Introduction to Special Education
Introduction to Special Education
Understanding the characteristics of students with various exceptionalities, ranging from mild to moderate to severe disabilities. How student with specific disabilities learn; using basic strategies for meeting their educational needs.
| Hours | 3.0 Credit, 3.0 Lecture, 0.0 Lab |
| Prerequisites | FBI fingerprint background clearance. |
| Taught | Fall, Winter |
| Programs | Containing CPSE 203 |
Course Outcomes:
Learning characteristics and special learning needs
1. Describe the ways in which people differ, learning characteristics and special learning needs.
Legal structure of services
2. Define special education and describe the legal structure of services for individuals with disabilities, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Issues related to the identification of disabilities
3. Articulate issues related to the identification of students with disabilities, referral and placement and the need to provide differing levels of support.
Issues related to collaboration
4. Articulate issues related to collaboration in special education. Identify the skills for effective collaboration.
Policies and programs for young children
5. Describe policies and programs for young children; define elements of the Child Find system.
Steps in IEP
6. Describe the steps in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.
Characteristics, prevalence, and educational implications
7. Describe the characteristics, prevalence, and educational implications for students with specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, mental retardation, and emotional disturbance.
Characteristics, prevalence, and education implications
8. Describe the characteristics, prevalence, and educational implications for students with other health impairments, orthopedic impairment, visual impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, deaf/blindness, and developmental delay.
Effects of cultural, ethnic, and language diversity
9. Describe the effects of cultural, ethnic, and language diversity on the education of individuals with disabilities
Strategies
10. Identify strategies for accommodating to meet individual student needs.
Assessment results
10. Demonstrate the ability to use assessment results to make instructional decisions.
12-hour field experience
11. Complete a 12-hour field experience involving volunteer service with four students with disabilities (2 at each site) and submit assignments regarding the experience.