Also, the scene where we see only the midriff of the Paramedic while he talks to Buffy is particularily effective. Since you are looking through the 'eyes' of buffy, it makes it clear she is just staring straight ahead, in a daze. You pick up some feeling of what the scene must have been like from her perspective (emotionally). Also, I think that not only is the music taken out, but certain scenes actually have the sound 'muted' as if to demonstrate Buffy's withdrawel from the scene. I'm not sure about this though - it's from memory only. If so, the 'muting' is periodic, it takes place in certain intense scenes but is absent when not shooting from the perspective of an emotionally troubled person. For instance, when the camera is looking at Buffy, the sound seems more vibrant, than when it is looking at the paramedic, all in the same scene, implying that the paramedic's view isn't withdrawn as is Buffy's.
Also, I think that the camera angle (and perspective of the sound effects - heard through a glass window) shooting Dawn's reaction to the death of her mother from inside the classroom really brings home how her tragedy is fealt in isolation from the world. The people in the class can hear it, but they are not a part of it - showing just how alone we really are in this world when it comes down to it.
I'm not sure if any of that helps. I'm sure you picked a great episode though, there should be a ton of tequniques used that you can analyze.
