SPEC 504 Introduction to Manual Communications (3 Credits)

This course is intended to orient the prospective special education teacher to an introduction to manual communication. The student is expected to achieve an understanding of the rationale for considering manual communication techniques for hearing impaired individuals and other handicapped individuals. The course explores the use of auditory training, speech reading and a variety of manual communication procedures. A rudimentary proficiency in the skill of communicating manually is a prime goal of this course.

SPEC 505 Working with Families of Students with Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course covers values, traditions, and experiences of families from a variety of racial and socioeconomic groups and how cultural/racial differences may enhance educator-parent communication. Candidates learn to effectively support parents in managing their children and youth in home and community while empowering parents to advocate for them at school.

SPEC 506 Multicultural Education for Special Education (3 Credits)

This course deals with issues that impact inclusive education in an urban milieu. It reviews ethnic and socioeconomic issues which impact a student and his or her family's ability to function adequately in an urban educational environment. Assessment and instruction in a multi-ethnic environment, are central to the course.

SPEC 508 Helping Exceptional Children and Youth in the Inclusive Classroom (3 Credits)

This course involves the identification of students struggling to learn with and without disabilities. It emphasizes methods that address all learners and includes collaboration with pupil-personnel service providers for the support of students requiring specialized instruction. Special methods and materials for use in general education are explored.

UG Pre-Requisite(s): 3.00 CGPA, and Passing Scores on the Praxis Tests (Core Academic Skills in Reading, Writing and Mathematics)

SPEC 531 Introduction to Early Childhood and Special Education in Multiple Setting (3 Credits)

This course is about inclusion in the lives of young children in multicultural settings and the implications for teachers. Teacher candidates learn the laws that relate to young children classified as disabled or at-risk for developmental delays. Different types of inclusive early childhood programs are presented and examined. Developmental disabilities, sensory impairments, physical disabilities and health problems are studied.

SPEC 600 Introduction to Learning Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course introduces theories of the nature and causes of learning disabilities in a historical perspective as well as behavioral, cognitive, and neurological indicators. Candidates teach, reflect, and analyze pedagogy using intervention approaches that include technology while applying theories of learning in relation to learning outcomes and teacher effectiveness.

SPEC 601 Assistive Technology in Special Education (3 Credits)

SPEC 603 Curriculum Modifications for Teaching Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Students (3 Credits)

Candidates learn to modify teaching for diverse learners including culturally and/or linguistically diverse students. The process of second language acquisition is discussed. Methods include materials selection, alternate assessments measures for culturally and linguistically diverse students, assistive technology, and working with families in the educational process.

SPEC 605 Introduction to Education and Psychology of Exceptional Children and Youth (3 Credits)

This course provides an overview of the needs of exceptional children and youth. Candidates research how poverty may impact health, the brain and the environment, development, and learning while differentiating between poverty and disability. Multicultural and bilingual issues, assistive technology, and Universal Design for Learning are discussed.

SPEC 606 LIfespan Assessment in the Care and Education of the Handicapped (3 Credits)

This course trains students in the principles of educational and psychological testing for handicapped children and adults. Opportunities for practice in the administration, scoring, and evaluation of tests are provided. Emphasis is on the interpretation of psychological and educational tests and the implementation of their findings in the education of individuals with disabilities.

SPEC 607 Counseling,Vocational Guidance, and Rehabilitation Services for the Handicapped (3 Credits)

This course meets the needs of teachers of the handicapped in the field of counseling and guidance. Attention is directed toward the development of skills and the acquisition of knowledge necessary for effective vocational-educational counseling and the rehabilitation of the physically, mentally, and emotionally handicapped. Emphasis is placed on the development of broad understanding of human behavior, together with skill in the techniques of vocational appraisal and counseling. Teachers gain a thorough knowledge of available resources at the state and local levels and the development of a philosophy for proper use of these resources in facilitating the vocational rehabilitation of the handicapped.

