Hofstra University
School of Education & Allied Human Services
Counseling, Research, Special Education, and Rehabilitation
Fall, 2006

REHB 242: Psychoeducational Assessment in Rehabilitation
Time: R: 6:30 pm – 8:20 pm
Location: Hagedorn Hall, Room 037

Instructor: Andrea Perkins, Ph.D., CRC, CVE
Office: 143 Hagedorn Hall Phone: (516) 463-6492
Office Hours: T: 6:30—8:00 pm CRSR Office: (516) 463-5782
Th: 2:00—4:00 pm E-mail: Andrea.Perkins@hofstra.edu
or by appointment


COURSE OBJECTIVE
This course will provide the student with an introduction to the practice of psychoeducational assessment, as it is used in the rehabilitation process. A basic overview will be given to measurement concepts used in assessment and test development. The student will become knowledgeable about test selection, administration, and interpretation. Major categories and systems of assessment used in rehabilitation counseling and vocational evaluation will be reviewed. Additionally, students will begin to become sophisticated consumers of assessment tools and acquire the skills necessary to integrate their results in order to facilitate rehabilitation planning. Emphasis will be placed on the use of assessment results in a collaborative manner with the client, fostering informed choice and decision making during the development of a rehabilitation plan.

COMPETENCIES
Through course lecture, assigned readings, in-class & on-line activities, and discussion, the student will, at minimum, develop knowledge competencies in the following areas:

• Basic concepts of measurement in assessment and test development
• Overview of major categories of assessment: interest & values, aptitude, achievement, cognitive (intelligence & neuropsychological), personality, and vocational
• Ecological and alternative assessment
• Information gathering and intake interviewing
• Asking referral questions
• Test selection, administration, and interpretation
• Reporting and presenting findings
• Accommodations in the testing process
• Multicultural and ethical considerations in assessment


COURSE TEXT

(Required) Neukrug, E. S., & Fawcett, R. C. (2006). Essentials of testing and assessment: A practical guide for counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.

(Recommended) Power, P. W. (2000). A guide to vocational assessment, 3rd edition. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.

(Recommended) Bolton, B. F. (Ed). (2001). Handbook of measurement and evaluation in rehabilitation, 3rd edition Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.

Additional readings as assigned by instructor

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Quizzes
Quiz #1: Lectures and readings from Sessions 1 through 4

Quiz #2: Lectures and readings from Sessions 5 through 8

Each of the quizzes will be taken in class within a one-hour timeframe. Each will consist of multiple choice questions, computations, and short answers based on the material presented in the first two parts of the semester. Content for each quiz will be taken from class lectures and the assigned book/articles and a study outline will be provided.

Comprehensive Evaluation Report
By the fourth week in the semester, the instructor will assign each student to a work group. Each group will consist of 4-5 students, depending upon class size. Assignment to groups is based on the instructor’s discretion. Each group will be provided an evaluation packet with a case study of their consumer, pertinent background and referral documentation, intake interview transcripts, and a protocol of assessments as completed by the consumer. These packets are to be returned in their entirety in excellent condition at the end of the semester. As a group, you will be synthesizing the provided documents, writing up the results, and making recommendations based on the results of the assessments and desires of the individuals. Vocational recommendations should be made based on current vocational information, including sample jobs. Recommendations for community services should be for actual local services in the community. A format for the comprehensive report will be provided. It is the responsibility of group members to delegate the workload among the group in a fair manner. Each member of the group is responsible for the learning of the other members of the group and the final grade will be shared by all members of the group. The final report is due during the last class session.
Due date: 12/14/06


Evaluation Presentation
During the final exam period (of course refreshments provided!), each group will conduct a “staffing” meeting of their consumer to the class. Roles in the presentation should be distributed evenly throughout the members of the team. Guidelines for the presentation will be provided, but presentations should take into account the considerations learned in class. Once again, each member of the group is responsible for the learning of the other members of the group and the final grade will be shared by all members of the group. Due date: final exam period

Mini-Assignments
Throughout the course of the semester, mini-assignments will be given to improve your competency in areas of assessment and reporting. Each of these assignments will count as 5% of your grade; however, the intent of the assignments is to provide “practice” for activities that will be included in the comprehensive evaluation report that will be completed by the end of the semester. Some of the assignments will be completed individually and others as a group. An outline for each assignment will be provided.

