CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES

Charter College of Education LAUTR

Summer 2015 EDSP 409 and EDSP 412 (EDSP 4020): Assessment and Educational Planning for Students with Disabilities (3 units) Instructor: Class Location: Office: Class Time: Office Hours: Telephone: Email: •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Instructor E-mail Policy I welcome emails from students! I prefer students needing assistance to communicate with me via my CSULA email or in person during office hours rather than telephone. Please be sure to put EDSP 4020 in your subject heading. If you have not received a response from me within 36-48 hours, please resubmit your email. I check and respond to voicemail only as time permits. It is important to remember that all professors have different email policies. 1. Catalog Description: Prerequisites or Co-requisite: EDSP 4000 and EDSP 4001 Principles, procedures, interpretation, communication, and application of formal/informal assessment techniques for individuals with exceptional needs in diverse educational settings. Using assessment data to develop IEPs and select appropriate curriculum. 2. Professional Statements

A. Vision, Mission and Conceptual Framework For Professional Preparation The Charter College of Education (CCOE) is a learning community of faculty, administrators, staff, CCOE students, and community members that work collaboratively to ensure that all CCOE students receive a high-quality education, honor the diversity of all learners, advocate for educational and community reforms, develop reflective practices that promote equity, and facilitate the maximum learning and achievement potential of all children and adults.

B. Statement of Reasonable Accommodation

The Charter College of Education faculty members fully support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The members of the faculty will provide reasonable accommodation to any student with a disability who is registered with the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) who needs and requests accommodation. The faculty may wish to contact the OSD to verify the presence of a disability and confirm that accommodation is necessary. The OSD will arrange and provide for the accommodation. Reasonable accommodation may involve allowing a student

to use an interpreter, note taker, or reader; accommodation may be needed during class sessions and for administration of examinations. The intent of the ADA in requiring consideration of reasonable accommodation is not to give a particular student an unfair advantage over other students, but simply to allow a student with disability to have an equal opportunity to be successful.

Special Note: If you have a disability that may impact your learning in this course, you are encouraged to make an appointment with me as soon as possible so that we can discuss your needs and accommodations.

C. Student Conduct Student conduct is viewed as a serious matter by the faculty members of the Charter College of Education. The Charter College faculty members assume that all students will conduct themselves as mature citizens of the campus community and will conduct themselves in a manner congruent with university policies and regulations. Inappropriate conduct is subject to discipline as provided for in Title 5, California Code of Regulations (see student conduct: rights and responsibilities, and student discipline, CSULA General Catalog). Academic honesty is expected of all students in the Charter College, in accordance with University policy. There are established university reporting procedures if a student is suspected of committing an academically dishonest act.

D. Technology For formal admission to credential, certificate, or Masters Degree programs in the Charter College of Education, each student must:

1. Own or have ample access to a computer (ex. in CSULA computer labs, or at home or work)

2. Have general knowledge of operation and care of a computer, computer hardware/software, and be able to implement some basic troubleshooting techniques (ex. check connections, restart the computer, etc.)

3. Have an email account (available free of charge to all CSULA students)

4. Have a basic understanding of how to use the internet. Students should anticipate that their use of these skills will be integrated within courses in their programs. Students who fail to meet any of the above expectations are strongly advised to take an introductory computers course before they are formally admitted to the Charter College of Education.

Statement on “email as an official form of communication at CSLA” Cal State L.A.’s “official” means of communicating with students is through electronic mail (e-mail) using students’ Cal State L.A. assigned email address. E-mail provides an environmentally sensitive, timely, and cost-effective means of communicating University business and academic information. Students are expected to access their Cal State L.A. e-mail account on a regular basis so that official university, college, department and course communications are delivered

and received in a timely manner, and students do not miss important communications. Students are considered to have been “officially notified” when information is sent to their Cal State L.A. email address. If you wish, you may forward your Cal State L.A. emails to another account. This is easily done by following the instructions that may be found at the following link: http://www.calstatela.edu/its/docs/pdf/forwarding_emails.pdf Note: Redirecting your email does not relieve you of your responsibilities associated with official communications sent by Cal State L.A. Important Note: If you would like to receive a real-time text notification in the case of a campus emergency, please sign up at http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/police.

