SPECIAL EDUCATION (SPE)

 

 

SPE        401/501                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Learners with Exceptional Needs and Abilities

Knowledge of exceptional educational need areas defined by state and federal law; knowledge of the major characteristics of the disability areas, the various alternatives for providing the least restrictive environment, the methods of teaching pupils with EEN in the regular classroom and knowledge of referral systems, IEP teams and the individualized education plan process. Prerequisites: junior standing and admission to teacher education.

 

SPE        417/517                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Understanding Emotional Disturbance: Educational Perspectives

Students will develop background knowledge related to identification and education of children and adolescents who are classified as emotionally disturbed. Topics include the history of the field, treatment, causal factors, characteristics, psychological and educational classification, and models of intervention. Prerequisite: admission to teacher education or teacher certification.

 

SPE        418/518                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Mental Retardation

Study of mental retardation covering various syndromes, and their etiology, taking into consideration genetic factors, the physical environment, and the psychological environment. This course will also cover theoretical approaches to mental retardation and a brief overview of the services available. Fieldwork required.

 

SPE        420/520                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Learning Disabilities Theory, Assessment and Intervention

This course is designed to increase understanding of individuals who are classified as learning disabled. Students will (1) learn and evaluate information about the nature of learning disabilities; (2) learn assessment approaches and methods; (3) learn interventions and intervention approaches; and (4) study ways that schools organize programs and approaches for teaching students identified as learning disabled. Prerequisite: admission to teacher education or teacher certification.

 

SPE        424/524                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Classroom and Behavior Management

This course is designed to increase understanding of instructional practices for managing classroom behavior. Students will learn techniques for preventing behavior problems and for intervening when problems do occur. Prerequisites: admission to teacher education.

 

SPE        425/525                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Psychological Principles of Teaching Children with Learning and Behavior Problems

Consideration of the principles of psychology and learning applied to teaching children with learning and behavior problems. Emphasis for this course is on the survey of behavior management techniques and successful academic programming strategies for children with exceptional educational needs applied in the regular elementary teaching setting. Individualization of instruction, program planning and evaluation are some areas of specific study and concern. Prerequisites: elementary education major and completion of PSY 310, 370.

 

SPE        428/528                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Emotional Disturbance: Educational Assessment and Intervention

This course is designed to teach assessment, identification and program planning procedures for elementary and middle school-aged students who are identified as emotionally disturbed. Students will learn teaching strategies that have been found to be effective with students identified as emotionally disturbed. Prerequisites: admission to the special education certification program, SPE 417 and SPE 424.

  

SPE        430/530                                                                                                                             Cr. 1

Seminar in Professional Practices in Special Education

A course designed to coordinate and facilitate the professional development of students who are enrolled in the special education certification program. Students should enroll in the course in the semester immediately following their admission to the certification program and should continue in the seminar until they have completed the program. The seminar will include the following topics and activities: 1) lectures, presentations, demonstrations, and media presentations on current professional topics; 2) group planning and problem solving activities related to students’ progress through the program; 3) assessment activities to monitor students’ progress; 4) assistance with students’ professional decision making and placement; and 5) opportunities for student feedback regarding the program. Prerequisite: admission to special education certification program.

 

SPE        431/531                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Language Development and Disorders

This course provides an overview of stages of normal language development from infancy through later adolescence. It emphasizes the language factors that are relevant to the lives of individuals with various handicapping conditions. Assessment and intervention strategies focus on the analysis and modification of context variables, with special attention to the effects of language on academic and social learning. Prerequisite: admission to the teacher education program or teacher certification.

 

SPE        440/540                                                                                                                             Cr. 2

Collaboration with Parents, Community Agencies and Teachers

A course designed for teachers preparing to work as members of educational teams (teachers, parents, administrators, paraprofessionals, agencies and families) to create opportunities for collaborative problem solving. Prerequisite: admission to teacher education.

 

SPE        445/545                                                                                                                             Cr. 2

Relating K-12 Schooling to Life: Careers, Work and Community Living

This course is designed to help teachers acquire knowledge and develop skills and strategies that will help them to make school learning more relevant to life outside of and after K-12 school. Students will study and evaluate developmental career and vocational education, transition, and education for employment programs and approaches. Course emphasis is on development of educational approaches and programs for students who experience difficulty with traditional academic learning in schools. Prerequisite: admission to teacher education or teacher certification.

 

SPE        452/552                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Individual Educational Assessment

The study of assessment processes, techniques and systems useful for planning and implementing educational interventions with students who are experiencing learning and/or behavior problems in school. Assessment methods studied in the course are particularly applicable for students classified as mildly handicapped and often identified as learning disabled, emotionally disturbed or mildly cognitively disabled. Prerequisite: admission to special education certification program.

 

SPE        453/553                                                                                                                             Cr. 3

Teaching Students with Learning Problems/Disabilities

This course studies the development and implementation of effective instructional practices for teaching students who have difficulty learning, collaborative practices for teaching academic skills to students who are identified as learning disabled. Content considered includes: 1) models for educational intervention; 2) identification and organization of content to be learned; 3) using assessment information to plan instruction; 4) planning and implementing educational interventions; and 5) monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. Prerequisite: admission to special education certification program.

 

SPE        481                                                                                                                                     Cr. 3

Student Teaching: Emotional Disturbance

Student teaching in emotional disturbance is a half-day, full semester experience. Students are placed in state approved special education-emotional disturbance programs to demonstrate ability to meet a series of stated competencies. Students work under the immediate supervision of a university supervisor. Prerequisites: recommendation by special education faculty, 3.00 grade point average, successful completion of elementary/middle student teaching in general education, SPE 417, 425, 428, 440, and 452.

 

SPE        482                                                                                                                                     Cr. 3

Student Teaching: Learning Disabilities

Student teaching in learning disabilities is a half-day, full semester experience. Students are placed in state approved special education-learning disabilities programs to demonstrate ability to meet a series of stated competencies. Students work under the immediate supervision of a university supervisor. Prerequisites: recommendation by special education faculty, 3.00 grade point average, successful completion of elementary/middle student teaching in general education, SPE 420, 425, 440, 452, and 453.

 

SPE        490/590                                                                                                                             Cr. 1-4

Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth

This course is composed of four independent teaching modules to teach knowledge, skills, and attitudes useful for teaching exceptional children and youth in the regular education setting. Modules included are: (1) Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth: Legal and Procedural Aspects (Section 1); (2) Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth: Characteristics, Identification, Assessment, and Programming (Section 2); (3) Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth: Teaching Strategies (Section 3); and (4) Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth: Field Placement (Section 4). Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

  

SPE        499                                                                                                                                     Cr. 1-3

Individual Study

Reading and research in an area of student interest under the direction of an education instructor. Open to elementary and secondary education students with excellent records. Admission by consent of instructor, adviser and department chair. Repeatable for credit — maximum 3.