Jessica Quezada

SERP 301C
October 21, 2014
Benchmark Part 2: Interviews
Classroom Teacher
1. Have the special educator and the classroom teacher established learning objectives
together?
The general educator does not have input on establishing any of the learning objectives
that are established throughout the year. The only times that she shares her ideas is during
the IEP meetings.
2. Does the student understand his or her learning objective?
In the general education class the student is not made aware of her objectives. The
general educator mentioned that she knew the speech pathologist did have objectives for
the student.
3. Are learning objectives connected to the IEP?
Not in the general education classroom.
4. Are informal assessments used to monitor learning for this student?
The teacher said that she does informal assessments frequently, mostly she jots down
things she hears the student say since her IEP is related to language.
5. Does the schools administration actively participate in solving problems and eliminating
barriers to inclusion?
The schools administration does not participate in solving or eliminating barriers toward
inclusion.
6. Do the schools administrators facilitate communication and collaboration between
special education staff and regular education staff?
The general education teacher, and the speech pathologist are the ones that collaborate
with each other when they need to meet with one other. The teacher also mentioned that
in the past there was more collaboration between the administration, special education
teachers, and general education teachers. In the past the administrations goal to have a
full inclusion school, and students werent pulled out for their special education classes,
and instead the educators came to them. In the past 5-7 years it has completely changed,
and students are pulled out for special education time.

7. Do the administrators require and facilitate supervision of paraeducators?

The administrators dont supervise any of the paraeducators.
8. Does the administration encourage the special education teacher to regularly observe
students in the inclusive classroom setting?
The administrators dont encourage regular observation.
9. Is there an appropriate software program for the students? Do your computers have
them?
The Starfall website is made available to students, the website focuses a lot on sounding
out letters. They are currently waiting for approval to use the Waterford program, which
also has a section that focuses on letter sounds.
10. Is the computer available for the student to use for reading and writing as is someone
monitoring his or her work?
The computer is made available for reading and writing at times during the year, but the
programs that are used dont allow the teacher go back and check the progress of the
students. The Waterford program does have this function but they arent using the
program at this point.
11. Is there any training required to use the software? If so have you been trained?
There is training that goes along with the Waterford program, but the training focuses
more on the setup and management of the program rather than the content.

Speech Pathologist
1. Have the special educator and the classroom teacher established learning objectives
together?
The goals and learning objectives come from IEPs however the speech pathologist does talk
to the teachers about what they are seeing in the classroom. The information she gathers
helps to guide her instruction
2. Does the student understand his or her learning objective?
Each time that the students go to speech they are given a card that states what their goal
is, and they are made aware of it.
3. Are learning objectives connected to the IEP?

Some of the goals are directly from the IEP, but because it is a couple of years old the
students has met some of those goals, and needs different goal. Because of this some of
the goals are not directly from the IEP.
4. Are informal assessments used to monitor learning for this student?
There are informal assessments that are done, and they evaluate the language and
articulation of the child.
5. Does the schools administration actively participate in solving problems and eliminating
barriers to inclusion?
The current director of education is working towards full inclusion, but at this point there
is not full inclusion.
6. Do the schools administrators facilitate communication and collaboration between
special education staff and regular education staff?
The speech pathologist and the general education teacher set up any meetings that are
needed. There is not a set time for special educators and general educators to come
together and work as a team.
7. Does the administration encourage the special education teacher to regularly observe
students in the inclusive classroom setting?
The special educators arent required to do any observations, and there simply isnt
enough time to do observations.
8. Is there an appropriate software program for the students? Do your computers have
them?
There arent any programs on the computer that are specifically for students, but here are
programs that the special educators use to make materials, as well as store data. The
speech pathologist has an ipad with educational apps that are sometimes used during their
sessions.
9. Is there any training required to use the software? If so have you been trained?
There isnt any training that is required to use the software. She learns how to use the
programs by working with them.
10. Do you communicate how the student performed in speech therapy with the general
education teacher?
They dont communicate with each other on a daily basis, but every two to three weeks
they touch base with each other. They also use the quarterly updates, which go out every
nine weeks, as way of communicating with each other. All of the data they have on

students is imputed onto a software program, and even though the teachers dont have
direct access to the program if they need information from it the speech teacher can
access the information for them.
11. Do peers understand how this student best communicates?
In the case of my student the speech pathologist agreed that she was easy to understand,
and that her peer had no problems communicating with her. She also mentioned that my
case study child in not afraid to repeat phrases if someone doesnt understand her, which
makes it easier to communicate with her.