. This is why I chose to leave out therapies that happen outside of the classroom. I gave tips and provided researched, successful methods that are easily implemented by the student with autism’s classroom teacher. I found visual representations of these methods so that all of the members in the audience could visually see what I was referring to. Furthermore, I made the class aware that there were many more methods that I had not referred to. The project was an exciting project for me, due to my hands-on experience of teaching a child with autism. Furthermore, I learned many new and various techniques that I was not aware of and have never employed in the education of my son. It is interesting to see that the most simple modifications, such as color-coding or simple checklist schedules, which have recently been implemented with this child allow the child with autism to be a successful student. This project was the most in-depth and educational learning experience that I have had thus far. I plan to use many of the methods presented to my audience in my future classroom experiences.

References

Attwood, Tony Dr. (Writer), Future Horizons (Producer). (1999). Asperger’s Syndrome – A Guide for Parents and Professionals Video. [Motion Picture]. United States.

Brown, Michael. (2007, March) [Interview conducted by Pamela N. Brown with Michael Brown, OTR at West Texas Rehab.]. (Abilene, Texas).

Epps, Stacy. (2007, November) [Interview conducted by Pamela N. Brown with Stacy Epps, the mother of a boy with autism named David Epps]. (Abilene, Texas).

National Education Association. (2006). The Puzzle of Autism. (1st Ed.). Washington, DC: National Education Association.

Smith, Deborah. (2007). Autism Sprectrum Disorders. Virginia Lanigan (Ed.). Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference. (pp. 428-457). New York: Pearson.

United States Government Accountability Office. (2005, January). Special Education: Children with Autism. Washington, DC: United States Government Accountability Office.

Piaget

1. Children adapt to their environment. This is a desire that sparks their curiosity.
2. In the concrete operational stage, children learn about conservation.

Vygotsky

1. Vygotsky felt that social interaction provided the foundation for cognitive development.
2. Everyone learns by building on previous experiences. This is known as scaffolding.

Behaviorism

1. Positive and negative reinforcement both increase behavior. However, positive reinforcement increases behavior by adding a stimulus, and negative reinforcement increases behavior by removing a stimulus.
2. In operant conditioning the manipulator uses a stimulus to create a desired response.

Information Processing

1. Information must first go into the short-term memory before it can be “filed” in the long-term memory. There is only about twenty seconds in which this process occurs.
2. If a teacher gives students a review for an exam, they tend to do better on tests than if none is given. The review gives them “specific strategies for learning.”

Response to Intervention

Elliot, Judy. (2008). Response to Intervention: What & Why?. School Administrator, 65.8, 10-12.

Elliot defines RTI as “the practice of providing hig-quality instruction and intervention matched to student need, monitoring rogress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals and applying student response data to important education decisions.” Elliot asserts the there is a need for every student in the education system to have their learning needs met to ensure future success. Elliot suggests that RTI requires culture to acknowledge and understand all students can learn, resources must be aligned to facilitate student growth, and “appreciation and continual use of data in making instructional and programmatic changes.” Elliot states RTI is researched based and in order to be successful, educators must understand all children can learn, intervention should be implemented early, RTI is a multitiered model for instruction, and problem-solving methods should be used to make decisions within the multitiered model. Elliot defines the three tiers as follows: tier 1 – all students; tier 2 –target instruction; and tier 3 – intensive instruction.

Mesmer, Eric M.; and Mesmer, Heidi. (2008). Response to Intervention (RTI): What Teachers of Reading Need to Know. Reading Teacher, 62.4, 280-290.

Mesmer and Mesmer give a history of RTI and explain the laws surrounding RTI. Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that the RTI process should be implemented in 5 steps. In step 1, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest establishing universal literacy practices. In step 2, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that educators should implement “scientifically valid interventions” (283). In step 3, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest educators should monitor the progress of students receiving interventions. In step 4, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that educators come up with individualized interventions for their students that are still struggling. And in step 5, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that a team try to determine the need for special education services for students who continue to struggle. The authors explain that RTI is designed to benefit the students by incorporating assessment and interventions. The authors are concerned about the requirement of RTI being implemented by using scientifically based instruction. Mesmer and Mesmer argue that many companies may label products as scientifically based because an experiment was done on the product. Therefore, it may be difficult for educators to find beneficial products and programs.

Reutebuch, Colleen K. (2008). Succeed With a Response-to-Intervention Model. Intervention in School & Clinic, 44.2, 126-128.

Colleen K. Reutebuch is a professor and research associate at Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Reutebuch defines Response to Intervention as a framework in which high-quality instruction and intervention is matched to the needs of the students. Reutebuch continues that RTI includes progress monitoring and assess-ment in order to make educational decisions on the students, as well as improving the outcomes of students in both special and general education. Reutebuch explains the guidelines set up by the federal government are a framework in which states and local school districts can develop their own appropriate model. These guidelines include: implementation of research-based instruction, early intervention, multi-tiered intervention, individual problem-solving protocol, fidelity checks and consistency, identifying at-risk students, differentiated instruction, frequent assessments, multi-disciplinary teams to determine special education needs, professional development, follow-up support, grouping formats, collaboration of personnel, determining instructors at various tiers, setting short-term goals, developing an entry and exit plan, culturally responsive practices, implementation of constant support, family involvement, and an understanding of RTI and student achievement. Reutebuch guides the audience through each of the guidelines and explicitly explains how the guidelines should be implemented.

Samuels, Christina A. (2009). High Schools Try Out RTI. Education Week, 28.19, 20-22.

Samuels’ article focuses on the lack of research on the implementation of a RTI model a secondary level, which is also addressed in the Elliot article. Samuels uses high schools in Colorado to show how RTI is being implemented and to outline the difficulties in implementing RTI at the secondary level. Samuels uses Palmer High School in Colorado as a model of effective implementation of RTI. The teachers at the school have pooled their resources so that each department could develop programs to address the needs of struggling students. These programs were organized into “tiers of increasing intensity, while adding other types of interventions for students.” The school also opened a tutoring center in which the students who are struggling can go to after instruction in the inclusive classrooms is given. The teachers monitored their low performing students to see if the programs resulted in higher grades. The educators found that students who used the programs were more successful than students who did not. Samuels’ article does not address the fact that many students with disabilities lack the self-determination skills needed in order to evaluate whether or not they need to go to tutoring.

Tilly, David. (2008). Questions to Guide RTI’s Use. Educational Leadership, 64.8, 22-23.

Tilly’s article defines Response to Intervention as a “framework for organizing instruction in schools using research-validated procedures and decision-making structures.” In Tilly’s district, Heartland Area Education Agency 11 in Iowa Tilly states RTI has been implemented for eighteen years. Tilly states that consensus must be built in order for RTI to be effective by providing information and allowing educators to question and challenge information as well as involving staff when the principles of teaching and learning are discussed. Tilly suggests that false notions, such as the need to know students’ IQs, that students’ learning can be accelerated by placing them in special education, and the disability label determines the instruction for the students. Therefore, Tilly suggests teachers undergo professional development in order to debunk these issues. Tilly suggests using current practices to build on for the RTI infrastructure by establishing a leadership team who identifies modifications to be implemented to current practices without holding on to existing regularities. Tilly further suggests that implementation be reviewed and refined often in order to ensure effectiveness and maintain long-term student learning.

