Department Of Early Childhood Education

DRAFT FOR REVIEW National-LouisUniversity Special Education Program S I N C E 1 8 8 6 Department of Diversity in Learning & Development SPE 500 INTRODUCTION TO EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS/SPECIAL EDCATION INSTRUCTOR YOUR PHOTO HERE Instructor: Phone: Email:

COURSE MATERIALS Required Text PUT PHOTO OF BOOK  TEXT: See text list at the end for ideas HERE

 Additional Readings:

Supporting Resources: See list at the end

CATALOG DESCRIPTION This course provides a fundamental understanding of the historical, philosophical, legal and pedagogical issues pertaining to the education of students with disabilities. Implications of current laws, public policies and responsibilities of general educators, special educators, administrators, parents/guardians and individuals are addressed. Identification, assessment and characteristics of federal disability categories are addressed. Inclusive/differentiated curricular and instructional strategies and supports are emphasized.

CLINICAL OBSERVATION HOURS 15 clinical observation hours are required as part of this course.

PREREQUISITE(S): Pre-requisite or co-requisite of at least methods or practicum course.

COURSE GOALS AND EXPECTED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Students will:

TEACHING AND STUDENTS 1. Laws and Public Policy a) Understand the areas of exceptionality in learning as defined in IDEIA and state law. b) Know legal provisions, regulations and guidelines regarding assessment (and inclusion in statewide assessment for students with disabilities). c) Understand the roles of individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel in planning and implementing IEPs. d) Know the rights of students with disabilities and their parents/guardians. e) Know the roles and responsibilities of teachers, parents, students, and other school professionals related to special education. f) Know the identification and intervention and referral procedures for students with disabilities. g) Know applicable statutes, rules and regulations, procedural safeguards, ethical considerations and positive “best practices” for inventorying the instructional environment, assessment; planning and implementing programs to support students social/emotional needs. 2. Know the impact of cognitive, emotional and sensory disabilities on learning and communication 3. Identify differences in approaches to learning and performance (eg. learning styles, multiple intelligences and performance levels).

TEACHING AND CURRICULUM 4. Consider the use of technology, including assistive technology, to support students with disabilities 5. Know strategies for monitoring the progress of students with disabilities including collaborating and reporting to families and other professionals.

TEACHING AND INSTRUCTION 6. Know and utilize techniques for differentiating the general education curriculum, instruction and assessments according to learner needs, interests and characteristics through the use of a wide variety of material, human and technological resources.

TEACHING AND THE ENVIRONMENT 7. Demonstrates positive regard for individual students and their families regardless of cultural, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and varying abilities. 8. Recognize teacher attitudes and behaviors that positively or negatively influence behavior of individuals with disabilities. 9. Demonstrates commitment to developing the highest educational and quality-of-life potential of individuals with disabilities.

TEACHING AND THE PROFESSION 10. Consider the socio-cultural, historical, philosophic legal and political constructs of Disability in US schools pertaining to educational practices and school reform movements. . COURSE TOPICS I. Historical, Legislative and Philosophical Perspectives a) Historical constructs of disability and the development of special education as a Profession 1. Categories of exceptionality 2. Identification and characteristics 3. Social construct 4. Clinical/medical diagnoses b) IDEIA and the case laws leading to its latest reauthorization c) Referral process, due process, IEPs, exceptionality categories, rights of students and parents, roles and responsibilities of professionals and other elements of IDEIA d) ADA and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act II. Assessment/Identification and Differentiated Curricular and Instructional Approaches and Methods a) Identifying student learning styles, strengths and needs b) Differentiated curricular and instructional approaches including learning strategy instruction c) Strategies for adapting and modifying curriculum, instruction and instructional materials d) Use of technology, including assistive technology and augmentative communication devices to support learning e) Differentiated assessments f) Strategies for building a classroom community to support diverse learners

REQURIED PRECLINICAL EXPERIENCE (CANNOT BE WAIVED)

All students in this course are required to complete 15 hours of field-based activities that give them hands-on experiences with individuals who have exceptional learning needs. The field placement will be identified and arranged by the student. The instructor will provide guidelines for observation and directions for assignments and activities that address the goals of this course.