3. Student Outcomes – Content Standards and Performance Standards

At the completion of the course the candidate will show evidence of having met the following content and performance standards:

Content Standard 1: The student will demonstrate familiarity with assessment techniques and activities used by special educators. Performance Standards

• distinguish between informal and formal assessment techniques and understand their appropriate use in developing, implementing, and evaluating the IEP.

• differentiate key concepts of formal assessment, including raw score, standard score, percentile rank, age and grade equivalents, and standard error of measurement.

• develop appropriate informal teacher-made assessments for measuring student learning and behavior.

• use appropriate formal assessments for measuring student learning and behavior. • collect, analyze, interpret, and summarize assessment data. • synthesize results of formal and informal assessments in writing an educational

assessment report. • apply assessment data in the development of appropriate educational goals and

objectives. Content Standard 2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of assessment and educational planning for students with special needs. Performance Standards

• identify the roles of interdisciplinary team members. • attend to student language, cultural, and social concerns in the team process. • identify and apply ethical practices in assessment. • demonstrate the knowledge and skill necessary to encourage successful

participation of students in diverse educational settings, including supports that are necessary for student to access the core curriculum

Content Standard 3: The student will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate assessment results with parents and school personnel. Performance Standards

• discuss assessment results in terms easy for a layperson to understand. • respond to questions from parents and others about a student’s ability using

assessment results.

Content Standard 4: The student will demonstrate knowledge of federally mandated education plans for students with special needs. Performance Standards

• distinguish essential components of the IEP, IFSP, and ITP. • develop goals based on assessment data and present levels of performance data. • write behavioral objectives. • write present levels of performance, as required by IEP

Content Standard 5: The candidate will demonstrate knowledge of progress monitoring techniques. Performance Standards

• understand how progress monitoring is used to improve student performance. • demonstrate the skill necessary to progress monitor academic, social, and physical

outcomes as appropriate. • adjust goals, monitor student progress and inform instruction based on progress

monitoring information.

Content Standard 6: The candidate will demonstrate knowledge of school and district wide computer-based data management system to collect and manage data. Performance Standards

• be familiar with the purposes of computer-based data management systems. • understand how to use data from computer-based data management systems to

inform assessment practices. Content Standard 7: The candidate will demonstrate familiarity with California State Standards and Frameworks, national curriculum standards, and specialization organizations’ standards. Performance Standards

• The student will access California state curriculum standards including but not limited to the standards for the core content areas, health, physical education, and elective areas.

• The student will access standards prepared by national curriculum organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Council of Teachers of English.

• The student will be aware of the Council for Exceptional Children’s standards pertinent to their credential area for both initial and advanced skill sets.

• The student will be aware of policy statements and guidelines developed for their specialty area such as the Special Education County Office of Education Directors curriculum guidelines for alignment of standards with functional skills for students taking the California Alternative Performance Assessment.

Content Standard 8: The candidate will apply knowledge of various instructional models when making instructional delivery decisions. Performance Standards

• demonstrate knowledge of curriculum scope and sequence when planning for instruction.

• demonstrate awareness of several models of lesson planning such as block plans, the Hunter Model, Pyramid Planning (Vaughn Schumm), and Gradual Release of Responsibility (Fischer & Frey) and others that indicate a priori consideration of the designated curriculum and subsequent instruction of that content.

• be familiar with conceptual models of curriculum as well as concepts such as spiraling curriculum and curriculum alignment.

• be familiar with schoolwide approaches to curriculum and instruction such as Response to Intervention models.

