Assessing
One and All
An Internet Hypermedia Course for Professional Development
This
project will evaluate a hypermedia distance education initiative to enhance
educators' decisions regarding the participation of children with disabilities
in assessments, and to apply their enhanced decisionmaking to children's
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). The initiative promotes situated,
social, and distributed knowledge (Putnam & Borko, 2000) via internet-based
hypermedia modules, virtual and physical discourse communities, case-based
learning, and traditional media. Learning content is grouped into three modules:
(1) principles, polices, and practices of educational assessment, (2) large
scale assessment, and (3) accommodations and alternate assessment. The initiative,
developed in partnership with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC),
is proceeding in three phases: (1) validation of module content and process,
(2) pilot dissemination to three intact educational communities, and (3)
national dissemination to 600 educators, parents, and administrators across
the US. We are evaluating project impact via pre/post evaluation participants'
knowledge, concurrent- and post-participation surveys, and permanent products
demonstrating knowledge application (e.g., IEPs). Fees generated for continuing
education certification (via CEC) and graduate credit (via the University
of Wisconsin-Madison) will sustain the program during and after the funding
cycle. The AOA project has nearly completed Phase II, and is beginning Phase
III. If you would like to participate in Phase III, please go to Participant
Info.
Funding Source:
Personnel Preparation to Improve Services And Results For Children With
Disabilities Projects of National Significance (CFDA 84.325N) 2000-2003
Host web site: http://www.cec.sped.org/pd/webcourse.html
Principal Investigators:
Jeffery P. Braden & Stephen N. Elliott, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Contact: jbraden@education.wisc.edu
or snelliot@facstaff.wisc.edu.