Alternative Assessments for Students with Disabilities

Ahlgrim-Delzell, Lynn; Browder, Diane; Flowers, Claudia; and Spooner, Fred. (2005). Teachers’ Perceptions of Alternative Assessments. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 30.2, 81-92.

The authors state the purpose of the study is to “examine teachers’ perceptions of alternate assessments.” The authors surveyed 983 teachers from 5 states by using two inventories one with a 5-point scale rating and one with a 4-point scale rating to determine what influences the alternative assessment outcome and the impact of alternative assessment. The samples used were representative for each of the five states surveyed. The study shows that teachers often agree that students with disabilities should be included in general education settings and should be held accountable, but they did not agree that the alternative assessments were beneficial and added more paperwork and time to their schedules. Therefore, the researchers suggest that more resources should be offered to alleviate the demands of alternative assessments. The researchers state limitations to the study include confounding factors, and a lack of evidence that suggests their findings would improve the outcomes of students with disabilities. Also, the researchers warn about generalizing the results to states that were not sampled.

Crisp, Cheryl. (2007). The Efficacy of Intelligence Testing in Children with Physical Disabilities, Visual Impairments and/or the Inability to Speak. International journal of Special Education, 22.1, 137-141.

Crisp indicates that the design of intelligence assessments may inhibit an accurate score for students with disabilities. Crisp states that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all students, even those with disabilities to be held accountable on academic assessments, but it does not acknowledge that some of the students with disabilities may never attain the academic level of their peers. Crisp asserts that each person with a disability is an individual and must always be put before their disability, and each disability is different in that individual. Crisp argues that standardized tests fail to take the nature of the disability into consideration, and many fail to allow accommodations to be made to the test because doing so would hinder the integrity of the test. Crisp provides a list made by Fagan of those who are unable “comply with the requirements of standardized testing: cerebral palsy, all of the muscular dystrophies, dystonia, brain injury, some language disorders, developmental disorders, mental disorders, and cultural differences. Crisp provides several more appropriate options for measuring intelligence.

Dykeman, Buce F. (2006). Alternative Strategies in Assessing Special Education Needs. Education, 127.2, 265-273.

Dykeman states that Response to Intervention relies on standardized, norm-referenced assessment to determine special education needs of students with disabilities. Dykeman argues that functional assessment, authentic assessment, curriculum-based measurement, and play-based assessment should be used within the RTI model, but psychometric issues of reliability, validity, and fairness have become issues when determining the needs of students. Dykeman explains how students with disabilities are assessed and outlines the guidelines of diagnosis according to IDEIA 2004. However, Dykeman argues that IDEIA 2004 does not tell how assessments and evaluations are to be conducted. Dykeman argues, as does Crisp, that standardized, norm-referenced tests cannot always be indicative of the cognitive abilities of students with disabilities. Therefore, Dykeman suggests the use of the alternative assessments he discusses, which the language of IDEIA does encourage. Dykeman suggests more evidence based assessments be used that address the individual needs of students in order to allow fairness while determining special education needs.

Roach, Andrew T. (2006). Influences on Parent Perceptions of an Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 31.3, 267-274.

Roach states the purpose of his research was to “understand the variables that influence parents’ perceptions of the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment.” The study included special educators in both elementary and secondary systems across the state of Wisconsin. The sample of students included was representative of the gender population and grade levels in which the study was done in Wisconsin. Demographics on parents were not gathered, but parents were given pencil and paper rating scale surveys to ascertain their understanding of the WAA. The findings show that parents were positive about the WAA process, supportive participation of all students, and pleased with the alignment of the WAA to Wisconsin’s academic standards. Roach also found that student age was directly correlated to parent’s perceptions of the WAA. Parents with older students were less likely to be satisfied with the WAA, which mirrors parents’ perceptions of inclusion. Furthermore, Roach found that parents were confident in the WAA results, and those parents who were more involved with their students education were more satisfied with the outcome. Therefore, Roach suggests that resources, support, training, and support materials be provided to facilitate parent understanding of the WAA.

Vacca, John J. (2007). Incorporating Interests and Structure to Improve Participation of a Child with Autism in a Standardized Assessment: A Case Study Analysis. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 22.1, 51-59.

Vacca, an assistant professor of Individual and Family Studies at the University of Delaware, states that research indicates standardized assessments fail to predict concrete suggestions on supporting students with autism and fail to offer insight as to how behaviors of these children will be manifested in multiple environments. Vacca also points out that some attempts to assess children with autism by using standardized testing is unsuccessful, so researchers are looking at alternative assessments, which include interest areas to provide supports and instructional strategies for students with autism. Vacca accommodated the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition by using interest areas to assess the developmental level of a child with autism, who was once deemed untestable. Vacca found that the use of the interests particular to the child helped the child complete the BSID II. Therefore, Vacca recommends that assessments for children with autism be accommodated by using the child’s interest area.

Jimmy: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Purpose

The purpose of the Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) video is to bring awareness about the disorder and to give a voice to people who live with the disorder as well as their families.

Essential Points

Inattention. Jimmy drifts off during conversations. He said it is like “I go back in my mind.” He also tells the interviewer drifting off happens a lot in school. Later in the interview, Jimmy did not immediately answer the interviewer. Jimmy told her that his mind “went” and a “cartoon just popped in” his head.

Impulse Control Difficulties. When the interviewer asked Jimmy if he moves around a lot, he told her that he does not. His mother laughed a little after he said it. From the start of the interview until this point, Jimmy was in constant motion. He could not sit still. His actual behavior compared to his own idea of his behavior was significantly different. He does not realize that he is in constant motion. When asked about his restlessness, Jimmy does say that it is worse when he has to sit still.

Affects of ADHD on Education. With Jimmy, he does well in school if he is on his medications. However, it is very difficult for Jimmy to get on a routine and schedule. Though he is disorganized, Jimmy has a good memory while he is paying attention. Jimmy does well with math facts and bulleted lists. Jimmy’s mother said that the increased ticks, which are the side effects of the medication, is a good trade-off for his homework being easier. However, Jimmy does admit that he looses things often, but he also eventually finds them. He also says that sometimes he leaves things at school that is supposed to come home, such as homework. Jimmy also said that it is difficult for him to transition from one activity to another. He told the interviewer that it is difficult to do large projects, and writing is the hardest part of going to school. According to Jimmy, copying information goes pretty fast, but writing takes a long time if it is his own ideas. His mother said with the help of an occupational therapist, Jimmy’s handwriting went from being illegible to legible.

Social Implications. Jimmy admits to having problems with his social skills. He tells the interviewer that he often cuts into conversations; interrupts people when they are talking, and speaks so fast people do not understand him. Jimmy does say that he can slow down his speech when the fast pace is brought to his attention. He says that he often becomes obsessed with things, such as Lego’s. Jimmy states that his friends let him know when he is becoming obsessed, and they let him know he needs to do what they want to do as well. Jimmy told the interviewer that he has told his closest friends that he has ADHD, and they understand why he acts as he does.

