The Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS ) of CCSSO invited edCount Executive Vice President, Liz Summers, Ph.D., to share the methodology, results, and lessons learned from conducting student interaction studies (e.g., modified cognitive laboratories) with students with the most significant cognitive disabilities taking alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards while working with the National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC). The ASES SCASS supports states as they enhance their 21st century assessment, accountability, and curriculum and instruction systems to provide full equity for students with disabilities. The student population taking these assessments is unique in their learning characteristics and traditional cognitive laboratory methodologies are inappropriate to gather response process validity evidence. Dr. Summers’ presentation was followed by a group conversation with all participating states discussing application of the lessons learned in current state contexts and evaluation plans.
