SPED - Special Education

This course covers the development of receptive and expressive skills in sign language and fingerspelling.  Manual communication skills that are used in educational and social settings are emphasized.  Deaf culture and community characteristics are discussed.

This course focuses on specific frameworks of learning with expansion and application to those students who may have learning challenges in various developmental phases. Historical perspectives of learning and behavior challenges will be discussed in light of current theories of exceptionalities. Emphasis will be placed on how students with exceptional needs learn in both academic and social settings. Special emphasis will be placed on identification and exploration of students with associated language disorders.

This course introduces teacher candidates to the assessment of students who may be or already are identified as eligible for special education supports and services. The course content addresses both formal and informal assessment tools and their administration and interpretation as related to classroom needs. Candidates learn about standardized assessments, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), curriculum-based assessment and measurement, task analysis, functional behavior assessment, and how to generate teacher-designed tests. Candidates will design formative and summative assessments as well as have the opportunity to interpret educational assessment findings and summarize the results for an educational assessment report.

This course is designed to provide participants with a strong knowledge base in developmental theories of behavior, language, and learning that have shaped current practices in K-12 public and private schools.  In addition to exploring current research on cognition and learning, course participants will examine philosophy-based, psychology-based and progressive learning theories that have influenced current educational practices.  The examination of research on cognitive science and learning theories will be informed by critical readings from feminist and social theorists who offer alternative interpretations of the foundations on which schooling should be based.

This course allows the pre-service teacher, and in-service teacher working towards LBS1 endorsement, to begin to apply a wide range of strategies that will best address the academic and behavioral needs of learners with disabilities. Candidates will develop skills that will allow them to integrate curriculum across subject areas, create learner-centered materials, and develop skills that will enable them to effectively interact with other professionals providing academic and behavioral support to students with individual learning needs.

This course provides participants with an understanding of the ways in which disability studies can inform current educational policies, practices, and curriculum design. Participants will investigate both theoretical and practical aspects of the field of disability studies in education - including social, cultural, and historical policies and philosophies - and strategies for addressing the biases inherent in many of these influences. Course topics include issues such as changing conceptions of disability, the lingering impacts of eugenics and institutionalization, the promise and progress of the disability rights movement, disability law and policy, personal and family narratives, and the portrayal and inclusion of individuals with diverse abilities in the modern media.

Candidates complete 25 hours of field experience practice in a setting working with individuals with disabilities. This field experience will focus on developing candidates’ knowledge and skills related to identifying the strengths, interests, and support needs of individuals with disabilities and planning for environmental, instructional and other support needs. In addition to their field work, candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to further their knowledge and development related to the focus of this field experience. The field mentor and University supervisor will conduct performance assessments of the candidate during this experience.

This course engages participants in the development of curriculum, instruction, and assessment for students with disabilities in social studies, mathematics, and science classes.  Participants will gain both a theoretical and practical skill-set in research-based strategies that are demonstrated to support the learning of students with disabilities in core content areas.  A universal design for learning framework will be used to guide participants in designing curriculum and instruction that is accessible and effective for all learners.

This course is designed to prepare teachers to support students with disabilities who have high support needs in their transitions throughout the school system, with an emphasis on transition from high school to post-school adult life.  Participants will learn about the laws that shape transition services, the fundamentals involved in transition planning, the development of written transition plans, resources necessary to affect smooth transitions, and current issues and best practices.  Emphasis will be placed on student and family involvement in transition planning, team planning, preparatory curricula, interagency coordination, community resources, advocacy, and systems change strategies.  In addition this course will focus on how to design, implement, and evaluate effective teaching and learning experiences for students with high support needs from an inclusive education stance.  Content will focus on using varied assessment measures, developing daily and weekly schedules, planning and implementing systematic instruction from a universal design perspective, evaluating student learning, facilitating inclusive education and teaching academic and social skills along with other life domain skill areas (community, recreation/leisure, and vocational).

Candidates complete 25 hours of field experience practice in a special education setting.  This field experience will focus on developing candidates’ knowledge and skills related to planning and delivering instructional supports and interventions for students with disabilities.  In addition to their field work, candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to further their knowledge and development related to the focus of this field experience. The mentor teacher and University supervisor will conduct performance assessments of the candidate during this experience.

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in a special education setting.  This field experience will focus on developing candidates’ knowledge and skills related to the assessment of students with disabilities in both academic and functional skill domains.  In addition to their field work, candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to further their knowledge and development related to the focus of this field experience. The mentor teacher and University supervisor will conduct performance assessments of the candidate during this experience.

This course is intended for those candidates who need extended field experiences with the ongoing supervision by University personnel. Length of field experiences will be determined by the Department and is subject to Department Chair approval. Completion of this experience does not guarantee eligibility for student teaching.

This course is designed to provide pre-service teacher candidates and in-service teachers working towards LBS1 endorsement at the graduate level with the knowledge and skills that are required to identify and instruct exceptional learners in inclusive classroom settings, including students identified as having learning disabilities, emotional-behavioral challenges and/or other disability support needs as described in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Course content and assessments will focus on the characteristics of exceptional learners, the processes for identifying exceptional learners for appropriate services, collaboration with parents and professional colleagues and research-based approaches for designing inclusive classroom settings and instructional/behavioral/assessment strategies and supports for exceptional learners. Course participants will learn how to implement research-based tiered interventions that enable all students to succeed in inclusive classrooms. This course also includes a field experience working with an exceptional learner.