Affects of ADHD on the Family. In the video, Jimmy relies on his mom quite a bit. She often answers for him, or repeats the question if he does not understand it. She gives him cues to quit fidgeting, such as a light touches on his arm. Because Jimmy is so disorganized, he depends on his mother to keep up with his things. She prepares his backpack for school the next day. She tells the interviewer that Jimmy is forgetful, but he is also easily directed. He and his mother have to work together. She tells the interviewer that having a name helps a bit, but she does not want it to be used as an excuse for his behavior. She says that he has no problem sleeping, but she is concerned about his decrease in appetite, which is another side effect of the medication. Jimmy’s mother says he does not eat lunch. Therefore, she has asked him to at least drink milk at school, and she makes him a large breakfast. Another concern she has is having Jimmy on medication. She said she does not want to have him on medications, but she knows it helps him to learn skills he needs for the future. Jimmy’s mother also states that they have to work as a team, and they have found a balance. The interview closes with us learning that Jimmy’s ADHD is not only exhausting for Jimmy, but it is exhausting for his mother as well.

Application of the Essential Points

I feel this video will help me to be more considerate to the needs of my students with ADHD. Because of this video, I plan to study a bit more on effective redirecting techniques for students with ADHD. Because of my nephew with ADHD, I could relate to Jimmy’s mother. However, I never realized how much Zachary could and could not control until I watched this video. Now, I know that Zachary is not just ignoring me. He is most possibly drifting off because the activity we are involved in is not stimulating enough. Therefore, I will have to find ways to keep my students with ADHD, like Zachary, from not blanking out in the classroom. Now that I have heard from Jimmy that sitting still for long periods of time, I plan to find ways to get the students up and moving in the classroom to try to keep them focused.

Personal Reaction

I liked this video, because showed me a picture of how ADHD looks. It was rather interesting that Jimmy said that he does not move around a lot, and as he said that, he was fidgety. I feel it is important that the educator should know what ADHD looks like. Many students with ADHD are like Jimmy. Many of them do not realize that they are fidgety, talking too fast, or not paying attention. I found myself a bit concerned about Jimmy’s dependence on his mother. I feel he could benefit from self-organization techniques, such as assignment sheets.

It’s So Much Work To Be Your Friend

1. What was the purpose of the video?

The purpose of “It’s So Much Work To Be Your Friend” is to bring awareness to parents and educators of how much more important social connections are to the future happiness of special needs children than education.

2. List and describe five (5) major points from the video:

Children with special needs are less likely to have meaningful relationships with their peers. For many this problem stems from their inability to act appropriately in public. Not being able to appropriately act in public is closely tied to the inability to solve social problems, and it can cause the child to be isolated and rejected by their peers. Furthermore, children with special needs may over react to minor social problems. Without peers and appropriate public behavior, children with special needs are less likely to be asked to join activities that other children may.

The social problems children with special needs have may be due to their inability to understand timing and staging, affective match, social memory, social prediction, and social relevance. Many have problems with timing and staging. This means they do not understand that making friends is a process, and it takes a lot of time to make a friend. They often tend to rush relationships with their peers, which tend to push their peers away. Another way children with special needs push peers away, is many of them do not know how to match their emotions with the situation around them. When a child laughs or smiles when the situation does not call for such emotions, the child’s peers may feel the child is awkward. Matching emotions is closely tied to not being able to predict how their own behavior affects the people around them. Also, many of these children often do not remember people’s likes and dislikes, which may cause them to offend people. Another way children with special needs may offend others is many of them often do not understand social relevance. For instance, when most people walk into a room they have not been in before, they observe the room to gain an understanding of the people, place, and purpose of the room. Many children with special needs may not understand the social situation. In other words, they will treat an arcade the same as they would a classroom.

Part of the reason that children with learning disabilities doe not understand social situations is due to their inability to understand paralinguistics. Only about seven percent of communication is done through verbal language, and the other ninety-three percent is done through non-verbal language. For the majority of the population, we understand the non-verbal language therefore our mental stability is not questioned.

Unfortunately, children with special needs’ mental stability is often called in question, because they do not understand one or all four of the areas of non-verbal language, kinesics, proxemics, vocalics, and artifactual systems. Kinesics is how we use our bodies to communicate; it is the gestures that we may use to get our point across. Many children with special needs cannot pick up on these gestures. Therefore, they do not understand when a person has their hands on their hips that they are serious or may be angry. If the children do not understand proxemics, they do not understand how the use of space communicates to people. This problem may vary from culture to culture, because proxemics varies from culture to culture. For most people in the United States, there are four types of space: public, social, personal, and intimate. However, for children with special needs, they may inappropriately utilize proxemics. Often, they may inappropriately encroach on another’s social and personal space. This can cause major problems for children with special needs. For instance these children are more vulnerable to molestation and to become molesters. Another significant problem to children with special needs is they may not understand vocalics, which is how the tone of voice changes what we say. The problems that may arise is punishment for the way they say things, or punishment because they do not understand the emotion behind what other people say. Similarly, children with special needs do not understand what artifactual systems, or the way we dress, say about a person. Unfortunately, they may inappropriately dress for the weather, occasion, comfort, activity, style, age, or gender.

The most powerful part of this video is explaining how important reputations are to all people. Unfortunately, since many of the children with special needs are raised with their classmates, their reputations are often ruined by the time they leave elementary school. The children with learning disabilities that have problems with timing and staging as well as paralinguistics will have difficulty with social contracts, or their social expectations. This turns into destruction of the child’s reputation. Because reputations are permanent, other children may not want to be friends with children with special needs. Lavoie suggests that teachers intervene by rewarding the class for what the child with a learning disability does well, rather than punishing the class for the mistakes the child has made. Changing the way the child with special needs is treated by the teacher can change the dynamic of the classroom and possibly begin to repair the child’s reputation.

The best gift we, as educators and parents of children with special needs, can give the children is the gift of social competence. First, the child with special needs should be taught how to determine who their friends are. The child needs to be encouraged to seek out hobbies that will put them in social situations. The child needs to be taught social information, such as how to act in a line, or what certain symbols mean. We need to learn how to talk to the child with special needs. When a child says something about the way they feel reflect that emotion back to them so they understand ‘I felt like I wanted to hit someone’ means ‘oh, you were mad.’ When the child makes social mistakes, we need to work on only one problem at a time. Do not correct every mistake they make, but correct only one mistake at a time. We should give them a friendship test so they understand that ‘friend’ does not mean, ‘someone who does not pick on me.’ From social competence, children with special needs can develop social skills, which can prevent them from being shunned by other children.

3. Summary reaction: What were your thoughts and feelings regarding the video?

I enjoyed watching this video because it brought me a better understanding of how important social skills are to children with special needs. As a mother of a child with special needs, I know how important it is for educators to understand the stress the families of these children as well as the children themselves are always under. In this video, Lavoie brought these issues out into to the open. As a future educator, this video has brought me to a better understanding of how important the social skills are for children with special needs. I feel the video is the perfect tool for teachers to help them understand how they treat the class because of the child with special needs can permanently effect and damage the reputation of children with special needs.

4. Application. How will you apply the information you learned to your classroom and other areas of your life?

Before watching this video, I never thought of classmates as family. Now, I do. I like Lavoie’s idea on rewarding the class for what the child with special needs does well instead of punishing the class for the mistakes the child with special needs makes. I like the idea that by doing this a teacher can help to repair the reputation of the child with special needs. This reward system is something I will consider to use in my classroom.

More personally, I also realize how important those social relationships are for children. I have always thought that Damien is perfectly happy being alone, because he says he prefers to be alone. Therefore, I rarely have pushed him to make friends with other children. After watching this video, I talked to some friends of mine, whose children have autism. We all like the idea of using bowling as a way to give our children something they can excel at, as well as using it as a method to make new friends. One of the physical therapists at West Texas Rehab overheard us talking about it and decided she would join our bowling group, so that she can show the children how to bowl. I hope bowling is something that will help build Damien’s confidence and develop his social skills.

