Learning Disabilities

Identification, assessment and needs

of children with learning disabilities
EPSE 316 Section 074

Instructor: Brandy Grund (She, Her, Hers)

Email: brandy.grund@ubc.ca
Office Hours: After class by appointment

Course Dates: September 9th - November 25th

Time: 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Days: Monday
Location: Neville Scarfe Room 203

Credits: 3
Prerequisites: One of EPSE 312 or 317
Grading: A-F

Course Syllabus

A. Required Text / Reading:

Lerner, J. W., & Johns, B. H. (2015). Learning disabilities and related disorders: Strategies for
success. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning

Ministry of Education. (2013). Special education services: A manual of policies, procedures and
guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/
special_ed_policy_manual.pdf
B. EPSE 316 Course Description:

This course is designed to introduce students to the field of learning disabilities. In it we will
examine theoretical and practical issues related to the identification and support of students with
learning disabilities. Specifically, this course will develop an understanding of the concept of
learning disabilities, difficulties faced by students who have been labeled learning disabled in
general and in subject matter domains, assessment, intervention and adaptation strategies
designed to support students with learning disabilities. In British Columbia, over 18,000 school
age students have been designated as having learning disabilities. The learning disabilities
designation has the highest prevalence rates of any other categorical designation (British
Columbia Teachers’ Federation, 2012). Historically, the concept of learning disabilities has vastly
evolved. This course explores the current policies for students with learning disabilities and the
implications for assessment, identification and practice.

Objectives:
• Explore the historical and current definitions of learning disabilities and the
implications to practice
• Examine current policies in British Columbia for identifying students with
learning disabilities
• Investigate the effects of learning disabilities throughout the lifespan and identify
available supports
• Consider additional challenges associated with learning disabilities such as
memory, attention, executive functions, social issues and behaviour
• Identify effective assessments, adaptations and interventions for students with
learning disabilities
• Create individual educational plans for students with learning disabilities
• Advocate for equitable access to education for students with learning disabilities

C. Course Requirements:

Many of the learning opportunities rely on discussions of the reading materials. Therefore,
students are required to complete the readings of the day before class. Because we all benefit
from hearing alternative perspectives, attendance is necessary for the learning of all students. In
addition, some of the learning activities require access to a computer that is connected to the
internet. Please bring a device (laptop or tablet) so that you can research information during class
time.
D. Assignments:

The course takes a multi-modal approach to model a variety of learning activities and
assessment styles for possible use with students with learning disabilities.

1. Self-Assessment of Learning (20 Points)

2. Application of an Intervention (30 Points)

3. Presentation of an Intervention (30 Points)

4. Advocacy Project (20 Points)

1. Self-Assessment of Learning (20 points)

Purpose: Self-assessment strategies offer an alternative method of identifying current skills and
knowledge, creating goals, and assessing how well one met those goals by providing evidence.
Students with learning disabilities may have different learning goals than other students in the
class. By providing a choice in the area of growth, you can empower students with learning
disabilities to choose challenging, yet attainable goals that meet their unique learning needs.
What would you like to learn in this class? How will you decide to assess your learning?

There are two parts to this assignment. Students will answer the following questions in a final
2-page reflection that will be submitted via Canvas: Where am I now? What are my learning
goals? How did I do? In addition to the reflection, you will be asked to provide evidence of your
learning. The evidence of learning via your inquiry project could take any form that is most
useful to you. For example, if you would like a create a tool box of strategies for students with
learning disabilities, you are invited to produce a product in any way that best suits you. Other
evidence of learning could be a description of the skills that you acquired. Other evidence might
include a reference book for parents regarding services and policies for students with learning
disabilities. This project gives you the freedom to decide what you would like to learn and
how you would like to assess that learning.

Individuals will create assessment criteria that centre on their personal learning goals and
students will self-assess their learning using their own criteria. Through this reflection, you will
quantify your learning by giving yourself a mark out of 20 and support that mark by
providing evidence of learning. The self-evaluation reflection and the evidence of learning is an
individual assignment where the reflection and evidence will be submitted via Canvas. The self-
evaluation reflection should be no longer than 2 pages single spaced. The evidence of learning
may vary in structure and length.