SPEC 608 Fieldwork Exp.Multc.Se Setting (3 Credits)

SPEC 609 Nature and Needs of the Multiply Handicapped (3 Credits)

This course is designed for teachers of the child with multiple handicaps. Etiology, care, education, social and emotional implications of conditions involving cerebral palsy, deaf-blind, seizure disorders, orthopedic, and other health problems studied and discussed.

SPEC 613 Summer Institute Effective Transition Practices (3 Credits)

SPEC 614 Effective Transition for Students with Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course requires students to develop effective Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in accordance with the student's interests, preferences, strengths, and abilities. Students will also visit three adult agencies that provide service to individuals with disabilities. Students are expected to observe, interview, and reflect on their experiences.

SPEC 616 Teaching High-Functioning Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum (3 Credits)

In this course, participants will be introduced to academic and social challenges of high-functioning children and youth with autism. Students will become familiar with key features of this population, such as language, social interaction, motor issues, restricted interests, and emotional vulnerability. Specific interventions will be introduced.

SPEC 619 Nature & Needs of Multi Handicapped (3 Credits)

SPEC 620 Early Childhood Special Education Curriculum and Program Development I (3 Credits)

This course focuses on developmentally appropriate curriculum that provides for all areas of child development: physical, emotional, social and cognitive, through an integrated approach. The development of appropriate curriculum and instruction including technology, inclusive practices, and work with families especially those that are culturally and linguistically diverse is emphasized.

SPEC 621 Symbolic Systems Including Strategies Alleviating Impact of Disabilities on Linguistic Processes (3 Credits)

This course involves study of the development of meaningful representation in young children, including visual and alphabetic literacy, written and numeric symbols. the emergent use and understanding of literacy is studied. Teacher candidates will examine materials and methods appropriate for promoting and assessing symbol development in young children.

SPEC 627 Special Education Internship (5 Credits)

Student teaching for special educators is a full-semester supervised teaching experience in public or private school settings and designed as the culmination of the preparation for teaching. The graduate student is expected engage in responsible teaching activities under the supervision of a cooperating teacher and a University supervisor. The experience starts with observation and participation and gradually incorporates expanded teaching responsibilities until full-time teaching is achieved.

SPEC 628 Inclusive Internship Seminar (1 Credit)

Candidates attend this weekly seminar to share, analyze, and evaluate their teaching experiences. Candidates help find solutions to problems they face and successfully complete the State's Performance Assessment.

SPEC 629 Teaching the Student with Autism Spectrum Disorders in School and at Home (3 Credits)

This course links educators and parents in partnership and provides a practical guide for professionals, particularly teachers, to understand the unique nature of autism spectrum disorders. Suggested approaches, including the use of assistive technology for teaching learners with autism are the principal focus.

SPEC 630 Psychology of Significant Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course introduces the student to the field of moderate to severe developmental disabilities. The nature of significant developmental disabilities, historical approaches, and sociological and psychological theory are emphasized. Students develop an understanding of the various approaches to intervention and design lesson plans that focus on teaching individuals with significant developmental disabilities.

SPEC 631 Advanced Procedures for Teaching Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course focuses on the environment, strategies, and methods that students with intellectual and moderate to severe developmental disabilities require to learn. Opportunity is given for candidates to reflect and analyze teaching of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to plan instruction.

SPEC 632 Seminar In Intellectual Disabilities (3 Credits)

Studies of current and new theories and research with regard to individuals with intellectual disabilities in society and institutions are explored. Attitudes and beliefs are discussed. Candidates engage in qualitative research in through field observations and structured interviews.

SPEC 634 Teaching the Learning Disabled Adolescent (3 Credits)

This course offers a concise overview of the field of learning disabilities and more specifically addresses itself to the educational, personal, and social needs of secondary level learning disabled pupils. Placing the emphasis in teaching on maximizing the use of the skills and abilities adolescents demonstrate rather than emphasizing the remediation of skills that normally are mastered in the elementary school is stressed.

SPEC 640 Emotional and Behavior Disorders in Children and Youth (3 Credits)

Building trust and community is the background for explicit social/emotional learning in the education of students with emotional and behavioral maladjustments. They provide the theoretical and experiential emotional background for preventing discipline problems and implementing effective positive interventions, positive behavior supports and other techniques. School-wide approaches to discipline are emphasized.

