Differential Identification of Serious Emotional Disability and ASD (Tri-State Webinar)

Audience: Educators, Other District/School Staff, Parents, Students, Community Partners | Topic: Autism, Special Education | Hosted by: Office of Special Education

On-Demand format

Presenters: Susan Hepburn, PhD
Original aired March 6, 2019

Learner Objectives

Participants will be able to:

Identify 3 challenges inherent to evaluating students for special education eligibility under the category of SED
Describe the elements of a comprehensive evaluation for SED
Distinguish 5 ways that students who meet criteria for SED likely differ from those who are meet criteria for ASD

Study Questions

Some challenges inherent to evaluate students under the category of SED are:
1. Culture
2. Vague criteria
3. Co-occurrence of disorders is common
4. All of the above
5. None of the above
Confirmation bias and belief perseverance may lead to a cognitive error in assessment of SED.
1. True
2. False
Best practices for assessing SED in schools include:
1. Observations, Teacher, Parent & Student interviews
2. Assess strengths and interests
3. Collaboration with family
4. All of the above
Best practices for assessing ASD in schools requires a similar approach but also looking at social reciprocity, executive functions, behavioral flexibility and non-verbal and verbal communication.
1. True
2. False
Which of the following statements is not true?
1. A student identified with SED may use nonverbal behaviors often with verbal communication while a student identified with ASD uses nonverbal behaviors less often.
2. Both students identified with SED and ASD may have an affect that does not match the situation.
3. When dealing with conflicts and tension both SED and ASD may have an exaggerated sense of justice.
4. Self-concept in students identified with SED tends to be negative about self while students identified with ASD may tend to be unrealistic or young in thinking about self.