Two Page Reflection and evidence (submitted via Canvas)

Part 1:
1. Where were you at the beginning of the course?
 (initial knowledge and skills)
2. What were your learning goals?
(describe your goals and why you are interested in that area of growth)
3. How did you do?
(reflect on learning by referring to individually generated criteria to give
yourself a mark out of 20)
Part 2:
1. Provide evidence of learning from the inquiry project
(structure and length will vary)

2. Application of an Intervention (30 Points)

Purpose: Schools need leaders to connect innovations found in research to the needs of
educators who experience real problems in practice. When writers connect new research
to possible classroom applications, you can demonstrate how new innovations solve these
perceived problems in practice. In addition, you can turn academic language into
meaningful and informative tools to change the lives of the families affected by learning
disabilities. Innovations in pedagogy can improve practice when presented in meaningful
ways. In addition, by breathing life into research, you have the power to make that
research relevant and valuable, and may even be able to effect positive change when read
by teachers, policy makers or administrators. How will you try to get your staff to “buy
into” a new evidence-based intervention?

Students will choose one research article (not mentioned in the course) outlining an
effective strategy for teaching students with learning disabilities. This assignment is
NOT just a summary of research. Students should apply the intervention to a particular
context and give examples of how others might be able to use this intervention. Outline
how the strategy solves a problem in practice. The goal is to make the research sound
relevant and valuable to educators in a paper according to APA format. This paper should
be no longer than 4-pages double spaced. Include your references at the end of the paper.
The references are not included in the page count.

Four page paper (submitted via Canvas)

1. Chose a research article that explores an evidence-based intervention
for students with learning disabilities
(The article should be actual research and not a review of
research.)
2. Write a paper that:
A. Identifies a problem in practice
B. Demonstrates how the intervention solves the problem
in practice
C. Applies the intervention to a variety of contexts
 D. Makes technical research language and statistics
accessible and meaningful to educators
E. Explains how the research is valuable to educators

3. Presentation of an Intervention (30 Points)

Purpose: As educational leaders, you are in a position to inspire other educators to try new
interventions and strategies in their contexts. You have 10 minutes to share a strategy to others.
How will you present the information that gives your strategy importance over other strategies
they may already be using? How will you teach the strategy outlined in the research article in
meaningful and relevant ways?

Students will present the research article you chose for #2 (above) focusing primarily on making
the research meaningful and relevant to the audience by illustrating how the strategy solves a
problem in practice and provides examples of how the strategy may be used in many contexts.
The presentation should have an interesting hook, explanation of the intervention and a clear
description of ideas that informs, entertains and inspires educators to try your intervention.
Effective presenters use many visuals and speak directly to the audience with projection and
expression. This formal presentation is no longer than 10 minutes and is presented to the entire
class. Please submit the presentation via Canvas.

Ten Minute Presentation

1. Present on the research article you chose above
2. Presentations should:
A. Identify a problem in practice
B. Demonstrate how the intervention solves the problem
in practice
C. Apply the intervention to a variety of contexts
D. Contain a hook, middle and wrap up
E. Inform, entertain and inspire
F. Use more visuals and less text on the screen
G. Contain projection and expression of voice

4. Advocacy Project: (20 Points)

Purpose: As leaders, you have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students
struggling with learning disabilities. By creating a physical, tangible and accessible product,
people of varying abilities can have access to your ideas now and in the future. How will you
make your mark?

Students will create an advocacy product that communicates the importance of meeting the needs
of students with learning disabilities. Students may choose to paint a picture or design a sculpture
that communicates your message about learning disabilities. As with many pieces of artistic
work, this art is accompanied by a short description of your message that you wish to
communicate. The description is no longer than half a page single spaced.

Alternatively, students may choose to write an original song advocating for the rights of students
with learning disabilities. The piece should have at least three verses and a chorus with an
optional bridge. Students need to record their song and submit the lyrics along with the
recording. The song should be no longer than four minutes.

Another idea, may be to create a picture book that describes the challenges and triumphs of
students with learning disabilities to inspire others who may experience struggles to persevere.
The illustrations need to be created by you. They can take the form of either drawings or
photographs.

Further, students may decide to create a short film that describes the needs of students with
learning disabilities and provides options for those students to meet those needs. The film should
have a professional quality and be no longer than 4 minutes.

If you have other ideas, please talk to me for approval.