SPEC 641 Disturbed, Disturbing, and Disruptive Adolescents (3 Credits)

This course offers a consideration children and youth with social and/ emotional handicaps in the special setting. Identification, treatment, and educational planning for behaviorally disordered and/or delinquent children and youth are discussed. Attention is given to the emotionally disturbed child in regular class setting. Opportunities are provided for observation of such children in learning situations.

SPEC 646 Administration of Special Education (3 Credits)

SPEC 648 Language Skills in Early Childhood (3 Credits)

In this course, language and speech development, disorders, ways teachers can help students improve these skills, and a variety of other topics concerning language and speech skills will be discussed. Suggestions will be given concerning how teachers can help improve the communication environment of students throughout the early childhood years.

SPEC 651 Advanced Procedures Teaching Perceptual Impaired & Neurological Impaired (3 Credits)

This course focuses on advanced techniques and procedures for teaching the neurologically and/or perceptually impaired child. An analysis of teaching procedures is undertaken to suggest optimal ways of presenting learning tasks to children with minimal cerebral dysfunction. Meeting the needs of the child, physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually are a prime objective of procedures reviewed. The student undertakes a thorough understanding etiology, associated conditions of impairment, procedures for evaluating disabilities, and teaching procedures to enhance learning.

SPEC 654 Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education (3 Credits)

In this course students examine the history, philosophy, legal perspectives, and research that underlie early childhood special education. As an introductory course, students become familiar with terminology, current trends, and issues related to the field. Students acquire knowledge of how young children differ in their development and as individual children. Students build on their knowledge of cultural and inguistic diversity and methods of assisting families with child development concerns.

SPEC 656 Curriculum Planning for Young Children with Disabilities (3 Credits)

No course description available at time of print.

SPEC 660 Medical, Emotional and Social Implications of the Visually Handicapped (3 Credits)

This course offers a study of the visually handicapped. Medical aspects with their concomitant social and emotional implications are explored. Study is given to physiology of the eye, etiology, treatment, and prognosis of eye disorders.

SPEC 662 Advanced Procedures Teaching Visually Handicapped (3 Credits)

SPEC 663 Interdisciplinary Assessmt of Children and Family (3 Credits)

The knowledge of an assessment system is an important knowledge base of early childhood/special education educators. Partnerships, cultural diversity, appropriate early intervention assessment, and linking curriculum to assessment practices are a few of the important aspects of assessment. Thorough knowledge of child development, knowledge of formal and informal assessment variables, consultations with parents, as well as portfolio and authentic assessment are required competencies for the professional early childhood/ special education educator. Early childhood assessment decisions impact infants, young children, and their families for life.

SPEC 667 Managing Severely and Profoundly Challenging Behavior in Children at Risk and with Disabilities (3 Credits)

Students are presented with methods used to prevent and treat behavior problems in children who are at risk or who have existing developmental disabilities. Emphasis is on the applied behavior analysis and functional analysis approaches to modifying behavior. Curricular approaches to controlling severe behavior problems are explored within applied behavior analysis/functional analysis frameworks. The subject matter is of strong concern for graduate students in special education and for teachers whose students include children with disabilities.

SPEC 668 Field Experience & Seminar in Muticultural Early Childhood Settings (3 Credits)

Students visit a variety of early childhood special education settings serving young children with special needs and their families. Students work with various educators and specialists in intervention and inclusion programs. This course combines field experiences in early childhood special education settings with a seminar approach relating theory and research to practice.

SPEC 669 Developing Communication Skills in Atypical Learners (3 Credits)

This course focuses on speech/language as it develops in the typical child and disorders associated with various disabilities. Symptomatology, diagnosis, and therapeutic approaches to ameliorate speech/language difficulties are explored, as is the use of a wide variety of supportive technologies. Candidates observe and/or work with a learner with communication difficulties.

SPEC 670 Remediation of Learning Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course familiarizes candidates with a wide range of remediation approaches in all areas of academics: reading, written language, and mathematics. This course also assists candidates in developing skills, which allow them to choose the appropriate strategies or interventions for specific academic problems.