California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs)

This course addresses the following Teacher Performance Expectations for the Education Specialist Preliminary Teaching Credential:

TPE 1: Specific Pedagogical Skills for Subject Matter Instruction TPE 2: Monitoring Candidate Learning During Instruction TPE 3: Interpretation and Use of Assessments TPE 4: Making Content Assessable TPE 5: Candidate Engagement TPE 6: Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Practices TPE 7: Teaching English Learners TPE 8: Learning About Candidates TPE 9: Instructional Planning TPE 10: Instructional Planning TPE 11: Social Environment TPE 13: Professional Growth 4. Course Requirements o Attendance is mandatory at all class sessions on campus. The only way that we can

influence each other is by being together and engaging in shared experiences. If you do miss a class, please get the content information from another student. You will be expected to actively and thoughtfully contribute to full and small group discussions in class. This class will involve numerous in-class activities pertaining to readings, videos, and case studies. In-class activities cannot be made up. Regular attendance is critical for meaningful learning. Only one excused absence is allowed. Students absent for more than one class period will not likely receive an A in the course. Students missing 2 or more sessions are unlikely to receive higher than a C.

o It is essential to come to class prepared by reading the assigned chapters and articles in advance so that you can discuss, relate, and apply the information.

o Due dates for all assignments are final. Assignments will not be accepted late unless previous arrangements have been mutually agreed upon. You must make every effort to turn in assignments by the due dates. Points (10%) will be deducted for late assignments even if previous arrangements were mutually agreed upon. All assignments, with the exception of the online modules, must be turned in to the instructor at the beginning of the class session in which they are due.

o Use the following reference for style and format issues related to written

assignments: American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.

o Students are required to electronically save all works onto their computers, external

hard drive, flash drive, etc. in case any work becomes lost. Burden of proof of assignment completion is upon the student.

5. Assessment Procedures READINGS: Students are expected to complete all of the readings as assigned to enhance their knowledge of the content presented in class. Information presented in the class may or may not be included in the readings. ATTENDANCE AND PARTICPATION IN CLASS ACTIVITIES (75 points): Students are expected to attend each class session and to participate actively in the class discussions, activities, and reflections. THREE ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS (25 points each): There are three online assignments for this class. Go to Moodle for directions on completing the online IRIS modules. CASE STUDY PLAN (50 points): Residents will begin work on a case study on a student in their mentor’s classroom to be completed during Fall of 2015. During this class, students will develop their plan for this case study with their mentor. See directions for the Case Study below. The Case Study will be turned in during the EDSP 503/5041 residency fieldwork in Fall 2015. 6. Grading Procedures This course is graded on a total of 200 points. The points are obtained from attendance/participation/reflections on in-class activities, online assignments, and the Case Study plan.

Attendance/Participation/Reflections 75 points Case Study Plan 50 points Three Online Assignments 75 points Total Points in Course: 200

The points earned on each of the assignments are averaged. The final grading scale is as follows:

180 - 200 + points 90 - 100% = A 160 - 179 80 – 89% = B 140 – 159 70 - 79% = C 120 – 139 60 – 69% = D 119 or below 59% and below = F

Incompletes will be granted only in accordance with the University policy. Please see the Moodle course site for various rubrics and other materials. 7. Required Text Salvia, Ysseldyke, & Bolt (2012) Assessment in Special and Inclusive Education.

Houghton Mifflin; Boston, MA. 12th Edition. Required Articles: Available in the library database. Common Core State Standards: Application to students with disabilities at

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/application-to-students-with-disabilities.pdf Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social

Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/ Common Core State Standards for Mathematics at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/ Deno., S. L., (2003). Developments in curriculum-based measurement. The Journal of

Special Education, 37, 184-192. Fisher, D. (2008). Effective use of the gradual release of responsibility model at

http://www.epd-mh.com/mhpd_assets/Effective_Use_Douglas_Fisher.pdf Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. (2006). Introduction to response to intervention: What, why, and

how valid is it? Reading Research Quarterly, 41, 93-99. Hock, M. (2000). Ten reasons why we should use standards in IEPs. In CASE, 5-7 http://www.opi.mt.gov/PDF/Assessment/MCPresents/Pages- from-HockArticle.pdf Jung, L., & Guskey, T. R. (2011). Fair and accurate grading for exceptional

learners.Principal Leadership, 12(3), 32-37. Liasidou, A. (2013). Bilingual and special educational needs in inclusive classrooms:

Some critical and pedagogical considerations. Support for Learning, 28, 11-16.

Linugaris/Kraft, Marchand-Martella, & Martella, (2001). Strategies for writing better

goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks. Teaching Exceptional Children, 34, 52-58.