Sara: Mood Disorder

Personal Reaction

Sara’s story almost made me cry. I felt sad that she had been taken from her home at such a young age and then taken from the structured environment in which she was thriving to live with her father. I was a bit surprised to learn that she had been experiencing bouts of depressions since the age of seven.

Essential Points

Contributing Factors. Sara was taken from her mom at a young age because child protective services felt that her mother was unfit to care for a child. Sara lived with a foster family for four years and visited her mother on a weekly basis. Sara was about to be adopted by the foster family when her biological father was found. She was sent to live with him and her grandmother. Sara states that she missed her mother and had difficulties bonding with her father. He neglected both her and her half-sister and was put into her grandmother’s custody. Afterwards Sara was a victim of physical abuse. Sara is now living with another family (I am assuming it is a foster family), and she feels as if she is a burden on them.

What Is a Mood Disorder? Sara feels abandoned and alone. She isolates herself from people when she is down. Sara states that she often hides from people because she fears abuse. Sara had begun to cut herself because she feels like there is no way of getting out. She says that she keeps her emotions bottled up inside her; and when she cuts, she is able to calm down so she can sleep. Sara explains her mood disorder as feeling like knots inside her chest and stomach. Because of the mood disorder, Sara does not recall any pain from the cutting. She states that she had disassociated herself from the pain and the actual act of cutting. Sara stated that she did not remember cutting herself, but knew that she had done it. Though Sara no longer cuts, she says the thought of cutting is always in the back of her mind. Sara often feels as if she has no place or purpose in the world, she feels hopeless, she cannot trust people, and she has only been put on the earth to be hurt by people. After hospitalization, Sara is still unable to sleep and fights with her friends a lot. Sara often cries herself to sleep, does not eat, isolates herself, and argues with teachers. Sara gets depressed anytime she is reminded of her past or that she is alone in the world. Most holidays cause bouts of depression in Sara.

Affects of a Mood Disorder on Education. Sara has difficulty in school because she often feels the need to isolate herself in order to gain control over her moods. Because she does not have anywhere to go to regain control, Sara becomes easily frustrated and argues with and swears at teachers. When Sara is down, she silently refuses to do her work and falls to sleep in class. Sara admits that her depression causes frustration, which, in turn, causes irritability. Because of Sara’s trust issues, she has difficulty reaching out to people. Therefore, she may not approach faculty with any problems she may be having. Sara does feel that school is safe haven, and it is her favorite place to be. Sara is unsure about the future and scared about graduating from high school and going to college.

Application of the Essential Points

If Sara was one of my students, I would come to her if I noticed she was irritable. I would help her figure out a safe place that she could go so she could regain control. Because Sara has trust issues, I would try to reach out to her without causing more stress or making her feel I was being pushy. I would see what kind of transitional supports I could help Sara put into place so she is more prepared for her future. I would also reassure Sara about her future and let her know that the school she chooses to go to does have supports in place for students who have mood disorders. I would talk to the counselor to see what we could do for Sara before she leaves high school to ensure a smoother transition for her.

Ashley: Conduct Disorder

Personal Reaction

I think that this video was showed a classic example of conduct disorder. I really felt bad for Ashley because it seems that she just does not know any better. Her two older brothers have been in trouble with the law, which has caused Ashley to believe there is nothing wrong with being a criminal. Ashley also talked about her parents’ homes as Dad’s house and Mom’s house. Ashley’s home life has been so unstable that she does not act as if she has a home to call her own. I do have a problem with Ashley’s school situation. Apparently someone has told her that she is in the behavioral disorder classroom because she is a bad kid. It does not seem that her school is taking the time out to teach her behavioral management skills or coping skills. She acts as if the teachers at school do not care for her at all.

Essential Points

How a Conduct Disorder Looks. Ashley does not act as if she cares for anything or anyone but her mother, father, and little brother with Down Syndrome. Ashley knows that her behavior will have some serious implications on her future, but cannot clearly define a need to alter such negative behaviors. Ashley is said to have oppositional defiant disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but refuses to take her medication because she does not like how they make her feel. Ashley obviously has anger issues because she states that she likes to anger with people because it is fun. She purposely picks on kids that do better than her in school and do the right thing. Ashley is selective about who she chooses to treat in a disrespectful manner; she will not pick on anyone who is slow because she knows how it makes her brother feel when others pick on him. Ashley states that arguing and fighting keeps her from feeling bored. Ashley has control issues and becomes angry if she is not allowed to control situations and people. Ashley admits that she can control her behavior if she wants to, but she doesn’t want to so her behavior gets out of hand. Ashley drinks and smokes at thirteen years of age. When beating up people, Ashley states she knows when it is getting out of hand and will stop to keep from hurting people. Though she has beat up other students, Ashley does not believe she has ever hurt anyone. Ashley says it is “kind of fun” having oppositional defiant disorder, because it lets her argue and gets her in trouble. Ashley has been arrested, is a risk taker, and believes she should “stand up to everything.” Ashley says she could care less if she gets arrested. When Ashley is acting unruly she does not think about the negative consequences of her behavior until she gets in trouble.

Affects of Conduct Disorder on Education. Ashley does not go to school because she has been expelled for fighting. She says that she wishes she were a “goody two shoes,” so that she could do her homework, do good in school, not fail, and stay out of behavior disorder classes that are for bad kids. Ashley starts arguments with teachers because she becomes bored and wants to have fun. She does not like being out of school because she misses her friends and is very bored at home. Ashley states that she wants to be able to go back to school and be a good kid so that she can graduate and go to college. Ashley states that she does wants to be a pediatrician or a veterinarian. Ashley does not believe that anyone can do anything to help her and that no advice from counselors has been helpful. Ashley is most likely far behind her classmates in school.

Social Implications. Ashley does not seem to have a close relationship with her brothers. Ashley acts as if she is angry with her two older brothers. She states that it is their own fault for ending up in jail. However, she is close to her brother with Down syndrome. Ashley states that she defies her parents’ rules and feels bad when she upsets them. She, however, shows little remorse for hurting others. Ashley does state that she has friends in school and she misses them very much. Ashley is defiant to all authority figures in her life. She states that her six counselors are useless and she never listens to a word they say. Similarly, Ashley ended up arguing with the police officer who came to question her about the windows she broke in the building next door to her home. The argument was the reason for Ashley’s arrest. As noted before, Ashley does not show respect to her teachers at school. Not only has she argued with them, it came out in the session that Ashley had hurt one in the fight that got her expelled from school. Ashley has inappropriate peer relationships, due to being placed in a classroom with only students with behavioral problems.

Application of the Essential Points

I feel this video will help me to understand how much of a difference teachers can make in a student’s life. Students like Ashley need, more than any other student, to have someone who really believes in them. If students with ODD/ADHD combination feel like no one cares and everyone has given up on them, then they will act out. Therefore, I hope I can be that one teacher that believes in them. I know that having students like Ashley in the classroom is going to be a challenge and hope that I will be able to be a positive role model in their lives. What I learned most from this video is to not argue with a student in the classroom. If I am having a problem with students like Ashley, hopefully I will be able implement the strategies suggested by Geoff Colvin in his video.

