Inclusive and Supportive Education Congress International Special Education Conference Inclusion: Celebrating Diversity? 1st - 4th August 2005. Glasgow, Scotland

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 “Assessment can be best described as the systematic collection
and analysis of information to make a decision”
(McLean, Bailey, & Wolery, 1996)

A Field-Based Special Education Assessment and Training Center
Thomas B. Pierce
pierce@unlv.nevada.edu
Nancy M. Sileo
sileo@unlv.nevada.edu
Catherine Lyons
catherine.lyons@ccmail.nevada.edu
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

It has been suggested that special educators must answer questions about a child’s academic, social, or behavioral needs. The means by which educators answer those questions can include but are not limited to assessment or more accurately---“testing”. Data collection however, should be relevant to the assessment question. Often standardized tests provide information that is not relevant to the assessment question (McConnell, 2000).

Assessment in early childhood and special education is often used to report a child’s development across the developmental domains. Outcome measurements like curriculum-based measures (CBMs) are used to track a child’s individual progress towards a goal over a period of time. This type of measurement links a targeted skill with curriculum. Teachers can modify instruction to meet individual needs. Families can also be included in this type of progress monitoring. Families can participate in interventions and monitor progress at home. Information that families provide can assist teachers in modifying their approach. Oftentimes outcome measurements give important information about a child’s progress towards mastery skills (Phaneuf & Siberglitt, 2003). Progress can be tracked through observation.

Assessment is an important and ongoing process that provides insight into the course of development for young children. Assessment determines which children have a need for special services, defines the services to be provided, and measures the success of early childhood special education efforts. In addition, assessment is key in constructing developmentally appropriate learning programs that are child and family centered (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997; Bredekamp, 1987). Professionals working the fields of early childhood, early childhood special education, elementary education, and special education, to name but a few, must have a solid understanding of assessment concepts and practices and must have skills in the clinical application of these concepts and practices, and finally must keep up with new instruments, new regulations, and new trends in assessment (McClean, Wolery, and Bailey, 2004; McCollum, & Catlett, 1997).

The State of Nevada

There is an acute need for quality early childhood educators with a strong background in assessment, evaluation, and intervention for young children at-risk for or experiencing developmental delay as identified in Nevada’s Part C, IDEA Self-Assessment Plan (Project IMPRV, 2002). Nevada, particularly Clark County and the surrounding Southern Nevada region, has a transient population with over 4,000 families moving to the Las Vegas area each month (City of Las Vegas Website – www.ci.las-vegas.nv.us/planning/1188.htm). The strain on all services for young children (birth to age five) with and without special needs is severe.

            Nevada Bureau of Early Intervention Services provides early assessment, evaluation, and intervention services for children birth to three at-risk for and experiencing developmental delays. At the same time, a different entity, Clark County School District, provides early assessment, evaluation, and intervention services for children three to age five at-risk for and experiencing developmental delays.

            Nevada is the only State in the United States that has a “permanent waiting list” for assessment, evaluation, and intervention of young children at-risk for and experiencing developmental delays. This list is a major concern in Nevada, and is out-of-compliance with federal regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1997). During 2002, there were more than 500 families in Southern Nevada who did not receive evaluation or early intervention due to the waiting list (Project IMPRV, 2002).

University of Nevada Las Vegas Early Childhood Assessment & Training Center

The Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center and the Department of Special Education, at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) collaborated in developing an Early Childhood Assessment & Training Center for young children. The Center is currently housed inside the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center (LBECEC). The LBECEC, a new 5 million dollar plus facility, houses the UNLV/CSUN Preschool. The UNLV/CSUN preschool serves young children (birth to 60 months of age) and their families. The facility contains 10 classrooms, 2 research classrooms, a multipurpose room, a large conference room, a lending library, as well as numerous offices.

The Assessment & Training Center was made possible through the UNLV Planning Initiative Award. The purpose of the Center was to provide a comprehensive Early Childhood Assessment and Training Center for UNLV students and staff, young children birth to 60 months and their families, and community members. The Center provided assessments & training opportunities to children and families and to serve as a training site for UNLV students. The Center served as a practica site for students in early childhood, early childhood special education, elementary education, social work, nursing, and psychology, to name a few.

The majority of assessments and evaluations conducted at the Center took place in state of the art research classrooms at the LBECEC. These research classrooms were designed to be child centered and family friendly and were equipped with remote audiovisual observations (RAVO). In addition, facilities exist at the LBECEC to conduct one to one formal assessments with children and/or their family members.

Families of children enrolled in the UNLV/CSUN Preschool had the opportunity to attend trainings related to developmentally appropriate practice and assessment. The Center provided families of children receiving services training opportunities on how to work with their children based on the developmental levels of the children. This included providing assessment and services for infants, toddlers, and young children at-risk for, or experiencing developmental delays. These services were provided in a joint effort with the UNLV/CSUN Preschool and the Department of Special Education.

UNLV students had opportunities to observe and participate in early childhood observations, assessments, and interventions in the research classrooms. The Center served as an assessment and training site for students studying early childhood, early childhood special education, elementary education, social work, nursing and psychology, just to name a few. Assessment materials were also available for class instruction and use at the Center.

The overarching goal of the project was to design and implement an early childhood assessment, evaluation, and training center that will allow UNLV students to expand and deepen their understanding of assessment and evaluation procedures for young children at-risk for or experiencing developmental delays. This project provided undergraduate and graduate students from UNLV with preparation, training, and “practice” in delivery of formal, informal, and activity-play-, and routine-based assessments for young children.

The Center provided UNLV students the opportunity to “practice”, score, and interpret formal and informal assessments and evaluations in naturally occurring environments. The opportunity for “practice” is critical to the professional development of teacher education students. McCollum and Catlett (1997) and Cripe, Hanline, and Daley (1997) identify similar criteria and a similar design structure in their discussion of effective personnel preparation and professional development programs in early childhood and early childhood special education. UNLV faculty and staff had the opportunity to assess and provide feedback to students based on the performance in giving assessments at the Center. UNLV faculty and staff had the opportunity to modify courses and programs as needed, based on the results of student performance at the Center. UNLV faculty and staff had the opportunity to conduct and disseminate research, based on the use of activity-, play-, and routine-based assessments and interventions used at the Center.

UNLV students and staff worked with young children and their families in a “family-friendly” natural occurring setting. UNLV students, faculty and staff provided families with ongoing support and training related to their children’s needs.

References

Bredekamp. (1987). Developmentally appropriate practice: In early childhood programs.

Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Bredekamp, S., & Copple, C. (Eds.). (1997). Developmentally appropriate practice: In early childhood programs ( Rev. ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

McClean, M., Bailey, D., B., & Wolery, M. (1996). Assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs. 2 nd ed. Columbus, OH:Merrill.

McClean, M., Wolery, M., & Bailey, D. B. Jr. (2004). Assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

McCollum, J. A. & Catlett, C. (1997). Designing effective personnel preparation for early intervention: Theoretical frameworks. In P. J. Winton, J. A. McCollum, & C. Catlett (Eds.), Reforming personnel preparation in early intervention: Issues, models, and practical strategies. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

McConnell, S.R. (2000). Assessment in early intervention and early childhood special

education: Building on the past to project into our future. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20(1), 43-48.

Phaneuf, R.L., & Silberglitt, B. (2003). Tracking preschoolers’ language and preliteracy development using a general outcome measurement system one education district’s experience. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 23(3), 114-123.

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