Take a picture of or record your advocacy project and submit via Canvas
(Bring the original on the last day of class to show your classmates)
1. Choose a medium to advocate for the needs and rights of students with LD
2. Decide as a group what excellence looks like and email the instructor the
criteria
3. Create a piece that communicates your ideas in an alternative modality

E.Course Calendar

Class Date Topic Reading

Learning Ac+vity Assignments Due
1 Sept. Course Overview B.C. Manual of Policy and Procedures Ministry
9th Learning Disabili>es: Handbook (Sec>on E3 – LD p. 47)
Defini>on, History and Lerner and Johns (pp. 11-19 & 23-29)
Characteris>cs Klassen (2002)
Lyon et al. (2001)
Create a metaphor for
learning disabili+es
2 Sept. Learning Disabili>es: Policies, Lerner and Johns (pp. 105-116 & 121-126)
16th Laws and Rights Kozey & Siegel (2008)

B.C. Manual of Policy and Procedures Ministry

Handbook
Sec>on A – Policy (pp.1-5)
Sec>on B – Roles and Responsibili>es (pp. 6-11)
Create rubric for the
applica+on of interven+on. Web links:
h\ps://ldasvi.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads//2015/06/
Jig saw and gallery walk rights_guardian.pdf
when discussing various
Bri+sh Columbian laws in h\p://www.ldao.ca/educa>onal-implica>ons-of-
educa+on. recent-supreme-court-ruling/
3 Sept. Assessment, iden>fica>on Lerner & Johns: (pp. 111 - 120)
23th and development of an IEP McIntosh et al. (2011)
Response to Interven>on
B.C. Manual of Policy and Procedures Ministry
Handbook
Sec>on C – Developing an IEP (pp.12-22)
Sec>on D – Special Considera>ons (pp. 23- 39)
Sec>on E – Special Needs Categories (pp.48-52)

Choose one ar>cle or web link:

Philpo\ & Cahill (2008)

or
Web link:
h\ps://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/educa>on/
Create discrete tasks for an kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/
IEP inclusive/iepssn.pdf
(pp. 1-27)
4 Sept. Related Disorders: ADHD, Chose ONE focus area for reading
30th ASD, Asperger’s and Non-
Verbal Learning Disabili>es 1. ADHD and Non-Verbal Learning Disabili9es
Lerner & Johns: Chapter 7
AND AND choose one ar9cle or website
Oberle, Schonert-Reichl, Lawlor & Thomson (2012)
Self-Regulated Learning and or
Execu>ve Func>ons Burkhardt (2005)
or
Web links:
h\p://chadd.org

2. Self-Regulated Learning and Execu9ve Func9ons

Lerner & Johns: Chapter 5 (pp. 140 – 153)
Perry & Drummond (2002)
Diamond (2013)
AND choose one ar9cle to read
Zimmerman (2010)
or
Baird, Sco\, Dearling & Hamill (2009)
or
h\ps://www.edutopia.org/ar>cle/why-students-
forget-and-what-you-can-do-about-it
or
h\ps://www.theladders.com/career-advice/this-is-
how-to-increase-your-a\en>on-span-5-secrets-from-
neuroscience

Discussion Applica9on of an Interven9on due

5 Oct Oral Language Difficul>es Lerner and Johns: Chapter 3
7th Lerner and Johns: Chapter 11
Assessment, adapta+ons and
interven+ons of oral Choose one ar>cle to read:
language challenges Kucirkova et al. (2014)
or
IEP objec+ves, ac+vi+es and Singer & Bashir (1999)
assessment or
McCabe, Boccia, Benne\, Lyman, Hagen (2010)
Presenta9ons of an
Interven9on
6 Oct. Reading Difficul>es Lerner and Johns: Chapter 12
21st
Explore assessment of
reading challenges

Presenta9ons of an
Interven9on
7 Oct. Reading Difficul>es Choose one area of interest to explore:
28th
Early Literacy
h\p://www.readingrockets.org/ar>cle/phonics-and-
word-recogni>on-instruc>on-early-reading-programs-
guidelines-accessibility
or
Explore interven+ons and Predic>ng Dyslexia
adapta+ons of reading h\p://ww2.kqed.org/mindshii/2014/06/24/
challenges predic>ng-dyslexia-even-before-children-learn-to-
read/
or
Adolescent Readers
Schnellert & Widdess (2007)
Presenta9ons of an
Interven9on

8 Nov. Wri>ng Difficul>es Lerner and Johns: Chapter 13

4th
Explore assessment,
interven+ons and
adapta+ons of wri+ng
challenges

Presenta9ons of an
Interven9on Self-Assessment of Learning Due
9 Nov. Wri>ng Difficul>es Choose one:
18th Santangelo, Harris & Graham (2008)
IEP objec+ves, ac+vi+es and or
assessment Sherman & De La Paz (2015)

