assessing one and all
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What is Assessing One and All ?

Why do we need AOA?

How is AOA organized?


Who should be interested in AOA?


Can I pick and choose which parts of the AOA Internet course I want?


Do I have to take the AOA Internet in a fixed order?


Who distributes AOA?


Can I earn continuing education for the AOA course?


Can I earn graduate course credit for the AOA course?


How much does AOA cost?


Does CEC offer volume dicounts on the book and course?


What role does federal funding play in AOA?


Could I get a stipend to pay for a copy of the AOA book and AOA Internet course fees?




What is Assessing One and All ?

Assessing One & All (AOA) is the title of a book (Elliott, Braden, & White, 2001) and an Internet-based continuing professional development course (Braden & Elliott, 2001) designed to enhance general assessment literacy, and specialized knowledge and skills for including students with disabilities in educational accountability programs. [back]

Why do we need AOA ?

AOA was written and developed to respond to federal, state, and local mandates regarding educational accountability, and the inclusion of students with disabilities in educational accountability programs. Federal legislation requires states to annually assess students in grades 3-8, and in high school; other federal legislation also requires students with disabilities to be included in these assessments whenever possible (and to be given alternate assessments when inclusion is not possible). Therefore, educational stakeholders need information about educational assessment, large-scale assessment, and accommodations and alternate assessment to respond to these mandates, and to promote and protect the interests of all students when doing so. [back]

How is AOA organized ?

The AOA book comprises five chapters (Educational Assessment Today, Characteristics of Good Assessment, Understanding and Using Large-Scale Assessments, Inclusive Assessment Tactics: Testing Accommodations and Alternate Assessment, and Best Practices for Inclusive Assessment Programs and Educational Accountability), and six appendixes providing supplementary information on assessment standards and major tests of achievement. The AOA website is divided into three content sections (Educational Assessment Principles and Practices, Large-Scale Assessment, and Accommodations and Alternate Assessment) and two supporting sections to enhance application of knowledge to educational practice. The site contains text, documents, graphics, videos, and hypertext links to relevant resources to support learners' understanding and application of information. [back]

Who should be interested in AOA ?

Anybody who has a stake in education, and in particular, the education of students with disabilities, will have an interest in AOA. The book and course are primarily targeted to in-service and pre-service educators (e.g., teachers, administrators, special educators) and those with a strong interest in educational accountability and students with disabilities (e.g., parents, district and state assessment specialists). [back]

Can I pick and choose which parts of the AOA Internet course I want ?

Yes; each of the three content units is a separate, stand-alone course, although we recommend learners consider taking all three units. The site is designed so that learners who want to focus on general educational assessment and accountability issues may take the first two units (Educational Assessment Principles and Practices, and Understanding and Using Large Scale Assessment), whereas those with a strong interest in students with disabilities will find the third unit (Accommodations and Alternate Assessment) to be of particular interest. [back]

Do I have to take the AOA Internet units in a fixed order ?

No. We recommend that people start with the first unit (Educational Assessment Principles and Practices), and take subsequent units in order, but it is up to the learner to decide what units, and what order, makes the most sense for him or her. [back]

Who distributes AOA ?

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) publishes the AOA book, and hosts the AOA website. Information about the book is available at: http://www.cec.sped.org/bk/catalog2/assessment.html or by calling 1-888-232-7733. Information about the course is available at: http://www.cec.sped.org/pd/aoa.html. [back]

Can I earn continuing education units for the AOA course ?

Yes. CEC provides continuing education units (CEUs) at no additional charge. You can earn 1.5 CEUs (equivalent to 15 clock hours) for each unit you complete, up to a total of 4.5 CEUs. [back]

Can I earn graduate course credit for the AOA course ?

Yes. The University of Wisconsin-Madison (http://www.wisc.edu) is offering on-line graduate course credit. Individuals may register for 1-3 graduate credits. Students must complete one of the course units (Principles & Practices, Large-Scale Assessment, and Accommodations and Alternate Assessment) for each credit. Students may complete any individual unit for 1 credit, any pair of units for 2 credits, or all three units for 3 credits. No classes will be held on campus--the entire course can be completed on line. Students must submit completed work via email or by post. For more information regarding this option please visit https://uwmad.courses.wisc.edu/public/edpsych711_001_su03/index.html. CEC does not collaborate with any specific institution, so you are responsible for all tuition and fees charged by the institution for course credit. [back]

How much does AOA cost ?

The book costs $39.95 for CEC members and $49.95 for non-members, although there may be discount sales at various times. The fee for the complete Internet course is $295 for CEC members and $495 for nonmembers, and the fee for a single unit is $125 for CEC members and $175 for nonmembers. However, scholarships to pay for AOA books and course fees are available to qualified teams for a limited time (see below).[back]

Does CEC offer volume discounts on the book and course ?

Yes. Volume discounts for districts, states, colleges, and other groups or agencies are negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Please contact webcourse@cec.sped.org, or call 1-888-232-7733 ext. 516 for more information.[back]

What role does federal funding play in AOA ?

The US Department of Education has funded an evaluation of AOA as a means to improve IEP decisionmaking for including students with disabilities in educational accountability programs. The award (#H325N000064) from the U.S. Dept. of Education Office of Special Education Programs to the Wisconsin Center for Education Research funds up to 500 stipends for educators who are willing to participate in the AOA program evaluation. Please note that the AOA book and Internet course were developed by Jeffery P. Braden and Stephen N. Elliott without federal funding; it is only the evaluation of the materials that is federally funded.[back]

Can I get a stipend to pay for the copy of the AOA book and AOA Internet course fees ?

Possibly. We are looking for educational stakeholders to take the AOA course (including the textbook) to help us evaluate its effectiveness as part of our evaluation of AOA. We are especially interested in recruiting small teams (5-10 people) from across the US and its territories comprising general and special educators, educational administrators, and parents of students with disabilities. If you are interested in volunteering, please look at the FAQs for research participants at this site, and contact us at AOA@wcer.wisc.edu. Tell us your name, contact information, and current position; if you are working with a team, please provide similar information for other team members in your inquiry. You can also call us at 608-263-4741 for more information.[back]

 

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