2004 Conference Proceedings
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USING THE STAGES REPORT WIZARD TO FACILITATE SUCCESSFUL ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
Presenter
Madalaine Pugliese
Simmons College
5 Bessom Street, #175
Marblehead, MA 01945
Phone: 781-639-1930
Fax: 781-631-9928
Email: madalaine@comcast.net
The Federal No Child Left Behind [NCLB] Act has mandated new expectations of all schools and students. At the same time, special education practitioners struggle daily to reach their students and find appropriate time and resources for standards-based learning. Data collection to document performance for all learners is essential for accountability.
Alternative assessment procedures must be in place so that performance information can be collected for learners who cannot take standardized tests due to the effects of a disability. Performance within the learning standards is the basis for setting goals for any student at a level of difficulty that challenges the learner.
There are many wonderful opportunities that might result from this focus on alternative assessment. This is a way of knowing that access to the curriculum for all students is being considered. Of course, contemporary policy confirms the understanding of strategies that special educators and therapists have long implemented in everyday practice.
Assistive technology recommendations and alternative assessment or curriculum decisions go hand-in-hand. At the same time that we consider these issues, we also know the reality of efficient implementation and spending factors. That's where having learner-generated evidence, or actual performance data is critical. Making efficient decisions today depends on being able to defend ideas with hard data. Being able to capture data generated by our most challenged learners, and then use the data to impact program decisions in this manner is of utmost importance.
NCLB is the most sweeping reform since the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It is based on four basic principles: stronger accountability for results, increased local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work in order to address curriculum. Now is the time for assistive technology tools to be used in a way that can help us respond to current legislation in ways that we have never been able to do so before. We can provide, manage and report progress data for any learner!
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