Pemberton, J.B. (2003) Communicating academic progress as an integral part of

assessment. Teaching Exceptional Children, 35, 16-20. Schumm, J. S., Vaughn, S., & Leavell, A. G. (1994). Planning Pyramid: A framework for

planning for diverse student needs during content area instruction. The Reading Teacher, 47(8), 608-615.

Sugai, G., & Horner, R. H. (2009). Responsiveness-to-intervention and school-wide

positive behavior supports: Integration of multi-tiered system approaches. Exceptionality, 17, 223-237.

State SELPA IEP manual: Writing IEPs for educational benefit at https://www.seis.org/documents/dd7c02a4-7dea-4837-b959-cb7c54a3dec9.pdf Strongly recommended: American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.

8. Course Schedule

Date Lecture In-Class Activities Assignments/Readings/Tests

Session

1

overview of the course; definition and purposes of assessment; laws and ethics; calculating chronological age; project requirements including reservation of norm referenced assessment see directions at the DRC link

• students calculate chronological age of focus students

• students compare and contrast various assessment types

• students develop a graphic organizer about different types/purposes of assessment

• Chapters 1, 2, and 3 • Norm referenced assessment from the

DRC: https://sites.google.com/site/drcwebpage/

Session

2

standards and how to access them; types of standards;

• In-class Workshop: Students work with standards and develop a lesson plan based

• See all materials on standards Students also read: �Common Core State Standards: The Promise and the Peril for Students with Disabilities

choosing standards for lesson design and instructional planning

on selected standards • In-class Discussion:

Students compare and contrast standards strands for sequential grade levels- analyzing the differences and the learning progressions

• Students complete the online module CCSS: Overview of the Common Core State Standards for California Educators at the following website:

http://myboe.org/portal/default/Content/Viewer/Content?action=2&scId=306588

�Application to Students with Disabilities

Session 3

components of an IEP; elements of IEP goals and writing measurable goals; connecting goals to standards and present levels of performance

• Students complete the activity titled “Activity to Identify Components of a Goal.”

• Students develop 3-5 IEP goals based on the student profiles.

• Students watch a video Accessible IEPs for All: Gathering the Experts around the Table produced by Brookes Publishing

• Hock (2000) • Strategies for Writing Better Goals and Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks • Guide to the IEP and Santa Clara County IEP Manual: Writing IEPs for Educational Benefit.

Session 4

norm referenced assessment; testing accommodations and adaptations; basals and ceilings

• Introduction of WJ III –overview of subtests and administration

• Students practice with each other using WJ III Word Attack Subtest. Students identify basals and ceilings; discuss accommodations and

• Chapters 5, 6, 9 • Linugaris (2001) article

adaptations. • Students analyze

STAR testing accommodations, modifications and test variations: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/

Session 5

reliability and validity types of standardized tests; testing students with limited English proficiency

• Students examine WJ manual and determine reliability and validity of the tool

• Students compare and contrast WJ III and Woodcock Muños

• Students use Mental Measurements data base to determine validity and reliability of select standardized tests IRIS Activity: English

Language Learners: Is This Child Mislabeled?

• Chapters 7, 8, 10

Session 6

informal assessment: curriculum based assessment; progress monitoring; portfolio assessment; authentic assessment; diagnostic tests

• Students administer QRI reading assessment to each other

• Students analyze a focus student case study with progress monitoring assessment to student’s progress and further intervention

• Students examine a focus student portfolio http://www.michiganportfolios.org/guidelines/samples-

• Chapters 12, 13, 14

reflections/student-writing-samples/ to determine student’s strengths and needs, as well as to develop further assessment

Session

7

informal assessment continued

• Students examine websites with CBM probes for various content areas http://www.interventioncentral.org/curriculum-based-measurement-reading-math-assesment-tests www.nppsd.org/pages/...files/Example%20of%20CBM%20probes.pdf

• Students develop

CBM probes based on the focus student portfolio (examined during the previous week)

• IRIS Module: Classroom Assessment (Part I)

• IRIS Module: Classroom Assessment (Part I) • Liasidou (2013) article

Session 8

assessment of behavior through observation; IDEA categories and definitions; communicating assessment information; entitlement decisions

• Students examine websites with behavior assessment scales www.ecmhc.org/.../File%20J%20Sample%20Rating%20Scale%202/Sample

