I found this video to be very informative.  I found the comments made regarding the diagnosis of children to be on point.   We always have to remember that although we may be able to identify that a child has a disability, we cannot actually diagnose the disability.  We have to be careful when speaking with parents to remember that we are not legally qualified to tell them that their child has a disability.  We can tell them that we believe that their child needs to be evaluated by a doctor.

I also agree with the comments regarding the fact that a child does not need a diagnosis to receive special education services.  And vice versa, just because a child has a diagnosis does not need that his or her educational approach needs to be changed.

As special educators, our job is to assess how a child’s abilities and limitations affect their ability to learn.  This is where our assessments come in.  We have the expertise to assess a child’s educational needs, and report on them.  We can use formal standardized tests, as well as our own observations and data collection to form a complete educational assessment. 

I feel that the Gold Standard Assessment is a comprehensive, valid concept.  I like how it stresses that it covers all areas, especially the involvement of parents.  Collaboration = Knowledge + Power is a very good idea to base a program on.  I also feel that thinking of everyone in the child’s life as a TEAM is very important for the child’s development.