Assessment and Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing: Challenges and Recommendations John Luckner Ed.D. and Sandy Bowen, Ph.D. CEC Annual Convention and Expo Salt Lake City, Utah April 6, 2006

Essential Role of Assessment in Contemporary Education 1.Identify student needs 2.Plan instruction 3.Evaluate student progress 4.Evaluate instructional programs 5.Document achievement of students 6.Evaluate professionals 7.Evaluate schools and school districts.

“Assessment is becoming as important as instruction in today’s schools” Salvia and Ysseldyke, 2004, p 683.

Questions for Discussion 1.What are the challenges of conducting accurate assessments with students who are deaf or hard of hearing? 2.How are the assessment requirements of NCLB impacting your daily practices?

Problem Absence of research about current assessment practices with students who are deaf or hard of hearing Action Conducted survey to gather data about the formal and informal assessment instruments and processes currently being used by professionals in the field of deaf education.

Method Online survey - data collected January 20, 2005 to May 21, Sampling 1.Master teachers - (possible N = 82) 2.Large programs and schools (More than 100 students) April issue American Annals of the Deaf (N = 157). Participants N = 87

Survey Part One Demographic questions Part Two 1.Brief definition of assessment 2.Provide names of tests or resources used 3.List more than one resource if appropriate 4.Indicate if did not assess specific area

Reading 1.Individual State Annual Assessments 2.Stanford Achievement Test Series 3.Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement 4.Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Skills 5.Test of Early Reading Ability – Deaf or Hard of Hearing (TERA-D/HH) 6.Qualitative Reading Inventory 7.Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement 8.STAR Reading Tests 9.Informal Reading Inventories

Writing 1.Individual State Annual Assessments 2.Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement 3.Writing Samples 4.Test of Written Language (TOWL) 5.Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Skills 6.Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) 7.Stanford Achievement Test Series

Language and Communication 1.Speech and language pathologist conducts assessment 2.Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test 3.Language Samples 4.Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test 5.Stanford Achievement Tests 6.Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS) 7.Rhode Island Test of Language Structure 8.Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals 9.Test of Language Development (TOLD) 10.Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test

Mathematics 1.Individual State Annual Assessments 2.Stanford Achievement Tests 3.Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Skills 4.Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement 5.KeyMath- Revised/NU 6.Teacher Made Tests 7.Textbook End of Chapter Tests 8.Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement

Science 1.Individual State Annual Assessments 2.Stanford Achievement Tests 3.Teacher Made Tests

Determination of Appropriate Test Adaptations 1.IEP Team Decision 2.Daily Classroom Needs 3.Professional Judgment – Knowledge of Student and Requirements of the Assessment

Preparation of Students for Statewide Tests 1.Practice Tests 2.Align Curriculum with State Standards 3.No Special Preparation 4.Review of Test-Taking Skills

Participation in Regular or Alternate Statewide Tests 1.IEP Team Decision 2.Students With a Hearing Loss and Additional Cognitive Disabilities Take the Alternate Assessment 3.Determined by Statewide Assessment Regulations 4.All Students Participate in the Regular Test

Discussion 1.Limitations 2.Statewide assessments aligned with content standards have become a central element in the education of students who D/HH 3.SLP conducts language assessment

Additional Research 1.Testing accommodations 2.Universally designed assessments 3.Professionals’ attitudes about assessment or knowledge of effective assessment practices 4.Use of progress monitoring