PUT GUIDELINES HERE

ACTIVITIES (NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR—YOU MAY CHOOSE) Group role play an MDC meeting Scenarios of a student requiring adaptations in lessons Read Niagra Falls or does it by Henry Winkler, identify strengths and needs for Hank and Write lesson plan for the book using a differentiated lesson plan format Develop adapted/differentiated lesson plan or unit Create an adapted game Pair up and choose an exceptionality category—presentation to class and then develop a lesson plan Resource notebook (10 from a variety of sources) Review parts of an IEP Web quest on disability categories and health and safety issues PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS

Link to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards: http://www.isbe.net/profprep/PDFs/ipts.pdf

EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE (NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR-YOU MAY CHOOSE)

Assessment of student performance will be in each of these 3 areas: 1. Characteristics and identification of students with disabilities -Assessment activities include: A case study of a student with a disability, class presentation or PowerPoint presentation of disability category; creation of a resource guide; web quest on disability categories, and health and safety issues; interview of student with a disability and the parent

2. Assessment of disability -Assessments activities include: A case study of a student with a disability; research report/presentation of legal aspects of assessment of disability; group role-play of eligibility meeting

3. Differentiated instruction -Assessment activities incluse: Adaptation of a lesson; creation of a differentiated lesson plan; adapting a game or other instructional activity; creation of hi tech or lo tech assistive instructional materials

DATES AND TOPICS AND DUE DATES FOR ASSIGNMENTS

INSTRUCTOR INSERT ALL APPLICABLE AREAS

CONSIDER A RUBRIC FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS

COURSE GRADE DIVISION

NOTE: INSTRUCTOR PLEASE ADD POINTS IN SECOND COLUMN

A Excellent The student's work demonstrates excellent grasp of all the learning outcomes associated with the course. B Good The student's work demonstrates mastery of the majority of learning outcomes associated with the course. C Average The student's work demonstrates mastery of approximately half of the learning outcomes associated with the course. D Poor The student's work demonstrates mastery of fewer than half of the learning outcomes associated with the course. F Failure The student's work does not sufficiently demonstrate that he or she has adequately grasped any of the learning outcomes associated with the course. I Incomplete The student has not completed all or part of the course.

COURSE POLICIES Late Assignments: INSTRUCTOR PUT YOUR POLICY HERE Missed Assignments: INSTRUCTOR PUT YOUR POLICY HERE Scholastic Dishonesty: All work submitted is assumed to be the student’s contribution. The Academic Policy of National-Louis University as stated on the university Web site and the student handbook http://www.nl.edu/nl_services/student_affairs/handbook.html will be followed with consequences as designated.

National-Louis University participates in a plagiarism software data base named Turnitin. The professor has the right to submit any or all student papers and assignments to the Turnitin database for plagiarism detection.

ADA Policy: National-Louis University is committed to ensuring that all of its facilities and programs are accessible to all persons. If you believe you may qualify for course adaptations or accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, it is your responsibility to immediately, but no later than the second class session to contact the Office of Diversity, Access and Equity (DAE Office) or the instructor. You may contact the Director of Diversity and Equal Employment at (847) 947-5491 or via e-mail at [email protected]. If you have coordinated services with the DAE Office, please provide your letter of accommodation to the instructor.

Other Policies: In-Progress requests are honored ONLY if your completion of the course is impaired by unforeseeable and significant circumstances, AND you have complied with course requirements up until that event. For example, your sudden hospitalization is an unforeseeable significant circumstance; a new difficulty that comes up at work is not. Please communicate with me if such circumstances cause to you request an In-Progress request.

SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES

Additional Texts and Resources

Bateman, B. and Linden M. (1998). Better IEPs, 3rd Ed. Longmont, CO: Sopris West. Bos, C.S. and Vaughn, S. (2002). Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavioral Problems, 5th Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Boyle, J.R. and Weishaar M. (2001). Special Education Law and Cases. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Friend, M. (2002). Including Students with Special Needs: A Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers. 3rd Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Friend, M. and Cook, L. (2003). Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School Professionals. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Goh, D.S. (2004). Assessment Accommodations for Diverse Learners. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Heumann, J.E. and Hehir, T. (1994). OSERS Memorandum to Chief State School Officers: Questions and Answers on the Least Restrictive Environments of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Washington, D.C.; U.S. Department of Education.

Lane, K.L. and Beebe-Frankenberger, M. (2004). School-Based Interventiona: The Tools You Need to Succeed.. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Lenz, B.K., Deschler, D.D. and Kissam, B.R. (2004). Teaching Content to All: Evidence-Based Inclusive Practices in Middle and Secondary Schools. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Lerner, J. (2002). Learning Disabilities: Theories, Diagnoses, and Teaching Strategies. 9th Ed. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.

OSERS. (1986). Educating Students with Learning Problems: A Shared Responsibility. Washington, D.C.: Office of Special Education and Rehavilitation Services: U.S. Department of Education.

Peterson, J.M. and Hittie, M.M. (2003) Inclusive Teaching : Creating Effective Schools for all Learners. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Sapon-Shevin, M. (1989). Because we can Change the World. Boston: Longman.

