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Graduate Special Education

2014 Fall Term

Class Schedule

FOUNDATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

SPECED 524

The purpose of this course is to help students explore issues and perspectives related to basic theories in special education. The course also examines the legal and ethical implications surrounding special education, and the historical developments within the field. This course will provide teacher education students with experiences that engage them in explicitly examining their conceptions, assumptions, and attitudes related to students with exceptional educational needs. Extensive consideration will be devoted to misconceptions about multicultural and bilingual aspects of special education as well as pedagogical approaches for including students with diverse learning styles and abilities in general education environments.

Class Schedule

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT FOR THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM

SPECED 560

The purpose of this course is to provide general strategies to promote effective behavior management in the inclusive educational environment. Focus will be on theories and practices for facilitating successful integration of children with disabilities in the regular education classroom or public school special education programs.

Class Schedule

EVIDENCE BASED EARLY INTERVENTION FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS

SPECED 565

This course examines relevant theories and pertinent research pertaining to care of infants and toddlers with special needs within the family setting and in group care programs. Content includes an examination of legislative action that calls for intervention services for the birth to three population in natural settings, screening and assessment procedures, eligibility criteria for service delivery, working closely with and supporting families, and team collaboration styles. Mental health issues related to infants and toddlers are examined in relation to those who provide care to this population.

Class Schedule

MEDICAL ASPECTS OF DISABILITY

SPECED 576

Study of the medical, physiological, neurological, physical, developmental, and sensory characteristics of persons with physical or medical conditions which impact educational programming. Emphasis on the etiology and implications of genetic, prenatal and acquired causes of disabilities including cerebral palsy, genetic syndromes, medical fragility, technology dependency, AIDS, and prenatal drug exposure. Interdisciplinary approaches to services provided for persons with complex attendance needs are addressed.

Class Schedule

PHASE 3 PORTFOLIO

SPECED 580

This course assists teacher candidates to develop their phase 3 portfolio which includes a philosophical statement which addresses DPI's core values; three narratives in the areas of assessment, instruction, and communication and collabration; and three to nine student-selected artifacts selected from course projects or related artifacts across the college and Department of Special Education, prior to their entrance into the Directed Teaching Block that provide evidence of the attainment of knowledge and skills related to WTS and CEC/NCATE standards.

Class Schedule

TRANSITION PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

SPECED 606

Identification of specific strategies for overcoming attitudinal and technical barriers to vocational mainstreaming of special needs students. Content includes values clarification, vocational assessment, vocational IEP development, and elementary and secondary vocational models in delivering appropriate vocational services to EEN students. Content covers grades K-12.

Class Schedule

ADVANCED BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

SPECED 640

The purpose of this course is to provide special educators with the knowledge and skills to intervene with children with intense patterns of behavior that prevent the student from accessing the general education classroom. Techniques for conducting functional behavior assessments and designing behavior intervention plans will be provided. In addition, legal aspects regarding behavior intervention will be provided.

Class Schedule

COLLABORATION FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION

SPECED 658

This course develops student's skills and understanding of the laws pertaining to students with disabilities, writing individualized instructional plans, inclusion, collaboration and school-based team membership, and adaptation and modifications of instruction. Students also develop their personal philosophy of education including beliefs about teachers, students, diversity, community, inclusion, etc. and a profile of their role as a team member through the use of a variety of self-assessment tools and the use of a cooperative learning structure (base teams) for the course.

Class Schedule

FORMAL ASSESSMENT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

SPECED 661

This class provides the students with knowledge of the legal and ethical considerations related to the assessment of young children (Birth through age eight). Students will acquire skills related to developmental screening, determination of eligibility for special education, conducting norm-referenced assessments, writing reports, and communication with parents and other professionals.

Class Schedule

EDUCATIONAL-DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT IN LD, E/BD, CD

SPECED 662

A course to develop advanced diagnostic skills for elementary through secondary students with mild/ moderate disabilities (LD, ED, CD). Particular emphasis is placed upon the assessment of cognitive, academic, developmental and behavioral skills that affect classroom performance. The application of advanced trend analysis and data synthesis techniques for special education placement and program planning is stressed and current issues and trends are discussed.

