Special Education

Courses

SED 500: Introduction to Exceptional Learners

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the wide range of intellectual, emotional, physical, and psychological problems characterizing exceptional children and youth. Some attention is given to the nature and scope of special education programs and services, community resources, and rehabilitation.

SED 502: Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
Teachers of preschool children with special needs require specialized preparation in order to effectively provide quality services within this unique classroom setting. This course will provide students with practical application skills for classroom teaching as well as address current issues that are common to an early childhood special needs classroom.

SED 505: Behavior and Classroom Management

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course provides graduate students with the opportunity to design positive classroom management alternatives. It is a prerequisite for the student teaching experience. Students will acquire skills in a variety of areas which include: 1) Assertive Discipline, 2) Questioning and Communication Skills, 3) Motivation Strategies, 4) Cooperative Learning. A practicum is required.
Notes
Online

SED 510: Introduction to Cued Speech

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
The course is designed to prepare participants to be able to apply Cued Speech theory and demonstrate cueing and cued reading skill. This course has application for special education teachers, speech and language pathologists, audiologists, and kindergarten and first/second grade teachers using a phonics approach to teaching reading.

SED 512f: Directed Student Teaching: Learning Disabilities

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 6

This course, which integrates theory and practice, is offered as a culminating experience of the initial certification program. The 60-day course includes observation, participation and directed teaching experience in a local school. Conferences with the University supervisor and the cooperating teachers and attendance at such seminars as the ADEPT/Student Teaching Orientation are required. The student teacher will be evaluated using the state-adopted ADEPT evaluation. Students must stay in touch with their advisers. Grading is on a pass/fail basis.

Directed Student Teaching Learning Disabilities (6 hours) [Praxis II & PLT exams are prerequisite to licensure- must take before or during this term]

Notes

Grading is on a pass/fail basis. Offered during spring term and occasionally in fall term. Course fee.

SED 512g: Directed Student Teaching: Intellectual Disabilities

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 6

This course, which integrates theory and practice, is offered as a culminating experience of the initial certification program. The 60-day course includes observation, participation and directed teaching experience in a local school. Conferences with the University supervisor and the cooperating teachers and attendance at such seminars as the ADEPT/Student Teaching Orientation. The student teacher will be evaluated using the state-adopted ADEPT evaluation. Students must stay in touch with their advisers.

Directed Student Teaching Intellectual Disabilities (6 hours) [Praxis II & PLT exams are prerequisite to licensure- must take before or during this term]

Notes

Grading is on a pass/fail basis. Offered during spring term and occasionally in fall term. Course fee.

SED 521: Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
The Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorders course focuses on autism and related disorders. Students will study identification of ASD and other related disabilities; characteristics of learners with ADS; assessment for ASD; factors that affect learning development; educational intervention strategies and learning environment; foundation of communication, social interventions; and behavior management.

SED 522: Practical Adaptations and Inclusion for Students With Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
The goal for the course in practical adaptations is to support students with ASD and improve their learning. Modifications involve changes in the general education curriculum, course content, teaching strategies, manner of presentations, or timing that are needed for students with ASD in the inclusive classroom. Accommodations are applied to the curriculum and instruction and assessment. Accommodations do not change the content but rather provide ‘the extension ladder’ for students with ASD to get where they need to be. FALL TERM

SED 523: Speech, Language and Communication Development in Austim

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
Students will study speech, language and communication development such as biological bases of language development; brain development and language development; foundations of language development in domain-general skills and communicative expression; social and communicative foundations of language development; the communicative function of speech; social cognitive skills; structural abnormalities relevant to language development in autism; functional abnormalities in language processing in autism; implications of the neurobiological differences for identification and intervention.

SED 524: Behavior Management in Austim Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course introduces the causes and diagnosis of autism, scientific validation, applied behavior analysis, and ethical treatment. This course covers the application of specific behavioral teaching procedures, including prompting, reinforcement, shaping, chaining, error correction and generalization methods, and the development of instructional plans. Emphasis is place on procedures and plans to teach communication, social, self-help and per-academic skills. Application of such methods in inclusive classrooms settings is also considered.

SED 525: Methods and Practicum in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course will provide teachers and other professionals with tools and strategies to implement effective teaching practices for students with ASD. Students are inspired to become highly skilled and knowledgeable of the importance of family partnerships in the education and treatment of students with ASD, as well as the challenges and solutions for including students with marked differences in behavior, sensory needs, and communication ability. Students will master teaching aids such as web-based resources, graphic organizers, and other strategies. The most current information in the fields of evidence-based practices will be provided through the course.