Chandra: Anxiety Disorder

Personal Reaction

I felt the video was very informative, and allowed me to see what depressive disorders might look like in a student. However, they spoke very little about anxiety, and I felt this was a better case for discussing depressive disorders than anxiety disorders. I know how anxiety attacks look for me, but I would have liked to learn how an anxiety attack might look in another individual so that I may understand what to look for in students.

Essential Points

What is Anxiety Disorder? For Chandra, anxiety disorder is a reaction to her extreme depression. She states that her anxiety disorder first showed up shortly after 9/11 when she was in the eighth grade. Chandra exhibited extreme depressive episodes that resulted in uncontrollable crying. She stated that she soon became isolated and would lie on the couch, eat and sleep. Chandra also stated that she often felt lost, alone, and paranoid that others were speaking about her. When Chandra began to feel down, she started cutting on herself because she felt a release. The episodes of cutting attributed to mixed feelings of happiness and pride, but also guilt. Chandra said that sometimes she not only felt depressed, but she also began to feel numb, which would lead to more cutting. Chandra also stated that she began to feel physiological responses to the bouts of depression such as stomachaches and headaches. Chandra also stated that her parents have a history of mental illness. She said all of her maternal relatives have been diagnosed with depressive disorders, and some of her paternal relatives have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia.

Affects of Anxiety Disorder on Education. Chandra’s grades suffered as a result of her disorder. She was no longer a good student or a popular student. Chandra stated that public school was too overcrowded, which added to her anxiety. At public school, Chandra felt lost and alone, and she spent most of the time crying in the restroom. Because teachers did not understand her disorder, they began to treat her differently and ignore her. Chandra spent a month and a half out of school, which means she was behind her peers. Chandra’s inability to thrive in the public school setting led to placement in a special school for students with mood disorders. Chandra states that her grades are much better and she is the president of the student council for the second year. Coping skills have been placed directly in Chandra’s individual education program, which gives her the opportunity to learn how to deal with stressful situations.

Social Implications. Chandra social life was affected by her depressive/anxiety disorder. When she first began to show signs of the disorder, Chandra’s friends stopped talking with her. She states that she knew the reason is that her cutting scared them. Other students it the school began to treat Chandra as if she were a freak. Chandra began to become isolated in her school, even the teachers failed to be socially active with her. Chandra felt tremendous amount of guilt for the affects her behavior had on her family members. She states that her brother was confused and scared for her. However, he first felt that Chandra was faking. Now that he understands the disorder, her brother is a source of support, and he is nicer and speaks with her more. When Chandra is down, her brother helps her and makes things for her. Chandra’s parents both have mental illness. Due to the stress of having to deal with their own illness, Chandra felt her problems overwhelmed them. She does state, though, her understanding of her own illness helped Chandra to begin to understand her parents’ mental illnesses. Chandra states that she now has a lot of friends who are supportive and understanding of her difficulties, because they too have mood disorders.

Application of the Essential Points

I feel this video will help me to understand that some children in my classroom may not be able to control depressive moods or behaviors. I have learned that I need to not isolate these students from the classroom. Instead, I should let them know that I am there for them, and they are not alone. Hopefully, treating students in a manner that I would wish to be treated would help them keep from feeling a sense of abandonment and isolation. I will be sure to watch for signs of depression and anxiety in my students so that I may be able to be a source of support for the student.

Curriculum Based Assessment / Measurement

Campbell, Heather; Espine, Christine; Lembke, Erica; Long, Jeffrey D.; Ticha, Renata, and Wallace, Teri. (2008). Curriculum-Based Measurement in Writing: Predicting the Success of High-School Students on State Standards Tests. Exceptional Children, 74.2, 174-193.

The authors state the purpose of their study as to “examine the validity and reliability of curriculum-based measures as indicators of performance on state standard tests in writing” (174). The authors note that students with disabilities often struggle with writing, and 70% of all high school students are at levels below proficiency. Therefore, the authors suggest secondary teachers must have appropriate intervention strategies available. However, the authors also note that many of the studies done on curriculum-based measurement are done at the elementary level, few are done at the middle school level, and very little are done at the high school level. Because of this, it is difficult to address writing issues facing secondary students with learning disabilities, such as writing deficiency. The authors further assert that very little research is to be found on the effects of curriculum-based measurement on English Language Learners. This study consisted of 183 high school students from two large urban high schools. The results of the study reveal that writing samples that are 5 to 7 minutes in length that use the correct minus incorrect word sequence scoring procedure would be effective in determining student performance on state standard tests in writing.

Christ, Theodore J. (2006). Short-Term Estimates of Growth Using Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading Fluency: Estimating Standard Error of the Slope to Construct Confidence Intervals. School Psychology Review, 35.1, 128-133.

Christ asserts that curriculum-based measurement of oral reading fluency is used to show student growth and student level. Christ states the purpose of his study is to incorporate research-based estimates of the standard error of the estimate in order to produce “magnitudes for the standard error of the slope across a variety of progress monitoring durations and measurement conditions” (129). Christ gathered research to find relevant material on curriculum-based measurement and curriculum-based measurement of oral reading fluency. Of the two hundred thirty four studies, only three reported standard error of the estimate involving oral reading fluency. Christ’s findings show that the standard error of the slope is reduced when progress monitoring durations are lengthened, and the “standard error of estimate was used to estimate the likely influence of CBM-R measurement conditions” (130). Christ argues that four times more error is resulted from poorly controlled measurement conditions. The limitations to Christ’s study are the small sample size, none of the studies reported “the standard error of the estimate at the optimal levels,” and “some assumptions of ordinary least squares are violated when time-series data for individual students are evaluated” (131-132).

Cusumano, Dale L. (2007). Is It Working?: An Overview of Curriculum Based Measurement and Its Uses for Assessing Instructional, Intervention, or Program Effectiveness. Behavior Analyst Today, 8.1, 24-34.

Cusumano begins his article by giving an overview of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disability Education Improvement Act of 2004. Cusumano states they have “further shaped educational goals with requirements that students’ academic experiences be enriched with high quality and research-based instructional strategies” (24). Therefore, Cusumano asserts Curriculum-Based Measurement is an effective method in addressing the needs of all students as set up in NCLB and IDEIA. Cusumano gives an overview of CBM and states that CBM is effective in monitoring student progress and highlighting students who are high-risk. Cusumano shows that CBM can be sued in assessing students reading, mathematics, spelling, and written expression skills. Cusumano outlines benefits of CBM to educators as setting up realistic goals, modifying curriculum, modifying instructional approach, and monitoring student performance. Cusumano’s study reveals that the students of educators who have been instructed on the use of CBM showed considerable gains in academic achievement.

McLane, Kathleen. (2008). Fact Sheet: Benefits of Curriculum Based Measurement. National Center on Student Progress.

McLane designed this fact sheet in order to explain curriculum-based measurement to parents. McLane asserts that curriculum-based measurement is the most effective way to measure student progress and allows teachers to develop methods to teach each student. McLane claims the benefits of CBM are as follows: they effectively measure the student’s true performance, the graphs are clear and easy to understand, the graphs can benefit parent/faculty communication as well as faculty/professional communication, the graphs can benefit Individual Education Program development as well as measuring the progress toward goals and objectives set-up in the IEP, the graphs can be important when addressing educational issues of each student as they are introduced to new faculty, the scores of CBM are easier to understand than traditional standardized assessments, the graphs can be used by students to allow them to self-monitor their progress and motivates students to reach their academic goals, CBM allows stakeholders to see if the instruction the student is receiving is effective, and CBM can be used to screen students in order to intervene if students are at risk.