This course will provide Speech-Language Pathologists with the knowledge and skills required to identify and instruct exceptional learners in inclusive classroom settings, including students identified as having emotional-behavioral, intellectual, learning, or other disabilities as described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Course content and assessments will focus on characteristics of these learners, processes for identifying these learners -- in collaboration with parents and professional colleagues, instructional strategies and supports for these learners, as well as approaches for designing inclusive classroom spaces for these learners alongside their non-disabled peers. Course participants will learn how to implement research-based tiered interventions that enable all students to succeed in inclusive classrooms.

This course examines the theories and practices appropriate for balanced reading and language arts instruction and assessment at the primary levels (K-3).  The emphasis of the course is on learning important theories as a foundation for sound instruction and assessment decisions that will result in student proficiency with the English language in typical and atypical language development situations and the ability to apply language and thinking skills to many different genres, concepts and situations.  Effective reading, writing, speaking and listening instructional strategies, including those that differentiate instruction and assessment to meet the needs of individual learners and the specific needs of second language learners, will be modeled and practiced.

This course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to build and maintain meaningful collaborative partnerships for inclusive education.  Participants will gain an understanding of family and community systems, as well as learn methods for building and sustaining partnerships and trust with these critical stakeholders.  Course topics will also include theories and strategies for effective co-teaching relationships and other collaborative endeavors focused on providing inclusion education for all students.

This course is designed to acquaint the pre-service teacher/practitioner, administrator and/or pupil personnel services staff with federal legislation, Supreme Court decisions, state court decisions, and other pertinent information pertaining to the legal parameters of educating students with disabilities. In addition, this course will allow the participants an opportunity to interact with peers/colleagues regarding the "need" to incorporate this throughout one’s professional career. This course is aligned with state and national special education standards.

This workshop is offered to provide an introduction to the meaning behind the categorical label Autism which can be found in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. In this introductory level workshop, participants will learn about the IDEIA definition of autism, how students are determined eligible for supports and services under this categorical label, and, in general, what those supports and services can look like in practice. The information will be shared from a strengths-based non-medicalized disability studies stance.

In this workshop, students will explore the history and various techniques of mindfulness and meditation. Students will learn the basics of mindfulness meditation through a series of videos, readings, reflections, and guided practices. This workshop also covers current scientific research on mindfulness and the brain, emotion regulation, and compassion. Because mindfulness presents and effective method to get to know oneself, to reduce stress and anxiety and to live in the present moment, we are better able to react in a more constructive way to conflict and stressful events.

This course provides an overview of classroom and behavior management theories and strategies. The course emphasizes the knowledge and skills needed to create effective behavior management and intervention projects for students, especially those with behavior problems. Emphasis will be on use of positive behavior support systems. Candidates will examine behavioral principles, procedures, and assessment methods necessary for effective programming and are expected to apply skills developed in the course by developing both a classroom management and behavior intervention project to avoid or overcome communication roadblocks and improve a student’s problem behavior. Through case analysis, role-playing, cooperative learning, use of technology, and field experience, candidates will learn how to apply principles of classroom management to actual teaching situations.

This course examines the theories and practices appropriate for balanced reading and language arts instruction and assessment in grades 4-12. The emphasis of the course is on functional techniques for improving student reading performance in the upper grades and incorporating reading into subject matter instruction. Effective reading and writing instructional strategies and assessments, including those that address the specific needs of second language learners, are modeled and practiced.

The purpose of this clinical practice experience is to provide currently licensed teachers the opportunity to apply their theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills in a new licensure area to the diverse and inclusive classroom. This is a full semester supervised internship in a special education setting. The experience includes observation, planning, and supervised clinical practice of students with exceptionalities in schools, institutions, or other facilities under the direct guidance of an appropriately licensed professional. For fall student teaching, all tests must be completed by May 1 of the prior semester. For spring student teaching, all licensure tests must be completed by October 1 of the prior semester.

See course schedule book for associated fees.

This course is a full semester supervised clinical experience in a special education setting. This course is designed for candidates seeking Illinois Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1) licensure with total involvement in the participating school system. This experience includes observation, planning, and supervised clinical practice of students with exceptionalities in schools, institutions, or other facilities under the direct guidance of an appropriately licensed professional. For fall student teaching, all tests must be completed by May 1 of the prior semester. For spring student teaching, all licensure tests must be completed by October 1 of the prior semester.

See course schedule book for associated fees.

This course explores curriculum design using Understanding by Design (UbD), Differentiated Instruction (DI), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UbD addresses the need for content standards and answers the question: "what do we teach and why". DI looks at the how and where we teach our students, focusing on the best practices for each learner. Languages, culture, gender, economic disparity, motivation, disability, personal interests and learning styles as well as home environments are explored. UDL is a learning theory that strives to ensure that the learning environment, including curriculum, assessment and teaching and learning tools promote learning and remove barriers to learning.

This course is a study or project done under the direction of a member of the Department of Special Education, Department of Education.