This course provides a survey of populations with exceptionalities. Cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and motivational characteristics as well as educational needs of children with exceptionalities are explored. Knowledge of professional, ethical and legal issues that apply to working with students with exceptionalities is also included. Students apply current and new knowledge regarding instructional planning, assessment and collaboration.
Topics are selected on basis of student need and academic qualifications of staff. If regular lectures are not given, a minimum of 30 hours of work for each hour credit must be included. This course may be repeated for credit.
This course focuses on the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to individualizing instruction which provides educators with a comprehensive method of assessing learning styles, identifying where breakdowns occur in the learning process, and developing appropriate programming related to the specific needs of learners. Key topics include response to intervention (RTI) approaches, the screening process for dyslexia, standardized and informal assessments, and data analysis as well as laws related to eligibility, ethics and parents’ rights. Students learn to write Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) based on the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to individualizing instruction for students with exceptionalities. Further, interviews of experienced educators will be conducted regarding current issues and practices in assessment and intervention.
This course presents an overview of the intellectual and developmental characteristics of the gifted and talented as well as an introduction to identification techniques, instructional approaches, educational programs, and special problems. The course focuses on classroom educational practices designed to meet the unique needs of the gifted and talented students. Historical, legal, and conceptual foundations of gifted education are examined as well as current research relevant to the education of gifted learners.
Promoting positive behavior and effectively responding to misbehavior are critical skills necessary for all educators. This course helps educators create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character, in order to optimize learning for all students. Age-appropriate skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible grouping structures and for teaching conflict resolution will be presented. Through this course, the educator will also learn the ABC’s of behavior, function, and effective strategies for implementing a behavior intervention plan (BIP) for students that exhibit behavior deficits. The course also provides strategies for building positive relationships, fostering motivation, and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families.
Students will determine the goals of instruction according to the needs of the various exceptionalities; they will develop an appropriate curriculum using the essential elements as a base. Students will learn the techniques of managing behavior, how to individualize instruction, how to apply methods of intervention, and how to evaluate adequacy of teaching. The future educator will learn how to arrange classrooms specific to management theories. Students must be computer literate. Fieldwork is required.
The learning experiences in this course will contribute to the knowledge and skills of professional educators in developing and assessing programs for students who exhibit learning and behavior difficulties. Students will learn the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to individualized instruction. Students in the course will learn about comprehensive methods of assessing learning styles and to identify where the breakdowns can occur in the learning process. This course will assist educators in developing, administering and evaluating appropriate programming related to specific needs of learners. The screening process for dyslexia mandated by the State Board for Educator Certification is taught in this course.
This course is designed to enable students to develop the expertise of the professional educator with the needs of the various student exceptionalities. Teachers seeking certification as Educational Diagnosticians will learn to apply specialized techniques of managing behavior, how to individualize instruction, how to apply methods of intervention, and how to evaluate adequacy of teaching. The practicing educator taking this course will be able to develop a comprehensive knowledge about classroom management theories as they relate to special education.
This course involves an in-depth study of growth and development of the young child during infancy and early childhood. Additionally, this course emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge and identification of exceptionalities. It will include observations, screen, and assessment of young children, report writing, and identifying appropriate evidence-based interventions.
This course is designed to enable the student to improve the design, construction, and validation of teacher-made tests, and to evaluate, select, administer, and interpret standardized tests for all levels of instruction. Also included is brief attention to the organization and management of schools and legal and ethical aspects of teaching.
In this course students examine emergent literacy and explore ways to encourage the development of initial literacy. A wide variety of topics pertaining to the emergent reader and writer are included. (Offered also as EDEC 5351 and EDRE 5351.)
The purpose of this course is to attain knowledge of cognitive functioning and develop skills in the cognitive assessment of children and adolescents. This course integrates the skills of administration, scoring, and interpretation of major cognitive assessment instruments (e.g., KABC-II, WISC-V, and WJ-IV COG) in the context of recent cognitive theories and research. The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Theory of Cognitive Abilities will be the primary underlying framework for interpreting test data. Also, an emphasis will be placed on a dual discrepancy model when utilizing the CHC theory of cognitive abilities. Issues of assessing culturally and linguistically diverse children and adolescents are integrated throughout the course in addition to specified lectures. (Offered also as PSYC 6305 and EPSY 6305.)
Each student works under the supervision of a certified Educational Diagnostician five days a week during regular school hours for the length of the term that the course is offered at the university.
This course is an introduction to appraisal techniques and instruments used to identify the presence or absence of a specific disability. Administration, scoring, interpretation, preparation of written reports and the development of IEPs and evidence- based interventions in psychology and education designed to promote academic skills will be taught in this course. Students must be computer literate. (Offered also as EPSY 6344 and PSYC 6344.)
This course addresses the explosion of information related to assessment in special education and to the diverse populations served by special education. It examines advanced assessment techniques currently used by educational diagnosticians. The course will focus on developing proficiency in the administration and interpretation of instruments such as the following: The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, the KABC, the Wechsler Achievement Test, the Bender Gestalt, the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, the Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Battery, the UNIT, the KABC, Adaptive Behavior Scales, and the Vineland Social Maturity Scales. Students must be computer literate.
The course examines the tension between competing philosophical theories and the construction and function of educational policy and key legal issues that govern daily and long-range decisions of special education leaders. Contemporary debates in special education policy, law, and ethical issues will be explored, and the development of educational policy and the initiation and impact that influences educational institutions are examined.
The seminar course focuses on systems for developing school-community relations and an understanding of the school district’s purposes, functions, achievements as related to the needs of stakeholders involved with special education initiatives. Best practices and relevant research involving the communication of student data and achievement results is addressed.
The course focuses on the special education leader’s role in recruiting and retaining adequate, well prepared staff trained to meet the education needs of students with individual differences. Such topics as recruitment, salary policy, tenure, leaves, contractual obligations, education, training, and academic freedom are considered.
This course guides special education professionals through the process of identifying, selecting, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practices, including procedures for scenarios when the research is insufficient. Functional and curriculum based assessment is addressed.
Candidates participate and are evaluated in an intensive study and field experience relating to positions in special education leadership.
