ECSE508: Strengthening Partnerships with Families of Children with Disabilities

Addresses family-professional partnerships in early childhood special education. Students gain knowledge, skills and dispositions to work collaboratively with diverse families to support the development and education of young children with special needs. Various models including family-focused practice and family systems theory are discussed. 3 sh.

READ500: The Nature of Reading

Examines the foundations of reading: the nature of the reading process, readiness, beginning instruction, current practices in the teaching of reading in early childhood and elementary education, a reappraisal of the role of reading in a technological society. 3 sh.

READ501: Techniques of Reading Improvement in the Secondary School

Studies the improvement of nonclinical reading difficulties in the content subjects. For the subject area teacher and the beginning reading specialist. Secondary school reading needs and specific suggestions for guiding the slow, average, and gifted student in a classroom situation. 3 sh.

SPED566: Language-Based Learning Strategies for Use in Inclusive Settings

This course presents an overall view of language development and language disorders as the basis for implementing instruction that attends to language-based learning difficulties. A major focus will be the development of instructional strategies that can be employed in inclusive classroom settings to promote learning across the curriculum. The use of metalinguistic and metacognitive strategies will be stressed. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 579.

SPED567: Instructional Planning for Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings I

This course is designed to provide educators with the skills necessary to meet the needs of students with disabilities in K-5 inclusive classrooms. Educators will learn how to use developmentally appropriate practice and universal design curriculum to enhance the learning of students who display competencies across a wide range. The major focus will be on practical techniques and strategies that can be used to provide quality instruction in inclusive settings. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 579.

SPED568: Instructional Planning for Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings II

This course will enhance the ability of future educators to provide effective planning and instruction for students with disabilities in 6-12 inclusive classrooms. Educators will learn how to apply developmentally appropriate practice and curriculum design to improve the learning of students who exhibit competencies across a wide range. The emphasis will be on practical techniques and strategies that can be utilized in an inclusive setting. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 579.

SPED579: Special Education for Students with Disabilities

An overview of instruction for students with special needs; characteristics of special populations, federal and state legislation, educational implications of disabling conditions, principles for instruction and planning for inclusion are presented; community resources and special issues related to the education of students with disabilities are discussed. 3 sh.

SPED584: Assessment and Evaluation in the Inclusive Classroom

This course is designed to be an introduction for pre-service teachers in the field of Special Education assessment and accountability. The course will introduce students to elements of traditional assessment, including record keeping, grading, objective and essay testing, theories of validity as well as authentic, performance, and portfolio assessment. The keeping of anecdotal records, inclusion, heterogeneous groups, and accommodations will also be components of this course. 2 - 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 579 and SPED 567 or 568.

SPED585: Technology for Inclusive Classrooms

The course is designed to provide educators with an understanding of how to use technology as a seamless part of the teaching and learning experience for students with disabilities in inclusive settings. Two main purposes for students with disabilities will be emphasized. Teachers will learn how to provide access to the curriculum for students with disabilities by using the principles of Universal Design for Learning as a framework for curriculum design. They will learn how to utilize technology to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities in order for them to attain maximum independence and participation in all environments. 2 - 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 567, SPED 568.

SPED586: Transition Services for Students with Disabilities

This course will focus on a Research-Based and Teacher-Tested Support Model for planning and implementing transition services for students with disabilities. Successful transition services will allow students to build the bridges toward becoming independent self advocates with the insights, skills, knowledge, and learning techniques for successful transition from school to adult life. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 567, SPED 568, SPED 579.

SPED588: Promoting Prosocial Behaviors in Inclusive Settings

This course is designed to provide future teachers with theory and practice related to the development of appropriate prosocial behaviors within inclusive classroom settings for students with disabilities. This course will focus on behavior and the developmental and environmental factors that influence its expression. Emphasis will be placed on functional analysis of behavior, how to promote appropriate behavior, and how to develop a classroom setting that fosters prosocial behaviors. Principles of social/emotional learning, social skills development as well as data collection, schedules of reinforcement monitoring progress, social problem solving, and promotion of positive behavior plans will be explored. 2 - 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 579.

SPED597: Practicum and Seminar in Teaching Students with Disabilities

This course provides students with direct experience in teaching children and adolescents with special education needs in a controlled internship program. Students learn to analyze and carry out individualized education programs developed by child study teams that will help children and adolescents with learning difficulties be successful in regular and special education settings. The emphasis is on instruction of children and adolescents with mild to moderate disabilities. In addition to 90 hours of direct instruction of children and adolescents with special needs in an approved placement, each practicum student must participate in class seminars, conferences and planning sessions. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: SPED 566, SPED 584, SPED 585, SPED 588, and permission of graduate advisor.