SPEC 671 Therapeutic Interventions for the Learning Disabled Child (3 Credits)

This course focuses on issues of self-esteem and social skills of individuals with disabilities. It familiarizes the student with definitions and theories of self-esteem and social skills development, and discusses the impact of learning difficulties on social skill development. Methods of assessing social skills and interventions designed to ameliorate social skill deficits are major aspects of this course.

SPEC 672 Physiological and Learning Factors in the Education of Children with Disabilities (3 Credits)

The relationship of neurological and physiological growth to psychological learning factors pertaining to the education of individuals with disabilities is presented. An understanding of the relationship of mind to brain, and the biological parameters, which may dictate a student's performance in the classroom, are integral aspects of this course. Pediatric and neurological examinations, the relevance of medical data to learning disorders and controversies, attention deficits, and other factors complicating classroom performance are presented.

SPEC 673 Function on the Child Study Team (3 Credits)

This course focuses on the members of the child study team and their roles as members of the team. Review of special education laws pertaining to the positions, school psychologist, school social worker, and learning disabilities teacher-consultant is a central aspect of this course. Emphasis is on a collaborative approach among professionals functioning as a team.

SPEC 674 Interpersonal and Consultation Techniques in Special Education (3 Credits)

This course serves the training needs of special educators who must function as resource persons to the larger school community. It develops in learning disability specialists, resource teachers, and other special education personnel, the communication skills necessary to advise and consult effectively regarding learning and behavioral problems. Through a didactic-experiential approach, the course considers the consultant role itself in the modern school. Problems of communication within a complex social structure, the nature of evaluative information and its communication, translating prescriptive programming and behavior management data into effective therapeutic intervention, modes of intervention, group process in consultation; communication with home community and other disciplines provide the focus for this course.

SPEC 675 Corrective Techniques for Teaching the Exceptional Student (3 Credits)

This course emphasizes analysis of educational asks and preparation of instructional objectives and sequences for students with disabilities and others requiring extra supports. Lesson plan-ning, task analysis, and unit planning are discussed. Preparation of remedial materials and specialized techniques for correction of learning differences is included.

SPEC 678 Behavior Interventions for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (3 Credits)

In this course, participants are introduces to behavior management methods used in the field for children and youth with ASD. Students will analyze the research pertaining to interventions used in the field to assist these individuals in avoiding behavioral challenges that impact negatively on academic and social success.

Pre-Requisite(s): SPEC 605 and SPEC 640

SPEC 679 Classroom Management/Classroom Behavior and Positive Behavior Supports (3 Credits)

Classroom management includes organizational, behavioral, social and environmental parameters. Teacher candidates need to know how to design, structure, and manage daily routines including transition time. Teacher candidates relate child development theories to young children with disabilities. Teacher candidates learn how to define target behaviors and teach replacement behaviors. Ways that technology, including assistive technology, can assist with management of teaching and learning are stressed.

SPEC 680 Seminar Special Education: Trends/Issues/Research (3 Credits)

This course offers an appraisal of current problems, issues, and trends, as well as research in the broad area of special education and how these relate to the training and teaching of the exceptional child. Intensive study is given to major developments in the field of special education.

SPEC 681 Teaching Social-Communication Skills to Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (3 Credits)

This course will provide teachers with a framework for applying knowledge of current theoretical perspectives on autism to their ongoing treatment efforts to promote social-communication abilities in children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Application of this knowledge base to educational practice will be emphasized.

SPEC 686 Scholarship of Teaching (3 Credits)

This research course is designed to enable special education teachers to pursue sustained inquiry into their own teaching practices and student learning. Teachers will develop and defend an action research proposal. This course is required in the Master of Arts in Special Education program.

Pre-Requisite(s): MATH 604 and LTED 646 and SPEC 603 and SPEC 610 and SPEC 680

SPEC 690 Field Experience in Special Education (3 Credits)

This course is a required course for the Master of Arts in Teaching Program in Special Education. This course includes 45 hours of field experience working with exceptional learners. Candidates who are already teaching may use their classroom for field experience. Others will work in schools with priority given to partnership districts. In addition, all candidates in the course are required to attend two seminars during the field experience.