Stecker, Pamela M. (2006). Using Curriculum-Based Measurement to Monitor Reading Progress in Inclusive Elementary Settings. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 22.1, 91-97.

Stecker introduces the reader to a fourth grade student, Max, who is falling behind his peers in reading development. Stecker provides an overview of curriculum-based measurement and states that oral reading fluency may not provide educators with skill deficiencies of individual students, but they can be used to gauge the student’s progress. Stecker asserts that oral reading fluency and reading comprehension are correlated with one another. Stecker states the use of CBM is more effective than other data-collection methods because of the reliability and validity of the CBM, and CBM is effective in showing progress toward long-term goals rather than short-term goals. Stecker use Max’s situation to show how CBM may be implemented in order to needs of at-risk students. In Stecker’s article, she demonstrates collaboration between the general education and special education teachers of Max. Stecker the training of the general education teacher on how to administer oral reading probes. Once the teacher has become comfortable using the method to chart Max’s progress, the special education teacher suggests she administer the assessment to all of her students. In doing so, two more at-risk students were identified.

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills – Alternate

Module 1 – Overview of New TAKS-Alt Assessment

The first Module of the new TAKS-Alt begins with an overview of the changes made due to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which states that without exception every student must be assessed. Therefore, the Texas Education Agency developed the TAKS-Alt to be administered to the 1% of students that are found to have significant cognitive disabilities. Therefore, the TAKS-Alt is not a traditional multiple choice or paper and pencil test. It is an observation-based assessment filled out by the student’s teacher as the student completes task aligned with the TEKS.

In order to be qualified to take the TAKS-Alt, the student’s ARD committee must determine whether the student is able to take the TAKS with the accommodations and modifications. For the ARD Committee to determine a student’s qualification, they must assess the student’s level of functioning, determine how the student performs at grade level, review participation requirements, and document assessments with “allowable” or “approved” modifications and accommodations. It is important to remember, not all students who qualify for special education services will qualify for the TAKS-Alt.

The participation requirements of the student are listed as:

1. The student requires supports to access the general curriculum that may include assistance involving communication, response style, physical access, or daily living skills.
2. The student requires direct, intensive, individualized instruction in a variety of settings to accomplish the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills.
3. The student accesses and participates in the grade-level TEKS through activities that focus on prerequisite skills.
4. The student demonstrates knowledge and skills routinely in class by methods other than paper-and-pencil tasks.
5. The student demonstrates performance objectives that may include real-life applications of the grade-level TEKS as appropriate to the student’s abilities and needs.

There are three key resources for accessing the grade-level TEKS curriculum in order to assist educators with administration of the TAKS-Alt – the TEKS Vertical Alignment documents, TEKS Curriculum Framework documents, and Standardized Assessment Tasks for TAKS-Alt. The TEKS Vertical Alignment documents are a listing of the TEKS that provides the expectations of students’ knowledge and skills from kindergarten to exit level. The TEKS Curriculum Framework documents provide the objectives, knowledge and skills, and student expectations of those participating in the TAKS, and are aligned with the TEKS Vertical Alignment documents. The Standardized Assessment Tasks for TAKS-Alt provides three complexity-varied tasks for each essence statement based on predetermined criteria. The assessment tasks are like test items rather than activities used for instruction. The tasks are broadly written to allow access to most students who qualify and vary in complexity to meet USDE requirements.

The module ends with the following four steps to administer the TAKS-Alt

1. Choose the assessment TASK for each required essence statement.
2. Determine IMPLEMENTATION of the assessment task.
3. OBSERVE and DOCUMENT student performance on the predetermined criteria.
4. EVALUATE student performance and enter the information into the online instrument.

Module 2 – Implementing the TAKS-Alt Assessment

The first step is to select the appropriate TAKS-Alt assessment task. There are 3 assessment tasks for each essence statements. The teacher must choose the appropriate complexity level for an assessment task based on the student’s current level of performance, targeted prerequisite skills, complexity levels of the assessment tasks, and specific verbs in the assessment tasks. The verbs used in the essences statements define the complexity level. Level 3 Assessment Tasks are the most difficult and requires higher-order thinking skills. The tasks include: determining distinguishing features, organizing information, comparing components, generating ideas, making inferences, and justifying answers. An example of a verb used at this level is ‘determine.’ Level 2 Assessment Tasks are mid-level tasks and involve rote memory. Tasks at Level 2 include: identifying or sorting elements, assisting in procedures, choosing options, matching components, replicating information, and examining features. Examples of verbs used at this level are ‘review’ and ‘identify.’ Level 1 Assessment Tasks are the most basic tasks and involve beginning awareness response. Level 1 Tasks include: acknowledging features, indicating preferences, responding to stimuli, participating in process, exploring materials, and anticipating outcomes. Examples of verbs used at this level are ‘explore’ and ‘acknowledge.’ If the student has difficulty accessing the Level 1 Assessment Tasks, the teacher should evaluate the instruction and student supports provided, confer with other school professionals, consider the No Response Observed designation, and call TEA for further guidance. However, if the student does respond to some of the tasks, then No Response Observed is inappropriate.

The second step is to add supports to individualize the assessment task by the use of supports, materials, and identifying appropriate student response modes. Appropriate supports and materials are those that are effective and used in the classroom on a regular basis. They must reflect the student’s learning style and address the measured skill. They must be grounded in the content area assessed, be age appropriate, and include the student’s interests. Most importantly supports and materials must maintain the integrity of the assessment and not give the student a direct answer. The teacher must select the most appropriate response modes, which is also a component of individualizing the assessment. Response modes must allow demonstration of the skill and independence of the student. They, too, must maintain the integrity of the assessment and be effective and used in the classroom on a regular basis. The teacher must be certain the supports and materials maintain the complexity level, otherwise the integrity of the assessment has been lost and the supports are deemed inappropriate.

The third step is to conduct and document the observation. Before observation begins, the teacher must be prepared to observe, which includes the comfort and distractibility level of the testing environment. The teacher must plan for any personnel needed or an inter-rater observation. The pre-determined criteria must be reviewed to ensure the expectations of the student are met. All supports and materials should be available. A review of cueing and prompting hierarchy terms is required. If the student does not respond, the teacher must first cue then prompt the student. All cueing and prompting during the assessment affect the student’s score. The hierarchy of cueing is as follows: physical gesture, pointing, visual cue, verbal direct cue, and verbal indirect cue. The hierarchy of prompting is as follows: Physical assist, adult modeling, student modeling, visual graphic, gesture assist, and verbal direction. The teacher must record the date of the primary observation, the demonstration of the skill, and level of support, as well as, all cues and prompts. The fairness of the observation is determined by the amount of previous instruction provided, the time allowed for the assessment, the attentiveness of the student, the environment the assessment occurred, and the level of cueing and prompting provided to the student.

Module 3 – The TAKS-Alt Online Instrument

The fourth and final step to the TAKS-Alt is the evaluation of student performance via the online instrument. The purpose of the TAKS-Alt Online Instrument is to provide the teacher with ample time to provide instruction, and select and individualize assessment tasks. The teacher is provided with a submission window from January to April in which the tasks can be completed, observed, and documented. The window allows evaluation of student performance at any time, as well as submission of completed assessments at any time. Before online submission begins, it is recommended that the teacher review the observation notes and become familiar with the TAKS-Alt rubric.

