The Special Education Programs uses the Standards-Based Evaluation instrument to assess candidate proficiency in relation to the Special Education Program conceptual framework and internship objectives. The Standards-Based Evaluation instrument was developed to reflect the conceptual framework of the College of Education, the State of Vermont’s Five Standards and 16 Principles, the Vermont Special Education Endorsement standards, and the CEC standards and competencies. During the yearlong internship, interns, cooperating teachers and university supervisors conduct two formative and one summative evaluation using the Standards-Based Evaluation instrument. The first two evaluations are conducted to assess the intern’s areas of strength and need. Based upon the assessment, goals are set and plans to meet the goals derived. The final evaluation is summative and completed as part of students’ portfolio. In the portfolio document students reflect on their areas of strength and need in relationship to the Standards-Based Evaluation and present documentation that demonstrates their proficiency in relationship to the program’s competencies and incorporation of the program’s conceptual framework.
The internship requirements are a set of guidelines for designing an internship which can be modified based upon the interns experience and needs. Students in the Special Education Program have a wide variety of experiences and needs. For example, some students have been special teachers for years and are quite familiar with the assessment and comprehensive evaluation process, while others may come from general education backgrounds and have little or no experience in this area. The internship requirements assume that students have little experience and thus it is important for students to review the internship requirements and negotiate a set of requirements that meets their needs and the needs of their internship site.
Last modified January 07 2008 01:36 PM