Presenta9ons of an
Interven9on
10 Nov. Mathema>cs Difficul>es Lerner and Johns: Chapter 14
25th
Explore assessment, Choose Two Ar9cles
adapta+ons and Butler, Beckingham & Lauscher (2005)
interven+ons of math or
challenges Flores (2009)
or
IEP objec+ves, ac+vi+es and Geary (2004)
assessment or
Jitandra, Star, Dupuis & Rodriguez (2013)
or
Marita and Hord (2017)
Informal sharing of or
Advocacy Projects Montegue (2007)

Presenta9ons of an
Interven9on Advocacy Project Due

F. Reading List

Baird, G. L., Scott, W. D., Dearing, E., & Hamill, S. K. (2009). Cognitive self-regulation in
youth with and without learning disabilities: Academic self-efficacy, theories of
intelligence, learning vs. performance goal preferences, and effort attributions. Journal of
Social and Clinical Psychology, 28(7), 881-908. doi:10.1521/jscp.2009.28.7.881

Barker, E. (2018). This is how to increase your attention span: 5 secrets from neuroscience. The
Ladders. Retrieved from https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/this-is-how-to-
increase-your-attention-span-5-secrets-from-neuroscience

British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (2012). 2012 BC education facts. Retrieved from: https://
bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/Publications/2012EdFacts.pdf

Burkhardt, S. (2005). Non-verbal learning disabilities. (pp. 21-33) Emerald Group Publishing
Limited. doi:10.1016/S0270-4013(04)16002-9

Butler, D. L., Beckingham, B., & Lauscher, H. J. N. (2005). Promoting strategic learning by
Eighth-Grade students struggling in mathematics: A report of three case studies.Learning
Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(3), 156-174. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5826.2005.00130.x

Diamond, A., & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions shown to aid executive function development in
children 4 to 12 years old. Science (New York, N.Y.), 333(6045), 959-964. doi:10.1126/
science.1204529
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64(1), 135-168. doi:
10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750

Geary, D. C. (2004). Mathematics and learning disabilities.Journal of Learning

Disabilities, 37(1), 4-15. doi:10.1177/00222194040370010201

Jitandra, A., Star, J., Dupuis, D., & Rodriguez, M. (2013). Effectiveness of schema-based
instruction for improving seventh-grade students’ proportional reasoning: A
randomized experiment. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 6,
114-136.

Klassen, R. (2002). The changing landscape of learning disabilities in Canada: Definitions and
practice from 1989-2000. School Psychology International, 23(2), 199-219. doi:
10.1177/0143034302023002915

Kozey, M., & Siegel, L. S. (2008). Definitions of learning disabilities in canadian provinces and
territories. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 49(2), 162-171. doi:
10.1037/0708-5591.49.2.162

Kucirkova, N., Messer, D., Critten, V., & Harwood, J. (2014). Story-making on the iPad when
children have complex needs: Two case studies. Communication Disorders
Quarterly, 36(1), 44-54.

Lyon, G. R., Fletcher, J. M., Shaywitz, S. E., Shaywitz, B. A., Torgesen, J. K., Wood, F. B., ... &
Olson, R. (2001). Rethinking learning disabilities. Rethinking special education for a new
century, 259-287.

McCabe, A., Boccia, J., Bennett, M. B., Lyman, N., & Hagen, R. (2010;2009;). Improving oral
language and literacy skills in preschool children from disadvantaged backgrounds:
Remembering, writing, reading (RWR). Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 29(4),
363-390. doi:10.2190/IC.29.4.f

McIntosh, K., MacKay, L. D., Andreou, T., Brown, J. A., Mathews, S., Gietz, C., & Bennett, J. L.
(2011). Response to intervention in canada: Definitions, the evidence base, and future
directions. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 26(1), 18-43. doi:
10.1177/0829573511400857

Ministry of Education. (2013). Special education services: A manual of policies, procedures and
guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/
special_ed_policy_manual.pdf
Marita, S., & Hord, C. (2017). Review of mathematics interventions for secondary students with
learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 40(1), 29-40. doi:
10.1177/0731948716657495

Montegue, M. (2007). Self-regulation and mathematics instruction. Learning Disabilities

Research and Practice, 22(1), 75-83.

Moreno, G. (2011). Addressing challenging behaviours in the general education setting:

Conducting a teacher-based functional behavioural assessment (FBA). Education
3-13,39(4), 363-371. doi:10.1080/03004270903530458

Oberle, E., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Lawlor, M. S., & Thomson, K. C. (2012). Mindfulness and
inhibitory control in early adolescence. The Journal of Early Adolescence,32(4), 565-588.
doi:10.1177/0272431611403741

Perry, N., & Drummond, L. (2002). Helping young students become self-regulated researchers
and writers. The Reading Teacher, 56(3), 298-310.

