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Course Descriptions |
| EDUC 542 Fundamentals of Special Education - 4.50 credits |
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| This course provides an overview of the essentials of special education for today's teachers. Specific emphasis is placed on; the history of special education, purposes of formal and informal assessments and current research on inclusive classrooms. Additional focus will be placed on legal/ethical considerations in testing and the translation of data. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 544 The Inclusive Classroom - 4.50 credits |
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| The focus of this course is to teach teachers how to manage instruction for students with diverse learning and behavioral profiles in the inclusive classroom by examining normal and abnormal cognitive, physical, social, behavioral and language development of children. The course will address curricular, environmental and instructional adaptations in addressing students' needs. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 546 Literacy and Content Skill Development - 4.50 credits |
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| The focus of this course is literacy skill development in individuals at-risk for disabilities and with disabilities as well as causes and correlates of individual differences in reading ability. Research, theory, identification approaches and practical, research-supported instructional strategies will be provided for working with students. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 547 Special Education Processes - 4.50 credits |
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| This course focuses on special education processes, including; screening, assessment, IEP development/monitoring and evaluation. The course will also focus on strategies for problem-solving, communication, collaboration and student monitoring techniques within in the special education process. Specific legal cases will be reviewed throughout the term. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 548 Emotional & Behavioral Support - 4.50 credits |
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| This course focuses on both low and high-incidence emotional and behavioral problems encountered in general and special education environments. Specific emphasis will be on understanding of characteristics and interventions that work with the most challenging students. Research in the are of behavior disorders will also be introduced. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 549 High Incident Disabilities - 4.50 credits |
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| This course focuses on high-incidence disabilities, specifically learning disabilities and language disorders encountered in the general and special education environments. Additional emphasis is placed on an understanding of characteristics and interventions that support these students. Research-based instructional strategies and accommodations will also be discussed. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 550 Teaching Students with Low Incident Disabilities - 4.50 credits |
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| This course focuses on curriculum development approaches, instructional strategies, and accommodations for students with low incident and moderate/severe disabilities, with emphasis on age-appropriate functional education in school and community-based programs. Additional emphasis is placed on disabilities such as low vision and blindness, hearing impairment and deafness and severe health and physical disabilities. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 551 Pervasive Developmental Disorders - 4.50 credits |
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| The focus of this course will be pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), specifically; understanding of characteristics, instructional strategies and effective interventions. The course will also emphasize behavior reduction strategies that are consistent with a positive behavioral support approach for students with PDD. Research in the are of PDD will also be emphasized. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 552 Integrating Technology for Learning & Achievement - 4.50 credits |
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| This course is designed to teach educators how to integrate technology into instruction to support achievement in general and special education classes, specifically to support reading, writing and mathematics achievement. It also focuses on the use of technology for universal design for learning and using assistive technology with students with disabilities. Field experience required.
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| EDUC 553 Special Education: Methods & Practices - 4.50 credits |
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| This course will focus on effective instructional strategies to meet the learning needs of students with disabilities. Specific emphasis will be placed upon; lesson planning, unit planning, grouping strategies, and collaboration with other teachers and staff in all delivery settings. Students choose, evaluate and construct instructional materials. Field experience required.
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| EXED 556 Characteristics & Methods: Autism - 3.0 credits |
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| This course furthers the student’s understanding of the diagnosis of Autism. Students will explore current issues and best practices in providing educational services that meet the unique characteristics and needs of students with Autism. Current theories in the field of autism will be a focus of the course. |
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| EXED 558 Characteristics & Methods: High-Functioning Autism - 3.0 credits |
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| This course furthers the student’s understanding of the diagnosis of High-Functioning Autism and how it is or is not different from Asperger’s Syndrome. Students will explore current issues and best practices in providing educational services that meet the unique characteristics and needs of students with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. |
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| EXED 560 Communication & Language Interventions: ASD - 3.0 credits |
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| The focus of this course is on communication and language skills, deficits, needs, and interventions for students with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Students will gain an understanding of the development of communication and interventions for students with ASD who are non-verbal, limited verbal, or verbal. Social pragmatics will also be covered. |
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| EXED 562 Behavior & Sensory Support: ASD - 3.0 credits |
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| The focus of this course is on specific behavioral and sensory issues of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Students will gain skills in research-based interventions for the behavioral issues and sensory needs of students with ASD. Close attention will be paid to prevention strategies that are effective for students with ASD. |
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| EDUC 511 Computer Skills for Teachers - 3.00 credits |
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| Presents major instructional design concepts students will use in developing their own curricular materials. Describes and discusses various kinds of teacher-developed instructional tools in relation to appropriate instructional task or learning environment. Primarily uses the Macintosh microcomputer and appropriate authoring systems. Provides extensive hands-on instruction and experience using various authoring systems to create many different kinds of instructional tools. Students must be experienced with the Macintosh. |
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| EDUC 525 Multi-Media Instruc Desgn - 3.00 credits |
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| Investigates learning theory and its implications for interactive multimedia formats, including the relationship of instructional design principles to selection of media elements (text, video, sound, animation, and graphics) for high-quality design. Examines human-computer interface principles, navigation features, and visual thinking using a wide range of educational software examples. Criteria for software assessment and virtual classrooms are reviewed. Students design and write a software prototype as a group design project. Complex issues and concepts in technology and education are analyzed. |
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| EDUC 535 Rsrch & Eval Instruction Tech - 3.00 credits |
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| Course will focus on teaching and learning technology standards, general applications of technology and basic technology and skills. Will examine and critique educational software and learning technologies, and through research, develop criteria for technology. This course includes a 1-2 day field-based research assignment. |
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| EDUC 537 Learning Disabilities II - 3.00 credits |
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| The course focuses on how to manage instruction for students with special needs in the inclusive classroom. |
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| EDUC 602 Language Learning & Teaching - 3.00 credits |
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| This course introduces participants to foundational theory in both first and second language acquisition and instruction. The course explores how learners acquire language, what influences the learning process, and how instruction best aids that process. A practicum component includes observations of classrooms and tutorials of English language learners. |
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| EDUC 604 Structure/Sound Sys of English - 3.00 credits |
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| This course focuses on the structural features of the English language, including phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic and pragmatic features. In the practicum component, participants will collect and analyze language from both native and non-native speakers of English, using it to develop targeted structural exercises for English instruction. |
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| EDUC 606 Design and Assessment - 3.00 credits |
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| This course emphasizes the role of ESL teachers as course developers and action researchers, focusing on effective lesson planning, tack design, materials development, assessment and evaluation, and the use of computers in instruction. In the practicum component, participants will design thematic units, determine objectives, develop materials, and design assessment tools. |
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| EDUC 608 The Intercultural Learner - 3.00 credits |
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| This course explores the needs, experiences, values, and beliefs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners and their families and communities. Building home/school relations and adapting and supporting curriculum through school services will be a focus. For a practicum, participants will engage in a case study of an English language learner. |
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| EXED 610 Action Research for Special Education Teachers I - 4.5 credits |
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| This course will introduce action research, a form of self-reflective systematic inquiry by practitioners on their own practice. The goals are the improvement of practice, a better understanding of practice, and an improvement in the situations where practices are carried out. Findings are examined: to support school / instructional change. Field experience required.
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| EXED 611 Action Research for Special Education Teachers II - 1.5 credits |
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| In this second course in action research sequence, students will come to class with data from the classroom. The class will focus on the issues pertaining to the ethics of data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and writing the action research study. |
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