The TAKS-Alt rubric is based on a point system from yes and no answers on the demonstration of a skill section. The student will receive two points for each yes answer to the predetermined criterion. The student will receive zero points for a no answer to the predetermined criterion. The student’s level of support will also be evaluated. Two points will be given for independent performance, one point will be given for cued performance, and zero points will be given for prompted performance on the predetermined criterion. The assessment tasks are weighted as determined by the complexity level of the task performed with Level 3 as the highest and Level 1 as the lowest numerical value. The teacher must make sure the demonstration of a skill is reviewed without consideration of level of support as they are scored separately.

Now the teacher can begin the automated scoring process. First, the teacher answers yes/no questions based on the predetermined criterion established to score the student’s demonstration of the skill. Next, the teacher answers questions based on student’s level of support. The teacher answers the questions as follows: independently, needed cueing, or needed prompting based on the student’s performance. The yes/no and independently/needed cueing/ needed prompting questions are answered by selecting the appropriate ‘radio button’ next to the word.

The online instrument will alert the teacher to determine the student’s opportunity to generalize the skill. The student is only eligible for generalization if he/she is assessed at Level 2 or 3, the student demonstrated the skill on all three predetermined criteria, and the student was not prompted for the completion of the tasks. The generalization process allows 3 points for the generalization of a skill. The student receives one point for each predetermined criteria completed on an independent level or with a cue. The student will receive zero points for any completed tasks that required prompting or any uncompleted tasks. It is recommended that observation begins early enough in the submission window to allow the generalization of the skill.

The maintenance of the data collection forms is determined by the school district’s procedures for maintenance. It is recommended that the teacher use the state’s forms for observations; however, other forms that contain the same sections as the state’s forms are allowed. If the student is in an inclusive classroom setting, the district is responsible for sending the documentation forms to Pearson for validity audit purposes.

The next part of Module 3 focuses on accessing and using the online instrument, which can be accessed from any computer system with the necessary system requirements. The district coordinator will provide user names and passwords required to access the TAKS-Alt online system at www.taksalt.com. Once the teacher has logged in, he/she will gain access to the TAKS-Alt home page. From here, the teacher is recommended to check the ‘alert’ box for new messages after each log-in. The TAKS-Alt online instrument consists of six sections: home tab, assessment tasks tab, assessment status tab, historical assessment data tab, resources tab, manage account tab, and left frame with list of classes. The manage account tab gives the teacher information about the students and the teacher’s user profile. The assessment allows the teacher to choose the assessment task and answer the performance questions for each predetermined criterion. The historical assessment data tab displays student data from previous years. The resources tab provides access to sample forms, documents, and other information that can assist the teacher in implementing the assessment. The assessment status tab shows the status of each student’s assessment. In order to ensure the finalization of the assessments, the teacher must submit all assessments by the cut-off date determined by TEA. Any assessments that are not submitted at this time will not be finalized.

Emotional Disturbance and Social Maladjustment

The question on many special educators’ minds is whether students with Social Maladjustment (SM) should receive special education services. Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) clearly states that Emotional Disturbance (ED) “does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance” (IDEA 2004 C.F.R 300.8(c)(4)(2)). The controversy surrounding emotional disturbance stems from IDEA not clearly defining social maladjustment. Without a definition, I have found it difficult to form an opinion on the issue. In their paper “Deconstructing a Definition,” Kenneth Merrell and Hill Walker bring up many valid points on the issue, and they tend to equate ED with SM (2004). The theory that ED and SM cannot be differentiated is reverberated in “Emotional Disturbance/Social Maladjustment” (Kehle et al., 2004). However, I do not agree with the argument that students with SM should be included in the ED category set up by IDEA. Students with SM, who do not have an ED, would not benefit from special education services.

First and foremost in my argument is that SM and ED are not the same thing. Students with ED normally engage in internalized behaviors. They tend to shy away from attention and show remorse for disruptive behaviors. Often students with ED who seem to exhibit these behaviors do so due to a compulsion. Their behavior is not a calculated response to gain attention or to avoid a task. It is clear, however, that students with ED are capable of acting in a disruptive manner as an avoidance mechanism. In these cases, teachers can remedy the problematic behavior by implementing a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). Once the desired behavior is successfully gained by positive reinforcement methods set up in the BIP, the student with ED should no longer exhibit disruptive avoidance behaviors.

Unlike the student with ED, the student with SM appears to act out in a calculated manner. Their behavior “may be considered strategic and consciously mediated” (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). If a student with SM engages in disruptive behaviors, a BIP could also be used to circumvent the problem behavior. However, the BIP may not be successful in ending problematic behaviors. Students with SM often belong to a culture outside of societal norms. If their culture dictates that education is not important, then the student would not look at education as an opportunity for future growth and development. Researchers argue that students with SM voluntarily act out, and their behavior is “strategic and deliberate” (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). Even when the behavior of a student with SM affects their educational performance, special education services are not should not be guaranteed. The articles by Merrell and Walker and Kehle et al. suggest that special education should be guaranteed to students with SM whose behavior results in the mitigation of educational achievement (2004). However, any student who refuses to do homework/class-work but is capable of achievement at their expected level should be excluded from special education services.

Including a student with SM in a special education program could be counterproductive for students with ED, a Learning Disability (LD), or students with other disabilities who qualify for special education services. Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little argue that “treatment for children with ED may be counterproductive for children with SM” (2004). Therefore, it would be a disservice to all students in the special education classroom that has combined students with ED and SM. An Individual Education Program (IEP) for a student that does not want to learn is not going to be beneficial for that student, while an IEP for a student that wants to learn but has a disability hindering his/her ability to learn would be beneficial.

Other concerns revolve around the welfare of the other students exposed to students with SM. I find Kehle et al.’s following statement problematic – “Children with ED or SM have few, if any, friends and are generally rejected by their peers and teachers primarily as a result of their dysfunctional behavior” (2004). Though it may be true that any dysfunctional behavior can lead to peer rejection, Kehle and company have equated the behaviors of students with SM with the behaviors of students with ED. I would argue that students with ED are often rejected for different reasons than students with SM. These reasons stem from a lack of understanding the disorder of the student with ED and lack of control the student with ED may have over the behaviors rather than unwanted malicious behaviors the student with SM may engage in. Merrell and Walker use anti-social behavior to argue that students with SM should be included in the ED definition. However, it is important to remember that anti-social behavior is not the same thing as difficulty maintaining peer relationships. Anti-social behavior often includes defiant behaviors and conduct disorders. In equating ED and SM, Merrell and Walker are building on preconceived notions that all students with SM also have ED. There is no evidence that can conclusively support this claim. In fact, students with SM often show little or no remorse when they have acted inappropriately (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). This lack of remorse should concern all people involved with students who receive special education services. All students with disabilities may be easy targets for the inappropriate behavior students with SM may engage in, which can and often does result in bullying.