Schwarz, P. (2006). From Disability to Possibility. New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Smith, D.D. Introduction to Special Education: Teaching in an age of Opportunity. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Smith, T.E., Polloway, E.A., Patton, J.R. and Dowdy, C.A. (2004). Teaching Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Settings. 4th Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Taylor, L.S. and Whittaker, C.R. (2003) Bridging Multiple Worlds: Case Studies of Diverse Educational Communities. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Vaughn, S., Bos, C.S. and Schumm, J.S. (2003). Teaching Exceptional, Diverse and At-Risk Students in the General Education Classroom, 3rd Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Egan, M.W. (2001) What’s Best for Matthew? Interactive CD-ROM Case Study for IEP Development v.2.0.

Websites Assistive Technology

Abledata http://www.abledata.com A service of the National Institue on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. This site provides an extensive database of lo to hi tech devices, fact sheets, consumer guides, and related material.

Alliance for Technology Access http://www.ataccess.org Grassroots organization developed to provide information and resources to parents and professionals on disability and technology.

Apple Disability Resources http://www.apple.com/education.k12/disability Features a library of freeware and shareware, and a database of hundreds of disability products for the Macintosh.

Attainment http://www.attainment-inc.com Downloadable, 30 day trial, remedial and life skill software for MACs and PC.

Closing the Gap http://www.closingthegap.com A resource guide to software and hardware, articles and conference information.

Microsoft’s Accessibility Web Site http://www.microsoft.com/enable/default.htm Information of technology and accessibility devices. General Disability Information and Resources, Family Supports American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology www.aacap.org See resources for a list of organizations that serve and address children and adolescents with disabilities.

Disability Information http://disabilityinfo.gov A one stop interagency web portal for people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and other community members.

Disability Resources http://www.disabilityresources.org Learn about legal rights, financial resources, assistive technology, and transportation. Help for writing an IEP can be found at http://www.disabilityresources.org/IEP.html

Family Village http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu A great site for families and teachers. Has links to a wide variety or disability and special education sites including school issues, community resources, and disability-specific information. Learn to speak using ASL www.handpeak.com http://disserv3.stu.umn.edu/AltForm/asl-guide.html

New Horizons http://www.new-horizons.org/cmtfam.html links to parent and sibling support groups

National Parent Information Network http://www.npin.org Includes parent news, searchable database, and a virtual library.

Parents Helping Parents http://www.php.com National parent resource center, lists of programs, events and links

Special Education and Disability Links http://members.home.net/thsus http://kidsolr.com/specialeducation/page2.html Information on disability areas, support groups and teacher resources.

Special Education Resources on the Internet (SERI) http://seriweb.com

Disability Law and Policies Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) http://www.dredf.org A national law and policy center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities including the training of advocates, parents, and persons with disabilities.

Reed Martin special Education Law http://www.reedmartin.com/rightsalertnotice.html

ED LAW http://www.edlaw.net/ Discussions and links to IDEA, Section 504, ADA, and court cases.

IDEA Practices http://www.ideapractices.org Information on laws, professional development opportunities, resources, news and links.

Special Education Advocate http://pages.cthome.net/cbristol/capd-law.html A parent-friendly site on laws and advocacy

Wright’s Law www.wrightslaw.com links to articles

Disability Studies

Disability Social History Project http://www.disabilityhistory.org/dshp.html Information about the history of people with disabilities and special education.

Disability Studies www.disabilitystudies.com www.uic.edu/orgs/sds/links.html

Curricular Accommodations and Supports

Do2Learn http://www.do2learn.org Information on disabilities, family advocacy links and lots of interactive and printable materials to support student learning (color games, multiplication table, art projects, pictures and templates for making schedules). emTech http://www.emtech.net/inclusion.html Inclusion, accommodation, curriculum, modification, special education, and collaboration.

Funky Apple http://www.funkyapple.com Inclusive – Canadian site

Gifted Education and Special Education Lesson Plans and Resources http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbass/edexc.htm Links to lesson plans and resources for special education as well as lesson plans for students who are gifted and talented. It also contains lesson plans about individuals with disabilities and lesson plans for learning about and promoting acceptance of students with disabilities.

LD Online http://www.ldonline.org A great resource on information and instruction to support students with the various forms of learning disabilities. A link is also provided with help for developing an IEP http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/iep/iep.html

Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic http://www.rfbd.org This site includes an on-line catalogue of books, information on how to become a reader, and many links to additional information about disabilities.

Teachers First http://www.teachersfirst.com/prof.htm Resources for teachers – teaching strategies, special education resources and professional development.