ED: Special Education (EDSE)

Prerequisite: EDSE 531. This course prepares special education teacher candidates to apply evidence -based teaching and assessment practices for the instruction of Virginia Mathematics Standards of Learning (SOL) content strands at the elementary and secondary levels to students with disabilities.

Prerequisite: EDSE 531. This course provides an overview of the design, development, integration, and evaluation of assistive and instructional technologies and associated instructional strategies. Ethical and legal issues, communicating and accessing information, evaluating hardware/software, conducting assistive technology evaluations, and meeting the needs of diverse learners are reflected in course projects.

Prerequisite or corequisite: EDSE 531 or EDSE 250. This course provides an introduction to instructional strategies and organization of activities, including Universal Design for Learning, curriculum, media, materials, and physical environment for students in grades 6-12 accessing the general Standards of Learning curriculum. Candidates will develop skills to plan and deliver instruction in a variety of educational settings such as inclusive classrooms, resource rooms and self-contained classes. A continued focus will be on assessing and monitoring student performance, adapting instructional interventions based upon students’ response to intervention, and selecting evidence-based practices that have the greatest likelihood of success. Field experience required.

Co-requisite: EDSE 521. This course focuses on legal and regulatory requirements of special education eligibility processes and individual education programs for students with disabilities accessing the general curriculum. Topics include educational needs of students with disabilities in the general curriculum, instructional planning, individualized education planning, transition, collaboration, and co-teaching. Field experience required.

Prerequisite or corequisite: EDSE 531 or EDSE 250. This course focuses on the characteristics of students with mild disabilities and the application of elementary school curriculum through teaching and learning models for general and special education. This course allows the prospective teacher to explore and develop ways to adapt curriculum and accommodate students with disabilities in a variety of educational settings. Topics include characteristics and educational needs of students with disabilities who are accessing the general curriculum, instructional planning, individualized educational planning, mathematics education, assessment and evaluation techniques, and the use of assistive technology. Field experience required. Student enrolled in the 5-year Special Education pathway must take EDSE 250 as a prerequisite.

The study of language development provides a context for understanding and diagnosing language and reading problems. Topics include normal and abnormal language development patterns, basic reading skills, explicit phonics instruction, multisensory structured language programs, comprehension, assessment and evaluation, and effective language, reading and writing instructional strategies for students with disabilities. Field experience is required. Cross listed as EDSE 421.

This course presents an overview of the historical basis and regulatory requirements related to special education, including the individualized education program (IEP) as a legal document and the rights and responsibilities of parents, teachers, and schools. The characteristics of learners with disabilities and their educational and medical implications are also examined, as well as the cultural, familial, and ethical issues involved.

Prerequisite or corequisite: EDSE 531 or EDSE 250. This course focuses on how to utilize a variety of positive behavior management strategies within the classroom to increase the learning of students with emotional disturbance, learning disabilities and autism. Applied behavior analysis provides the basis for the implementation of systematic classroom and individual behavior management plans. Intervention in crisis situations is also addressed.

Prerequisite: EDSE 531, EDSE 541, EDSE 515. This course examines a variety of formal and informal approaches to assessing and evaluating student learning and behavior. Experiences are provided in selecting, administering, and interpreting norm-referenced, criterion referenced, and curriculum-based measures; participating in eligibility decisions and response to intervention programs; developing instructional plans; and monitoring the progress of students with disabilities in the K-12 setting. Cross listed as EDSE 434.

Prerequisite or corequisite: EDSE 531 or EDSE 250. This course is designed to enhance collaboration, consultation, and communication skills as they relate to working with other teachers and professionals, assisting others in working effectively with students with exceptionalities, and involving families in the education of their children with disabilities. The course also emphasizes coordination with community agencies, other professionals, and the family to plan for life transitions, including self-advocacy, post- secondary training, career development, and life skills

This course will teach educators about the disabilities under the category of Autism Spectrum Disorders, with an emphasis on autism, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified. This course will include a discussion of the core behavioral and secondary characteristics, as well as the known physiological components associated with these disorders. Students will learn about the prevalence as well as the common theories on etiologies. Dual diagnoses, co-morbidity, along with medical issues will also be discussed. Additionally, a review of the characteristics across the lifespan, from infancy and childhood through adulthood, will be provided. Family concerns and considerations will be discussed in the context of age, development, and need for support.

This course teaches educators how to review assessment date to choose and implement effective teaching strategies and curricula for students with autism spectrum disorders. This course reviews current reserach-based strategies used to support students with autism in the areas of communication, sensory issues, social skills, and academic learning. Interventions convered include structured teaching, social skill development, aspects of applied behavior analysis, language/communication interventions, and sensory integration. Educators gain exposure to various curricula to support students in these areas.

Prerequisite or corequisite: EDSE 531 or EDSE 250. This course provides an examination of characteristics of students across a variety of disability categories who have cognitive or adaptive skill needs which require participation in the adapted curriculum. Medical, sensory, positioning, and communication needs are addressed. Person-centered planning and social skill development are also discussed in relation to current and historical trends and legal issues.

This course provides an understanding of service delivery models, curriculum, and instructional methods employed in teaching students who require an adapted curriculum. Planning and implementing academic, functional, and behavioral instruction in alignment with IEP goals and the aligned/essentialized curriculum standards for students of all ages is emphasized. Additional topics include collaboration with families and professionals, classroom structure, social skills intervention, and use of augmented and assistive technology.

This course focuses on new and current educational trends in special education. (May be repeated for credit with a change in topic and faculty permission).

This is the capstone experience of the Special Education Initial Licensure Five Year Pathway. The prospective special education teacher is challenged to blend personal and educational experience to teach in the classroom under the mentorship of a skillful practicing teacher. The internship is a 14-week field-based teaching experience in two different special education settings and grade levels. Self-analysis and reflection on planned and implemented instruction, and conferencing the mentor teacher and university supervisor are prominent aspects of the experience. Prospective teachers meet as a group throughout the experience for seminars and workshops. The experience and seminars are designed to assist the teacher candidate with performance of the required program standards and competencies, which must be demonstrated to successfully complete the special education initial licensure program.

Prerequisite: EDSE 534, EDSE 521, EDSE 515, EDCI 526, EDCI 527, and EDSE 541 or EDSE 505. This capstone course introduces M.Ed. candidates to scholarly research and writing in the field of special education. Students will develop research proposals, research questions, and review and synthesize related literature. Once a research proposal is approved, students will secure IRB approval, conduct a research study, and report on research findings.