Evidence-based practice (EBP) is increasingly being advocated as the preferred approach to practice in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The EBP process involves multiple steps. The asking of a well-built question is the first step in the quest for answers. At the same time it is also often the first stumbling block for…

Intelligence testing is an important part of any individualized education plan; however, a verbal test measure may not be appropriate for the child with a physical disability, visual impairment, and/or the inability to speak. A child with a physical disability may not be able to point accurately or build a tower with blocks; a child with a visual…

Including students with disabilities in the new standards and accountability systems is one of the key challenges facing school districts around the nation. In this article, the authors first address the evolving assessment and accommodations requirements of both the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities…

This study examined the impact of the 2+2 Alternative Teacher Performance Appraisal System that has been implemented in Shanxi province in China. A mixed research design was used to evaluate the program. Six high schools and a total of 78 teachers (13 teachers in each school) in Shanxi province were selected. Three of the schools participated in…

This case study describes a rural school district's efforts to identify historically underrepresented gifted students (HUGS) more effectively than in the past. The district developed new policy; disseminated the policy with lists of characteristics of HUGS; provided a workshop for first-grade teachers to encourage early referrals; and provided…

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2017, taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from 29 of April to 1 of May, 2017. Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and…

This booklet contains helpful hints and teaching tips to enable the teacher in grades 3 through 6 to move toward new instructional and assessment standards across the curriculum. Following an introduction, the chapters are: (1) "What Is Productive Instruction?"; (2) "Preparing for Productive Instruction"; (3) "Planning…

Presents the purposes, strengths, and weaknesses of these assessment methods for adult basic education: standardized, criterion referenced, curriculum based, performance based, and informal. Discusses ways to establish a supportive assessment environment. (SK)

Discusses mathematics assessment including: objectives of a mathematics assessment program, needs of different constituencies, philosophy of assessment, effects of traditional assessment, assessment examples from NCTM strands, procedures and instruments, methods of collecting information, students with learning disabilities, reporting results, and…

Explored classroom assessment reform from four perspectives: technological, cultural, political, and postmodern. Interviewed teachers about their understandings of alternative assessment. Responses of 29 teachers in Ontario, Canada, show how teachers integrated changes into their practices and the successes and obstacles they encountered during…

Describes an approach to addressing issues of validity of inferences and the extrapolation of inferences to target domains beyond the assessment for alternative assessments. Makes the case that in both language testing and educational assessment the roles of language and content knowledge must be considered, and that the design and development of…

Surveyed and interviewed Title I elementary teachers regarding their assessment practices in the first and fourth years of restructuring efforts. Schools in their fourth year of restructuring had significantly higher mean ratings on alternative assessment items than did schools in their first year. Differences were significant for portfolios and…

The triarchic theory posits that intelligence has analytical, creative, and practical aspects. Instructional and assessment methods should encourage and evaluate all three kinds of abilities, a balanced approach that can reach all students. (SK)

Describes and evaluates a "controlled assessment procedure" as a holistic approach to avoiding problems of administering and evaluating traditional exams. Key characteristics include: the question is known well in advance and is broad and open-ended, students are encouraged to respond in any self-selected written format, and the rationale and…

Reports on educational experiences with an assessment method to assess knowledge in a problem-based learning context. This progress test is a comprehensive test sampling knowledge across all content areas of medicine reflecting the end objectives of the curriculum. (MKR)