Program Content: Five Year Teacher Education Program
Special Education Major
The 5 Year Teacher Education Program's Special Education Major consists of required courses in the following areas:
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Core Courses
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Specialization Courses
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Courses for Performance Assessment
Individuals in the Multicategorical Special Education Program Grades 5-Adult are also required to earn a content endorsement for special educators in the academic content area(s) in which they are assigned to teach.
Core Courses
SPED 304 |
Contemporary Issues in Special Education |
Overview of special education principles and practices, interactions between disability and diversity in identification and intervention, and influences of family, professional, school, and community infrastructures on educational programs and outcomes for children and adults. *This course is required of ALL teacher education candidates. |
SPED 360 |
Differentiating Instruction |
<Individualized, data-based decision making process in the organization, adaptation, and implementation of methods, materials, and curriculum for students with special needs. *This course is required of ALL teacher education candidates. |
Specialization Courses
| SPED 363 | Characteristics of Students with Special Needs | Learning and behavior characteristics of children and adolescents with mild disabilities; identification of academic learning needs; individual education programs and individualized instructional programming; assistive technology and other adaptations. |
SPED 364 |
Educational Programming for Students with Special Needs |
Curriculum planning and instructional program design for students with mild disabilities at elementary and secondary school levels; evidence-based practice in special and inclusive classrooms; lesson planning, implementation and evaluation. |
| SPED 402 | Educational Assessment for Students with Special Needs | Assessment of students with mild/moderate disabilities, including selection and administration of standardized assessment instruments and informal assessments, and interpretation and utilization of data and reports for instructional planning and implementation. |
| SPED 403 | Behavior Support for Students with Special Needs | Functional assessment, applied behavior analysis and cognitive behavior modification, with emphasis on practical applications in the classroom and other school settings. |
| SPED 463 | Collaborative-Consultative Inclusion Strategies | Communication and group process skills for collaborating with other professionals serving students with mild/moderate disabilities in inclusive school settings. |
| SPED 667 | Elementary Content Methods: Special Needs | Design and implementation of data-based, strategic, instructional interventions in reading, mathematics and written expression for students with mild/moderate disabilities. |
| SPED 668 | Secondary Content Methods: Special Needs | Planning and delivering research-based intervention in core content areas to address content standards and learning needs and development and implementation of transition plans for students with mild/moderate disabilities. |
Courses for Performance Assessment
| EDUC 612 | Professional Internship | Clinical experience with children with mild/moderate disabilities in an elementary setting. |
| EDUC 607 | Instructional Practicum | Clinical experience with adolescents with mild/moderate disabilities in a secondary setting. |