Philpott, D., & Cahill, M. (2008). A pan-canadian perspective on the professional know ledge
base of learning disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Community &
Rehabilitation, 7(2), 1.

Santangelo, T., Harris, K. R., & Graham, S. (2008). Using self-regulated strategy development to
support students who have "trubol giting thangs into werds". Remedial and Special
Education, 29(2), 78-89. doi:10.1177/0741932507311636

Schnellert, L. & Widdess, N. (2007). A second shot of thoughtful literacy instruction: Supporting
struggling adolescent readers. BC Teachers of English Language Arts, 49(1), 7-22.

Sherman, C. K., & Susan De La Paz. (2015). A strategic approach to writing and revision for
students with learning disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 48(2), 93.

Singer, B. D., & Bashir, A. S. (1999). What are executive functions and self-regulation and what
do they have to do with language-learning disorders? Language, Speech, and Hearing
Services in Schools, 30(3), 265-273.

Terada, Y. (2017). Why students forget - and what you can do about it. Edutopia. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-students-forget-and-what-you-can-do-about-it
Terjesen, M. D., Jacofsky, M., Froh, J., & DiGiuseppe, R. (2004). Integrating positive
psychology into schools: Implications for practice. Psychology in the Schools, 41(1),
163-172. doi:10.1002/pits.10148

Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into

Practice, 41(2), 64-70. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2

G. Your Learning Experience

Please inform me at any point during the course if I can improve your learning experience. I
welcome your feedback and hope that I can meaningfully facilitate your learning. Please email
me or make an appointment to discuss how I can improve the delivery of the course.

H. ECPS Policy Statements

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to complete their own work and to submit work that has been
prepared for this class only. Plagiarism (i.e., submitting or presenting the work of another
person as if it were the student’s own or submitting work that was originally prepared for
another class will result in an automatic grade of F for the assignment. See http://
www.library.ubc.ca/home/plagiarism/ for additional consequences, based on UBC policy.

Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, is a form of cheating that can lead to a failing
grade for the course and to suspension from the University. As defined within UBC policies
(vpacademic.ubc.ca/integrity), and as outlined in the UBC Calendar, plagiarism is a serious
“form of academic misconduct in which an individual submits or presents the work of another
person as his or her own.” As a form of intellectual theft, plagiarism involves taking the words,
ideas or research of another without properly acknowledging the original author. Students need
to become familiar with the many different forms that plagiarism can take, including accidental
and intentional plagiarism. For more information see Plagiarism Avoided a booklet for students
on plagiarism and how to avoid it OR www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml)

Please take care to acknowledge your sources, including the Internet, using APA Style (American
Psychological Association).

An act of plagiarism can result in a failing grade for that assignment and a review of the student’s
previous assignments to assess for other instances of plagiarism. Further actions by the
Department and University will be decided pending the outcome of the review. (See
Departmental Procedures for Issues Pertaining to Academic Honesty and Standards as Members
of the ECPS Community on the Departmental website: Policies and Procedures.)
Assignments

Students are expected to submit all course work by the due date specified. Late submissions
will only accepted under exceptional circumstances and MUST be approved by the
instructor in advance. Late assignments without prior approval will lose 10% of the
assignment grade for every day late.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes from the beginning to the end of the scheduled
class time. Please contact the instructor prior to the class to inform them of the situation.
It is the instructor’s discretion to decide if the absence and / or partially missed class
is best made up through an extra assignment or loss of percentage marks. An extra
assignment will include a one-page single-space reflection on the readings for the day
missed that synthesizes the ideas presented in the readings into a coherent flow of
interconnected thoughts. The extra assignment is then emailed to the instructor before the
next class. Failing to complete the extra assignment by the next class or submitting sub-
standard work will result in a 5% loss of marks from the final grade at the end of term.
Students can expect to see excessive absences including late arrivals and early departures
reflected in their course grades. Students will lose 5% for every absence including late
arrivals and early departures that are not arranged ahead of time and approved by
the instructor.

Electronic Courtesy

Students are expected to use electronic devices in a respectful manner. This means that your
use of computers should be restricted to in-class work only. Activities such as returning
email, playing games, and web surfing are disrespectful to the instructor and distracting those
around you due to the brightness of the screen and on-screen graphics, etc. In addition, cell
phones should be turned off. If you are waiting for an important phone call, please let the
instructor know before the class has begun. Once it comes in, please take the call outside of the
classroom.