Class Schedule

CURRICULUM, METHODS & MATERIALS FOR THOSE WITH MULT DISABILITIES

SPECED 676

For the individual who is interested in acquiring specialized techniques and strategies in the care, instruction, programming, and management of the person with physical, motor, medical, cognitive, communicative and/or behavioral disabilities. Specific information on positioning, physical handling, feeding facilitation, augmentative communication, sensory integration, adaptive switches, medication therapy and life skills development for the person with severe and profound disabilities. Emphasis is on functional skills.

Class Schedule

PHASE 4 PORTFOLIO

SPECED 680

This course assists teacher candidates to develop their phase 4 portfolio which includes a philosophical statement which addresses DPI's core values; three narratives in the areas of assessment, instruction, and communication and collaboration; and three to nine student-selected artifacts selected from field-based experiences with children (special education fieldwork, general education fieldwork, and student teaching) that provide evidence of the attainment of knowledge and skills related to WTS and CEC/NCATE standards. At the end of the seminar, teacher candidates will present the portfolio to an interdisciplinary group of UW-W faculty and staff.

Class Schedule

ACADEMIC INTERVENTION I

SPECED 686

The course is about reading for students with problems and disabilities through the use of theories, models, and specific research-based programs in phonemic awareness, decoding, reading and comprehension. We will examine the processes and skills children and adolescents engage in to read and understand literature and content within the curriculum. Specifically the difficulties encountered by students with language and learning differences will be reviewed and research providing "best practices" in teaching phonemic awareness, reading, decoding, and comprehension as a tool for literacy development will be emphasized. Students will develop personal philosophies and review and implement instructional strategies for teaching the development and fluency aspects of phonemic awareness, reading, decoding, and comprehension withing the special and regular curriculum.

Class Schedule

ACADEMIC INTERVENTION II

SPECED 687

This course is about writers and writing. WE will examine the processes and skills children and adolescents engage in to compose a quality written product. Specifically the difficulties encountered by students with language and learning differences will be reviewed and research providing "best practices" in teaching writing as a tool for literacy development will be emphasized. Students will develop personal philosophies and instructional strategies for teaching the development and fluency aspects of composition.

Class Schedule

LEGAL FOUNDATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

SPECED 700

The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth graduate level theoretical foundation of the field of special education. Historical trends and current issues in the field of special education will be explored with an emphasis upon the impact these issues have on current practice. Current special education law and its interaction with practice will also be explored.

Class Schedule

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AND ACTION RESEARCH

SPECED 702

The course assists teachers in planning, organizing, implementing, and assessing inquiry-related strategies appropriate for their classrooms. Participants will investigate current issues by way of Action Research, ethnographic, symbolic interaction, and qualitative inquiry techniques. Projects will be conducted that relate to individual classroom needs and situations.

Class Schedule

APPLIED FIELD ACTION RESEARCH IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

SPECED 704

Under the mentorship of the faculty advisor, the student will reflect and implement an Action Research proposal at the classroom, school and / or district level. The synthesis and summary of the findings will be disseminated via multiple formats, e.g. poster sessions, conference presentations, journal articles and the sharing of information at professional gatherings. The Action Research study will be a tool for producing artifacts that can be integrated into appropriate professional portfolios to enhance professional development, career mobility of qualification for NBPTS certification.

Class Schedule

FOUNDATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CD/EBD/LD

SPECED 760

This course addressed the characteristics of students with cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities, and emotional/behavioral disabilities. The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the theoretical and historical issues related to threee high incidence disabilities. Specific application of theory and history will be applied to all three areas looking at characteristics across the life span. Inter-relationships of the characteristics, needs and implication for practice will be explored. Eligibility and models of service delivery will also be examined. Students who are not currently teaching will have to fulfill independent field experience expectations.

Class Schedule

INDIVIDUAL STUDIES

SPECED 798

Study of a selected topic or topics under the direction of a faculty member.