• http://www.help4adhd.org/en/treatment/scales

• http://www.intensiveintervention.org/chart/behavioral-progress-

• Chapter 11, 26, 29, 31

monitoring-tools

• Students watch a video clip and practice behavior observation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq6v59YoPUM

Session 9

curriculum based measurement

• Students examine and administer DIBELS to each other

• Students examine the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring Website in small groups and present their findings http://www.studentprogress.org/weblibrary.asp#tools

• Students examine resources available at http://www.jimwrightonline.com/htmdocs/interventions/cbmwarehouse.php

• Students present apps used for CBM using iPads and iPhones

• Online journal response • Pemberton, Jung, Washburn-Moses, and Deno articles

Session 10

Assessment of academic achievement

• Students compare and contrast assessment of reading and writing in different norm-referenced tests (e.g., WIAT and WJ)

• Students compare and

• Chapters 21, 22, 23

contrast formal and informal reading assessment tools (e.g., WIAT/WJ and QRI)

Session 11

Response to Intervention; multi-tiered models

• Students complete RTI (Part 2) Module

• Students work on RTI: Data-Based Decision Making Case study

• Fuchs article • Complete RTI (Part 2) Module.

Session 12

assessment of intelligence, adaptive behavior, achievement; and social and emotional behavior

• Students examine sample IQ tests and their tasks

• Students discuss potential biases in assessment of intelligence

• Students complete the module on DBI http://www.intensiveintervention.org/resource/introduction-data-based-individualization

• Using iPad tools to assess behavior https://www.classdojo.com/

• Chapter 16, 17, 18, 26, 27 • Quiz

Session 13

models of instruction; choosing curricula

• Students develop a lesson plan demonstrating the use of different models of instruction

• Fisher (2008)

Session 14

instructional techniques - direct instruction, strategy instruction, gradual release of responsibility

• Students watch a short video on gradual release of responsibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE_KTMRwbJs

• Students develop and

• Fisher (2008)

demonstrate a mini lesson that showcases gradual release of responsibility

Session 15

block plans, short and long term lesson planning

• Students create lesson plans using the Hunter Model, Pyramid Planning (Vaughn Schumm), and Gradual Release of Responsibility (Fischer & Frey)

• Students get in small groups to discuss their case study plans

• Case study plan due

Moodle Online Assignments

Assignment #1 – Complete the online module Classroom Assessment (Part 1): An Introduction to Monitoring Academic Achievement in the Classroom. The URL for this module is: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources.html. After working through the module, complete the template and copy and paste to the assignment box on Moodle. Also read the Liasidou (2013) article and respond to the questions posted on Moodle. Assignment #2 – Read the following articles: Deno, Pemberton, Jung, and Washburn-Moses (available on Moodle in PDF) Then answer the questions posted on Moodle. See rubric for response guidelines. Assignment #3 - Complete the online module RTI (Part 2): Assessment. The URL for this module is: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources.html. After working through the module, complete the template and copy and paste to the assignment box on Moodle. Also read the Fuchs (2007) article and respond to the questions posted on Moodle.

Case Study Assignment The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to apply and refine the skills presented in this course. The assignment requires you to administer and analyze the results of a norm-referenced academic achievement measure. In addition, you will use an informal reading inventory to determine the student’s instructional level in reading. You may administer the assessments to any high school student, with or without a disability; however, it is preferred that your student is in your mentor’s classroom. Your

student also should have some ability in reading comprehension because you will administer reading comprehension passages. Norm referenced assessments you may administer include:

o Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement o Peabody Individual Achievement Test o Weschsler Individual Achievement Test o Woodcock Johnson Test of Achievement o Woodcock Johnson Normative Update

Your report should include the following components:

A. Description of the Student and Learning Environment You description should include all the basic details: chronological age (at the time of standardized assessment) grade, gender, disability designation(s), known strengths and needs, ethno-linguistic community, family context, and personal/family background. You should describe instructionally relevant information and all information must be presented professionally. Describe the learning environment in which the student currently is placed. Include such information as the learning climate, type of placement (RSP, SDC, NPS, etc.), number of students and adult/student ratio, classroom organization (physical setting, daily instruction, etc.), classroom management and other related issues. Norm Referenced Assessment

B. Standardized Assessment Test Description Provide the name of the standardized assessment tool you administered and describe what it is commonly used for. Explain the basal and ceiling rule for the assessment. Describe the reliability and validity of the assessment in your own language based on the information from the technical manual. Be sure to detail the types of validity claimed as well as the reliability coefficients for your particular student. Describe the norming population for your measure.

