TBI
What are key characteristics of a TBI?
Acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, can be an open or closed head injury, which cause impairments in cognition, language, memory, attention, reasoning, sensory, motor, behavior, and behavior.
What standardized evaluation should ALWAYS be administered?
None
What rating scale(s) should routinely be used in ED evaluations?
Comprehensive, broad spectrum rating scale, such as the BASC-3 or the CBRS.
Who should have a language dominance evaluation?
Students who learned a language other than English first, students who score less than 4.0 in listening and speaking on the WIDA, and those who have been exposed to two languages.
What health conditions should be considered for OI and is medical information needed?
Cerebral Palsy, Clubfoot, Amputations, burns or fractures that cause contractures
Can a TBI be caused by the student's birth?
No
Name one tool that can be used to assess academic achievement.
Competency based assessment
Other than rating scales and standardized evaluation, what evaluation should be completed with ED evaluations?
Functional Behavior Assessment
If a student is found to not have a dominant language (low in both languages), what cognitive and achievement assessment should be administered? Should other evaluations be considered because of no dominant language, if so what and why?
Cognitive - Nonverbal (WNV)
Achievement - English or if educated in a Spanish speaking country then Spanish also
Consider speech and language evaluation.
How long should interventions continue before a referral for OI?
Interventions are not needed for students with OI
What cognitive tools can be used in determining TBI?
It depends, on the impairment, age, and experience of the students.
For the student who is MD including Deaf-Blind, but only has minor fine motor impairments, should the Wechsler Nonverbal Scales be used as the standardized cognitive assessment? yes or no, then why
No, even though the student only has minor fine motor impairments, the student is blind and sight is needed for this assessment.
After areas of a comprehensive rating are Very Elevated or Clinically Significant for multiple raters (parent, teacher, self-rating), what should be done?
Use specific rating scales to investigate the specific area - such as CDI-2 for depression, MASC for Anxiety, CONNERS-4 for attention/hyperactivity
When a student is bilingual what tools should be utilized?
Cognitive in English and Spanish
Achievement in English and Spanish
Including school psychologist evaluation, what other professionals must evaluate for OI?
Occupational Therapist and/or Physical Therapist
What memory scales are available to measure the memory of the student with TBI?
Wechsler Memory Scale, components of the NEPSY-II and other cognitive scale, RAN/RAS (component of long-term memory and retrieval)
Should a multidisciplinary evaluation group be used for assessment for this type of student?
Yes, to the extent possible.
What does the SAED do?
Separates student's behaviors into 1 of the 5 questions of ED eligibility.
For students, who are Spanish dominant, what cognitive and achievement assessments should be administered? Should some English assessments be utilized with an interpreter?
1.) Spanish cognitive and Spanish achievement
2.) Typically English assessments are not standardized with a translator, so usually, no.
Can a student who is OI and SLI (only) be MD?
No
Is measuring executive functioning important for TBI, if so then what direct assessment instruments are available?
Executive functioning is important in measuring TBI, especially for frontal lobe injuries. Direct assessments that can be used are Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System
What is the best procedure to evaluate this student?
Authentic, Contextual Assessment
What is the difference between Social Maladjustment and Emotional Disturbance? Can a student with Social Maladjustment be eligible for Emotional Disturbance?
Social Maladjustment is . In general, social maladjustment is viewed as a diagnostic category whose primary feature is that of conduct problems in which maladjusted students choose not to conform to socially acceptable rules and norms. Many researchers and practitioners agree that social maladjustment can be “operationalized as a pattern of engagement in purposive antisocial, destructive, and delinquent behavior” (Merrell & Walker, 2004, p. 901). Students with social maladjustment tend to view themselves as normal, and are capable of behaving appropriately and following school/social norms. However, the distinguishing feature of social maladjustment is one of volition; in other words, these students consciously choose to break rules and violate norms, viewing these choices as normal and acceptable. This intentionality is considered to be a primary feature of social maladjustment.
Emotional Disturbance is anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, which impairs a student's ability to establish and maintain friendships, react in an appropriate manner when faced with emotional distress, inability to make educational progress that can't otherwise be explained, having a depressed mood, develops physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. These characteristics must be to a marked degree and over a long period of time.
Students who are Socially Maladjusted can meet the eligibility criteria for Emotional Disturbance if they are both Socially Maladjusted and Emotionally Disturbed.
How is limited English proficiency ruled out as a primary cause of a student's difficulties for Spanish dominant, bilingual, and low language in both English and Spanish?
It depends....
multi-factor answer
Can a physician's assistant endorse medical information for student's with OI?
Yes, also a Nurse Practitioner (APRN) can provide information