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Graduate Catalog

The information contained in this catalog is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as the basis of a contract between a student and this institution.

M.Ed. Special Education Courses

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  • This course focuses on understanding laws at the national and state levels, policies and procedures, as well as current legal trends and issues that impact students with disabilities. Emphasis is placed on eligibility procedures including providing services and developing and implementing the Individualized Education Program In addition, information regarding disability categories, characteristics and how they manifest in the classroom, as well as approaching disability from a culturally responsive asset-based perspective will be addressed.

  • Candidates develop a basic understanding of educational research paradigms including qualitative, quantitative and action research designs. Candidates will develop expertise as consumers and producers of research, critically examining the use of data in policy aimed at improving student outcomes. Major topics include use of district-state wide assessment data to inform instruction, the ethical use of data, and teacher evaluation.

  • This course focuses on assessment practices aligned with legislative demands in special education. Candidates develop competencies in administration, development, and interpretation of norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, curriculum-based, observation, checklists/rating scales, authentic and informal assessments. Special emphasis is placed upon completion of case studies to apply progress monitoring skills to address academic and behavioral levels of students with disabilities and/or who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
  • Candidates completing Instructional Approaches II will continue to expand their professional knowledge base of individualized learning and the context of schools, families, and communities. They will identify, select, and implement a repertoire of evidence-based intervention strategies for students with disabilities to include assistive technology and information literacy. Candidates will use current research in teaching as a rationale for strategy selection. Field experience required.
  • The focus of this course is for candidates to develop skills in implementing proactive strategies for positive behavior management. The basic application of school-wide positive behavior support strategies (e.g., RtI), functional behavioral assessment, creating a positive classroom environment, using classroom positive behavior support strategies, and cultural influences on student behavior will provide the course’s framework. Candidates will learn and apply research-based principles and strategies through the development of an application project while working in the field with one or more students with challenging behaviors.
  • The purpose of this course is to provide knowledge about evidence-based instruction and intervention methods related to literacy instruction for students with reading disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, language-based learning disabilities). Emphasis is on applying an understanding of the English language and reading development to promote positive academic outcomes for students with dyslexia. Candidates use knowledge of relevant reading standards, the learner and learner context, and the reading instructional cycle to prepare for the delivery of evidence-based instructional practices for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
  • This course is designed to familiarize the learner with an overview of characteristics, etiology, empirical based treatments, and prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Additionally, this course aims to inform participants with the knowledge and skill to effectively facilitate a learning environment in which individuals with ASD are successful. Effective teaching strategies, classroom organization, and collaborating with professionals and families will be introduced, evaluated, and discussed. 
  • This course focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of literacy instruction for P-12 students with disabilities. The teaching methodology emphasized is explicit, systematic, intensive, and developmental. Course topics include: (1) Manifestations of reading disabilities, (2) Trends and issues, such as Response to Intervention, including assessments to determine instructional decision-making, (3) Features of effective instruction, (4) Explicit evidence-based phonological awareness, word study, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing strategies, and (5) Collaboration. Field experience required.
  • The course fulfills the teacher certification requirement for a full-time internship in a K-12 accredited school in a classroom of the intern’s area of certification. It provides a synthesis of the candidates’ program of study and provides an opportunity to connect personal experiences, university coursework, and applied experiences in order to develop a broader understanding of the context of schooling in the United States. Field experience is required.
  • In this course, candidates learn about the characteristics of individuals with dyslexia and other learning disabilities across a learner’s lifespan. Candidates learn theory and current issues related to the definition, assessment, eligibility, service delivery, family impact, and transition planning of learners with dyslexia. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to compare characteristics between individuals with and without dyslexia and other learning disabilities as well as identify scientifically-based interventions that are effective for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

 


 

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