SPEC 691 Research Seminar in Special Education (3 Credits)

This is a basic course in research methodology for the behavioral sciences. It draws on the periodical literature in special education to develop students' skills as consumers of research in that field, and further provides training in the principles and practices of educational research to enable students to plan and carry out self-generated inquiries, and to prepare findings in thesis/project form. An academic base for the thesis/project terminal option is provided.

SPEC 692 Successful Collaboration and Inclusion in the Early Childhood Years/Universal Design (MAT) (3 Credits)

This course provides practical information for collaborating and co-teaching for early childhood and special educators. It includes planning and implementing developmentally appropriate experiences and materials for the classroom. Instructional approaches based on Universal Design for Learning are also emphasized as is the use of supportive instructional and assistive technology.

SPEC 693 Inclusion (3 Credits)

This course requires students to observe a variety of inclusive situations (i.e. fully inclusive schools, inclusion of students with moderate/severe disabilities, in-class support, consultative inclusion models). Students are expected to observe, interview, and reflect on their experiences. Course Pre-Requisites or Co-Re-Requisites: This is a Tier 3 course. Courses should be taken sequentially; therefore, all courses included in Tier 1 and Tier 2 should be taken prior to this course.

Pre-Requisite(s): TIER I: SPEC 603, LTED 646, MATH 604 and TIER 2: SPEC 610, SPEC 614, SPEC 680.

SPEC 695 Independent Study in Special Education (1 Credit)

This course offers the student additional time to conduct research under supervision. It is possible for the student to complete a satisfactory thesis or expanded terminal project by taking this course.

SPEC 697 Diagnose Children with Learning Disabilities (3 Credits)

This course familiarizes the student with the causes, types, diagnosis, and remediation of children with learning disabilities. A major part of the course consists of demonstrations of tests appropriate for use in diagnosing learning disabilities in children from the educational standpoint. All areas of learning are studied with an emphasis on the causes of learning disabilities in children. Time is provided to study factors, which affect learning such as motivation, perception, interests, and concept development.

Pre-Requisite(s): Department Consent

SPEC 698 Practicum in Learning Disabilities I: Diagnosis (3 Credits)

This course allows students to implement and practice, with supervision, material related to the diagnosis and remediation of learning problems in children, adolescents, and adults. Opportunities to utilize educational testing material are provided. Students are expected to diagnose learning problems, write diagnostic reports, recommend remedial strategies, and implement those strategies in clinical and educational settings. Students interpret the results of evaluation and remediation to parents and other professionals. Students fulfill 75 hours of clock time.

SPEC 699 Practicum in Learning Disabilities II: Remediation (3 Credits)

This course allows the student to further practice and implement skills of diagnosis and remediation of learning problems in children and adolescents. Part of the focus is to use diagnostic information to implement and inform remediation of learning problems and to create individualized educational plans based on the information generated through diagnostic teaching.

SPEC 700 Adults with Learning Disabilities (3 Credits)

Learning Disabilities present lifelong challenges. Problems and issues of employment and education at the post-secondary level that face adults with learning disabilities are the focus of this course. Biographies of adults with learning disabilities are studied. Topics include characteristics of adults with learning disabilities as well as issues relating to assessment, employment, public policy, and the justice system. This course is designed to be a mid-program course in the Master’s degree program in Special Education with the Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant Certification. It is also designed to be a prerequisite for Practicum in Learning Disabilities III: Adults.

SPEC 702 Cognition, Motivation, and Instructional Practice (3 Credits)

Core developmental issues, assessment techniques and practical instructional strategies are studied in the context of various learning theories and theories of motivation. Candidates study appropriate and inappropriate uses of tests and test results, interpret assessment data, apply learning theories and determine appropriate instruction.

Pre-Requisite(s): SPEC 600, SPEC 605, SPEC 606, SPEC 640, SPEC 675 and Department Permission.