Not only does targeted behavior concern me, but also the inability for many students who receive services to determine appropriate peer relationships raises concern. These students may look up to the student with SM and may begin to mimic unwanted behaviors. They may be used as patsies in a devious plot or scheme. They also may be easily manipulated into engaging in inappropriate activities. Therefore, they become a victim to the unruly behaviors of a student with SM. I do believe that many of the students with both ED and SM that Merrell and Walker discuss in length are possibly such victims or students exposed to SM behavior. I find it interesting in “Deconstructing a Definition,” Kenneth W. Merrell suggests that students with SM should be included in special education, and SM and ED should not be differentiated, because the Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little article cites him as arguing “The combination of students with a pattern of rule-violating behavior and who demonstrate little remorse for their actions with students who evidence emotional disorders are naïve may result in bullying” (1992), which further supports my argument that SM and ED should be differentiated and warrant different treatments.

According to Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little students with SM require some treatments that cannot be implemented by the school district. Most treatment options for students with SM involve working with the families of students with SM. the only treatment option recommended that may be used in the school setting is the Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training. This method utilized self-monitoring as a way to learn problem-solving skills. However, students with SM who do not recognize the need for such skills will not be willing to engage in such treatment activities. A student cannot be forced to change if they see no need to change. Other methods recommended included Parent Management Training, Multisystemic Therapy, and Functional Family Therapy, all of which are based in a family approach. Again, students with SM may come from a culture outside of societal norms. If this is the case, the family of the student may not recognize the behavior of their child as problematic behavior.

Determining whether problematic behavior is due to SM or ED is confounded without a clear definition of SM from IDEA. Although Merrell and Walker support their argument with statistics that show 50% of students with ED have been arrested at least once “within 3 years of leaving school” (2004), it is important to recognize this statistic is twenty years old and may not be true today. The statistic was gathered before the 1997 and 2004 changes in IDEA and is a reflection of a generation before today’s students were born. Clear distinctions can be made between students with SM and students with ED. Such distinctions include remorse, internalized/externalized behaviors, and calculated/compulsive behaviors. The differences in behaviors of students with SM can cause difficulties in the special education classroom and can negatively affect the social, emotional, and educational growth of other students who receive special education services. Most importantly, students with SM often do not want help and no matter what an IEP or a BIP may say, a student with SM will not change their behavior to fit into a culture they do not see themselves as being part of.

References

Kehle, T. J., Bray, M. A., Theodore, L. A., Zhou, Z., & McCoach, D. B. (2004). Emotional Disturbance/Social Maladjustment: Why Is the Incidence Increasing? Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 861-865.

Merrell, K. W., & Walker, H. M. (2004). Deconstructing a Definition: Social Maladjustment Versus Emotional Disturbance and Moving the EBD Fiend Forward. Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 899-909.

Theodore, L. A., Akin-Little, A., & Little, S. G. (2004). Evaluating the Differential Treatment of Emotional Disturbance and Social Maladjustment. Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 879-886.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Other Health Impairments

Brown, Thomas E. (2007). A New Approach to Attention Deficit Disorder. Educational Leadership, 64, (5), 26-27.

The researcher states that 7.8% of students from ages 4 to 17 are diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and school officials are unsure how to respond. More researchers are beginning to believe ADD is not a behavior disorder, but it is an impairment of the brain’s executive system. Brown states there are six executive functions that people with ADD/ADHD have difficulty in utilizing, which are activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory, and action. A diagnosis of ADD/ADHD means the person has a significant impairment compared to their peers over a prolonged period of time and can vary depending on when the symptoms appear. ADD/ADHD are often thought to be a lack of willpower. Instead it is the chemical makeup of the brain that causes the impairment. For some students with ADD/ADHD medication helps only when it is in the system. However other students with ADD/ADHD have other learning disabilities, and medication alone is not effective in facilitating learning. Because it has been proven that ADD/ADHD is not a behavior problem, Brown suggests evaluations that address cognitive impairments. Brown concludes that early intervention is crucial to the mental development of the student.

Glimps, Blanche J. (2008). Are We Preparing Students with Physical and Health Disabilities for the 21st Century?, Physical Disabilities: Education and Related Services 26, (2), 1-12.

Glimps suggests that schools are not doing enough to prepare students with physical disabilities for their futures in the diverse job market in today’s world. Glimps believes the students are not being educated on global issues that may affect students’ future employment. Therefore the education system should strive to broaden the students’ understanding of the world, which should be accessible to students with physical or health disabilities. However, the issues are not addressed in NCLB. The National Council for Social Studies recognizes problems facing students today is the failure to provide a global understanding leads to a narrow view of the world and in some instances leads to prejudice. Glimps feels teachers of students with physical and health impairments often provide limited cultural knowledge to their students. Furthermore, Glimps suggests the technologies provided to students with physical and health impairments are not developing quick enough to keep up with the information technologies. Therefore, Glimps suggests the students are not properly prepared to enter the globalized workforce.

Potts-Datema, William, and Taras, Howard. (2005). Chronic Health Conditions and Student Performance at School. Journal of School Health, 75, (7) 255-266.

Research has proven there is a direct correlation between students’ health and their academic success. According to their research, Taras and Potts-Datema suggest an association between diabetes and cognitive ability. Their research concludes that the verbal IQ, visuospatial/ nonverbal functioning, memory, and attention all show a deficit in young students with diabetes depending on the severity of the diabetes. Students with sickle cell anemia may experience complications that prevent attendance or affect the student’s performance. The research shows the students with sickle cell anemia tend to score lower on IQ assessments, and they may be impaired in their language, processing abilities, attention, and memory. Students with have learning problems that vary according to the severity of the epilepsy, such as lower IQ levels, lower academic achievement, and inattentiveness. Students with other chronic diseases often experience lower academic achievement due to their inability to attend class on a regular basis.

Stormont, Melissa A. (2008). Increase Academic Success for Children with ADHD Using Sticky Notes and Highlighters. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43, (5), 305-308.

Stormont’s research states that students with ADHD account for 3-5% of the student population in the general education classroom. Their characteristics include selective attention problems, sustained attention problems, impulsivity, and high levels of verbal and motor activity. Stormont suggests using sticky notes and highlighters to help the students in and out of the classroom. They can use the notes as a guide to keep them on task, and to mark their ending point when taking a break. They can use the highlighters to either color code tasks or to determine the order of the tasks. Furthermore, the notes can be used to help the students study, prompt students, organize steps, keep students on track, and help them estimate time to spend on each step of a process or task. The sticky notes can also be used to remind students of materials to bring home or return to school. They can also be used to help students to outline or summarize reading material. Among other uses for the notes, they can also help students self-monitor their progress and their behavior. Another suggestion is to have the students to write down questions they may have while the teacher is leading class discussion.

Zambo, Debby, (2008). Looking at ADHD Through Multiple Lenses: Identifying Girls with the Inattentive Type. Intervention in School and Clinic, 44, (1), 34-40.

Female students with ADHD often withdraw from school and themselves often due to the lack of early intervention. Zambo gives a case study on a female student with ADHD. Unlike the boys, she internalized her behaviors. She was unable to become accepted socially and teachers did not think she cared about school. It was not until the student was in high school that teachers recognized her as exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. Today, students with ADHD are inattentive, and exhibit hyperactivity and impulsivity. Students with ADHD often have concurrent learning disabilities and learning problems. Girls often become stressed, depressed, and exhibit anxiety. Because they internalize their behaviors, girls seem to daydream and be in their own fantasy world. Female students also seem to be socially withdrawn, exhibit low self-esteem/image, and are rejected by their peers. Furthermore, they often do not set goals, are not organized, and have difficulty planning and self-monitoring. Therefore, Zambo suggests that faculty, who recognize internalizing behaviors in girls, should examine the possibility of ADHD.