Given the rapid growth of diversity in schools across the country, teacher educators are turning to innovative ways to redesign their programs. In this article, we describe efforts of a dual licensure program in which undergraduate teachers-in-training acquired knowledge and skills in core content, as well as evidence-based pedagogy and discipline…

Student evaluation of instruction in college and university courses has been a routine and mandatory part of undergraduate and graduate education for some time. A major shortcoming of the process is that it relies exclusively on the opinions or qualitative judgments of students rather than on assessing the learning or transfer of knowledge that…

This article addresses the effects of 3-tiered comprehensive reading and behavior interventions on K-3 student outcomes in 7 urban elementary schools with a high prevalence of students considered difficult to teach. Specific features of each level of the implementation are described including screening and tier placement procedures, scheduling and…

The paper considers problems in current assessment and evaluation practices with learning disabled students and discusses forces for change. Among the weaknesses noted are inadequate conceptual and definitional frameworks, practitioner bias, and technical inadequacies of currently used norm referenced tests. The authors outline three factors…

The authors suggest that the confusion and controversy over definitions of learning disabilities have been unproductive. They review findings on the assessment decision making process and emphasize the need for a new perspective on assessment and intervention. (CL)

The Group Analysis of Instruction Matrix and the Individual Analysis of Instruction Matrix are presented as two content-free methods for objectifying assessment by observation in a naturalistic environment. The assessments provide a structure for recording observations of reading performance within a content area class. (JDD)

This article discusses ways teachers may vary and modify teacher-made tests to better facilitate prescriptive programing for special education students. Formats featuring statements, object identification, gestures, and writing are discussed, as are item alterations in terms of both item presentation and student responses. (PB)

Findings are presented of a gifted identification assessment at the second-grade level (n=600) founded on the principles of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory. Positive relations were evident among scores for different types of intelligences and the traditional measure. The Problem Solving Assessment procedure resulted in a more diverse…

Evaluated the extent to which similar decisions concerning student placement were made by multidisciplinary team members based on varying amounts of assessment information. Found that individuals who reviewed large amounts of information made decisions similar to those who reviewed little information. Found about half the decisions accurate.…

A national survey of 94 Directors of Special Education was conducted to ascertain: (1) the number of students referred for psychoeducational evaluation; (2) the number of referred students evaluated; and (3) the number of evaluated students placed in special education programs. For each of the school years during 1977-80, the percentage of…

This book presents an instructional improvement system based on critical instructional factors identified by research. Teaching activities are provided for each of four components of effective teaching--planning, managing, delivering, and evaluating instruction. For each component, several teaching principles are identified and explained, and for…

Analysis of the numbers of referred students who were evaluated and the number of evaluated students who received special education from 1977-80 in 94 districts revealed that, overall, the probabilities associated with the evaluation of referred students and delivery of special education sevices to evaluated students were high. (CL)

The authors assert that despite accomplishments of P.L. 94-142 in its 10 years, there are still many concerns remaining. Lack of effectiveness data and unsolved questions in diagnosis and classification are among fundamental problems. (CL)

Three major problems are discussed in relation to helping disturbed children: assessment practices, the nature of emotional disturbance, and the treatment of emotional problems. The need for objectively defining emotional problems and rationally designing programs to meet individual child needs is stressed. (Author)

The extent to which computer simulated classification decisions within special education were differentially affected by information presented at the time of the referral was investigated. Decisions about 16 different cases were evaluated and found to be a function of referral information rather than child performance data. The outcomes are…