C. Standardized Assessment Analysis Provide a narrative describing (in a data-based manner) what you know about the student’s strengths and needs based on the norm-referenced test administered and how he/she compares to other students his/her age. Be sure to interpret the standard score. It is also appropriate to discuss the student’s test taking behavior in this section. Include a copy of the student’s complete testing protocol. Include a table of test results including: standard score, age-equivalent, and percentile ranking. (Do not use a computer printout from a scoring program. Create your own.) At least four subtest scores must be presented and one should be in the area of Reading. Curriculum Based Assessment

D. Overview of the Informal Reading Inventory Introduce the Informal Reading Inventory and discuss your perceptions of its validity and reliability. Describe the session when you administered it to your student.

E. Data Analysis and Interpretation Identify the student’s present levels of performance (instructional and independent reading levels). Compare his or her Correct Words per Minute with the Hasbrouck and Tindal (2006) norm table (available on the Moodle site) and indicate your student’s grade level and percentile. Compare the IRI results to those found on the norm-referenced assessment. The more precision with which you analyze your data, the more information you have on which to base your instructional decisions. Include the IRI protocols completed by the student.

F. Goals Based on your norm referenced and curriculum based analysis, write one long-term goal (using the format learned in class) and two (2) benchmarks that are needed to meet that goal. These should be goals and benchmarks that would appropriately appear on an IEP and should include the condition, student name, objective, performance criteria, and assessment tool.

G. Instructional Interventions Identify the types of learning activities, models of instruction, any necessary curriculum modifications, and materials that you would choose to teach the necessary skills to reach the benchmarks. Provide a rationale for these instructional decisions. Be sure the entire case study is word processed and looks professional. Do not forget to include:

• Completed norm referenced protocols. • Table of results from norm referenced testing. • Informal reading inventory protocols. • Identification of independent and instructional reading level based on the IRI. • Correct words per minute. • Goals written in format learned in class.

Residents will contact their mentors in Summer 2015 to discuss the requirements for this Case Study assignment, deciding upon potential target student(s) and outline of when tasks will be completed during Sept/Oct of 2015. Final deadline for assignment will be posted in EDSP 503/5041 fieldwork residency syllabus. Final assignment must be completed by November 2015. A one-page summary of contact with mentor regarding this assignment and preliminary plan for completion in fall will earn the resident the 50 points for this Case Study Plan assignment in EDSP 4020.

Format and Technical Standards for Written Assignments: Your written work paper must meet the following technical standards: 1. Papers are to be word processed with double spacing, using 12 point Times New Roman. Decorative or oversize fonts are not acceptable for use in academic writing. 2. A title page, in APA format (see model) should be used for all papers. You may omit the short title and running head. 3. Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the page. 4. All pages should be numbered, including the title page, starting with 1. 5. Standard written English should be used, avoiding colloquial or euphemistic language. Check written work carefully for errors in spelling, grammar, etc. 6. Use of only one side of the page. Notes on language, bias and terminology in academic writing: It is the policy of the School of Education that all academic writing adhere to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Edition). It is particularly important you attend to Chapter 2, which discusses use of language in academic writing, particularly the Guidelines for Reducing Bias in Language, pages 61-76. Specifically, you should attend to:

(a) the APA policy on gender-neutral language . No language should imply a specific gender unless it is appropriate (i.e.: when discussing a study with a single gender sample.) (b) the APA policy on euphemistic language and disability (section 2.16, page 69). Person-first language should be used at all times, and overly euphemistic language avoided. Although expressions such as "mentally challenged" or "differently-abled" may be your preference in social and/or professional conversation, they are not appropriate for use in academic writing. You are invited to come to office hours and have me review a draft of your written work prior to assignment due dates.