Non-sexist Language

Please incorporate and use non-sexist language [also called gender inclusive language] in your
oral and written language. This language positions women and men equally, it does not exclude
one gender or the other, nor does it demean the status of one gender or another. It does not
stereotype genders [assuming all childcare workers are female and all police officers are male],
nor does it use false generics [using mankind instead of human kind, or using man-made instead
of hand crafted]. In addition, this language requires an attention to gender balance in personal
pronouns, for example, use "he and she" rather than "he" or balance gendered examples in a
paper, referring to both male and female examples. You may also recast subjects into the plural
form, for example, when “a student raises his hand” change to when “students raise their hands.”

Person First Language

Please incorporate and use person first language in your oral and written language. Disabilities
and differences are not persons and they do not define persons, so do not replace person-nouns
with disability-nouns. Avoid using: the aphasic, the schizophrenic, stutterers, the hearing
impaired. Also avoid using: cleft palate children, the hearing impaired client, the dyslexic lawyer,
the developmentally disabled adult. Instead, emphasize the person, not the disability, by putting
the person-noun first: the lawyer who has dyslexia, persons who stutters, the children described
as language impaired, the teacher with a hearing impairment.

Religious Accommodations

Religious observance may preclude students from attending classes at certain times. In
accordance with UBC Policy 65: Religious Holidays (http://www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/files/
2010/08/policy65.pdf), students who wish to be accommodated for religious reasons must notify
the instructor in writing at least 2 weeks in advance, and preferably earlier.

The instructor strives to include all students, including those with special learning needs, in this
course. Please let the instructor know if you have a disability that is documented with the
University Disability Resource Centre and/or if you need any special accommodations in the
curriculum, instruction, or assessment of this course to enable you to fully participate. The
instructor adheres to UBC Policy 73: Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
(http://universitycounsel.ubc.ca/files/2010/08/policy73.pdf). The instructor will respect the
confidentiality of any information related to a student’s disability.

Students with Disabilities

We strive to include all students, including those with special learning needs in this course.
Please let us know (or have the UBC Disability Resource Center let us know) if you have a
disability documented with the UBC Disability Resource Centre and/or if you need any special
accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessment of this course to enable you to
fully participate. We adhere to UBC Policy 73: Academic Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities. This information is located at: http://www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/files/2010/08/
policy73.pdf. We will respect the confidentiality of the information you share and work with you
so your learning needs are met.

I. ECPS Grades for Undergraduate Courses

Attendance is expected. A student missing more than 10% of class time must see the instructor,
ECPS Head or Associate Head. This list excludes the UBC list of religious holidays. Instructors
have the option of including the above statement in course outlines and it is left to the discretion
of the instructor whether to send students to see the Head or Associate Head.

A+ (90-100%), A (85-89%), A- (80-84) Outstanding


Demonstrates exceptional breadth and depth of understanding of the subject matter;
demonstrates proficient use of existing research literature and exceptional analytic and critical
thinking skills; articulates ideas especially well in both oral and written form; consistently makes
strong, explicit connections between theory and practice; shows a high degree of creativity and
personal engagement with the topic.

B+ (76-79%), B (72-75%), B- (68-71%) Good, Solid Work


Demonstrates good breadth and depth of understanding of the subject matter; demonstrates good
use of existing research literature and strong analytic and critical thinking skills; articulates ideas
well in both oral and written form; at times, makes strong, explicit connections between theory
and practice; shows some creativity and satisfactory personal engagement with the topic.

C+ (64-67%), C (60-63%), C- (55-59%) Adequate


Demonstrates adequate breadth and depth of understanding of the subject matter; demonstrates
ability to use existing research literature in general ways, and some indication of analytic and
critical thinking skills; oral and written skills are adequate but need some work; occasionally
makes connections between theory and practice, but ideas need to be developed further; few
creative ideas and/or a low level of personal engagement with the topic.

D (50-54%) Minimally Adequate


Breadth and depth of understanding of the subject matter are minimal; minimal use of existing
research literature even in basic ways, and minimal indication of analytic and critical thinking
skills; oral and written skills are barely adequate; minimal connections between theory and
practice; minimal indication of creative thinking and/or a low level of personal engagement with
the topic.

F (00-49%) Fail

Breadth and depth of understanding of the subject matter are far from adequate; shows consistent
misunderstanding of the core concepts of the course; work is extremely deficient or sub-standard.