SED 526: Special Education Law

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
The course features sound, practical help for keeping on top of the issues involved in the highly litigated area of special education. Teachers, educational administrators, and other professionals can learn how to ensure a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities. They will learn the legal history of special education, get information about legal developments in special education that have occurred in the courts and in the federal government, gain current legal information that will help to keep them aware of developments in this rapidly changing field, and ensure that they are armed with the information they need to develop legally correct and educationally appropriate special education programs. This course will guide professionals in developing legally sound and educationally appropriate special education programming. SPRING TERM

SED 530: Consultative Collaboration Skills Special Education Teachers

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
As the field of special education changes to incorporate the concepts of mainstreaming, inclusion, and less reliance on pull-out programs, the role of the special education teacher is being redefined. This course is designed to explore consultative collaboration, various models for its implementation, needed communication skills, effective instructional practices, and modification of instruction/materials/evaluation methods to meet the needs of students through collaborative models.

SED 534: Trends and Issues in Special Education

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course is designed for professionals involved in the education of exceptional children and for other professionals interested in this field. The course will include presentations and discussions of some of the most current topics in special education today, the more salient issues related to the topics, and developing trends and issues.

SED 550: Foundations of Education: Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
An introductory course on the history, philosophies, and current trends and issues, and models of education for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. The course focuses on the impact of deafness on the psychological, sociological and vocational development of individuals with hearing losses. It includes methods of guidance, support, and referral for parents.

SED 551: Reading Assessment and Instruction: Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
Major credit.
This course acquaints the student with the nature and problems related to reading for student who are deaf and hard of hearing. It includes topics including assessments, reading development theories, instructional practices and reading curricula designed specifically for deaf and hard of hearing students. The course involves a three-hour clinical.
Prerequisites
SED 550
Notes
Offered Fall Term.

SED 552: American Sign Language I

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This introductory American Sign Language (ASL) course develops knowledge and skills for reading and executing a basic vocabulary of manual signs and finger spelling. The use of ASL conceptual signs within the framework of the ASL grammar system is also emphasized. The course includes a study of the cultural aspects of the Deaf community. The course includes a five-hour clinical.

SED 553: Audiology and Spoken Language Development

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
An introduction to the fundamentals of hearing, hearing disorders, and the administration and interpretation of tests for auditory acuity. Emphasis is focused on the physics of sound, physical characteristics of the speech and hearing mechanisms, and the pathology, etiology, and treatment of hearing loss. This includes practical preparation in the use and care of hearing aids and amplification systems.

SED 560: Augmentative Communication: Language Intervention Strategies for the Intellectually and Physically Disabled

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course is designed to acquaint the student with methods and materials to enhance and elicit interactive communication with handicapped students. This course introduces methods, materials, and techniques for engineering an interactive symbolic communication classroom. The student will learn about current trends, technology, and software.

SED 561: Language Development & Disabilities

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course acquaints the prospective teacher in Learning Disabilities and Intellectual Disabilities with knowledge of: typical and atypical language development; the influence of culture in ways of communicating and behaving; strategies to enhance language development and communication skills for students with disabilities; and strategies and resources that facilitate understanding of subject matter for individuals with exceptional learning needs whose primary language is not English, or for students who require alternative and augmentative communication system(s).
Recommended
SED 500

SED 576: Assessment of Exceptional Learners

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course is required for all students majoring in special education and deals with the wide variety of individual and group tests designed to assess children with intellectual, learning, emotional, and hearing disabilities.
Notes
Online

SED 583: Characteristics of Diverse Learners

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course addresses characteristics, nature and needs that distinguish individuals with mild, moderate and severe disabilities. Focus is on definitions, associated learner characteristics, Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and instructional provisions for individuals with intellectual disabilities, learning and emotional disabilities, students at risk, those with cultural and linguistic differences, autism spectrum disorder and traumatic brain injury.

SED 595: Introduction to Learning Disabilities

Class Program
Special Education
Credits 3
This course is a study of learning disabilities affecting the educational development of the exceptional child. Emphasis is placed on the definition of, identification and classification of, theories of, and educational approaches to specific learning disabilities.
Prerequisites
SED 500