Mini-Assignment #1—Administering a Test: Each student will be responsible for administering and/or completing one of the assessment instruments presented in class. Students will be randomly assigned to the instruments. The test forms should be filled out completely and scored, as applicable. Each student will be asked to develop a short , oral critique of the assessment to be shared with the class focusing on (1) ease of administration, (2) ease in scoring, (3) usefulness, (4) special considerations for diverse populations, and (5) overall impression. Due date: 10/19/06

Mini-Assignment #2—Writing Referral Questions: Working in your group, each group will receive a case study of an individual who has been referred for services. As a group, you should decide on the referral questions that will be posed to the professionals working with the individual. If you decide that the consumer should be referred for more than one service, appropriate referral questions should be written for each professional/agency. One grade will be given for all group members. Due date: 11/16/06

Mini-Assignment #3—Writing Assessment Results: Based on the assessment administered/completed in Mini-Assignment #1, each person is to write up the results for that assessment as they would appear in an assessment report. These will be similar to the results included in the comprehensive evaluation report submitted by the group at the end of the semester. Due date: 11/30/06

Mini-Assignment #4—Writing Recommendations: Working in your group, each group will receive an assessment report for an individual who has completed a comprehensive assessment. As a group, you should decide on appropriate recommendations based on the findings of the assessments and the individual’s characteristics. One grade will be given for all group members. Due date: 12/07/06


GRADING POLICY

Class Activity Grade Weight
Quizzes (2 @ 10%) 20%
Evaluation Presentation 20%
Comprehensive Evaluation Report 40%
Mini-Assignments (4 @ 5%) 20%
________________
Total: 100%


Grading Scale
Course grades will be calculated from class activities outlined above and converted to letter grades using the following scale below:

93% - 100% = A 73% - 76% = C
90% - 92% = A- 70% - 72% = C-
87% - 89% = B+ 67% - 69% = D+
83% - 86% = B 63% - 66% = D
80% - 82% = B- 60% - 62% = D-
77% - 79% = C+ Below 60%= F

GENERAL POLICIES

LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY
All assignments are expected to be submitted when scheduled. Please notify the instructor of any unforeseen or emergent delays. Excessive or unannounced late assignments are subject to a reduction of earned grade.

ATTENDANCE POLICY
It is important to make every effort to attend class. However, in the event you cannot make it, please notify me ahead of time. If repeated absences occur, your grade may be lowered by one grade level for each absence.

CELL PHONE POLICY
Cell phones should be turned off at the beginning of each class.

POLICY ON ACADEMIC HONESTY
All students are expected to abide by the University’s Policy on Academic Honesty as specified in the Hofstra University Graduate Studies Bulletin.


POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Accommodations are provided for students with disabilities on an individualized, as-needed basis after the student’s needs, circumstances and documentation have been evaluated by the appropriate University office: the director of the Program for Higher Education of the Disabled (PHED) in 101 Memorial Hall (516-463-6770) handles accommodations for physical and/or psychological disabilities and the director of the Program for Academic Learning Skills (PALS) in 202 Roosevelt Hall (516-463-5840) handles accommodations for learning disabilities and ADHD. Students who believe they will require an accommodation may either (1) contact the appropriate University office and request that the professor be notified of the accommodation by the office or (2) directly notify the professor, who will then refer the student to the appropriate office. In order to implement the accommodation in a timely manner, students are encouraged to notify the professor and/or appropriate office during the first two weeks of the semester. All information provided to a professor regarding a student’s disability will be kept in confidence.


COURSE SCHEDULE FOR REHB 242
Date Topic
Reading Assignment Deadlines
Session 1: 09/07/06 Introduction
Review of Syllabus
Principles of Assessment
Types of Assessment
Handout Competency Assessment (in class)

Session 2: 09/14/06 Fundamentals of Measurement in Testing
Principles of Test Worthiness Chapter 3 & 4 (N & F)
Session 3: 09/21/06 Scoring and Interpretation
Limitations in Testing Chapter 5 (N & F)
Online reading for Session 3
Session 4: 09/28/06 Ethical, Multicultural, and Disability Considerations in Evaluation
Accommodations in Testing
Online reading for Session 4
Session 5: 10/05/06 Assessing Interests, Values, Attitudes, and Behavior
Online reading for Session 5 Quiz #1 (1 hour)
Session 6: 10/12/06
Aptitude and Achievement Tests
Cognitive Tests: Intelligence and Neuropsychological
Chapter 6 & 7 (N & F)
Online reading for Session 6
Session 7: 10/19/06 Clinical Assessment: Personality and Psychiatric
Diagnostic Criteria
Chapter 9 & 11 (N & F) Mini-Assignment #1: Administering a Test



COURSE SCHEDULE FOR REHB 242

Date Topic
Reading Assignment Deadlines
Session 8: 10/26/06 Vocational Assessment and Evaluation
Ecological Assessment Chapter 10 (N & F)
Online reading for Session 8

Session 9: 11/02/06 Requesting Evaluations
Planning Assessments and Evaluations Online reading for Session 9 Quiz #2 (1 hour)
Session 10: 11/09/06
Information Gathering and Review
Interviewing
Handouts

Session 11: 11/16/06
Report Writing Chapter 12 (N & F)
Online reading for Session 11 Mini-Assignment #2: Writing Referral Questions
Session 12: 11/23/06

NO CLASS—HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Session 13: 11/30/06 Understanding and Interpreting Results
Making Recommendations
Handouts
Online reading for Session 13 Mini-Assignment #3: Writing Assessment Results
Session 14: 12/07/06
Presenting Findings to Stakeholders
Online reading for Session 14 Mini-Assignment #4: Writing Recommendations
Session 15: 12/14/06
Current Issues in Testing and Assessment Online reading for Session 15 Comprehensive Evaluation Report due