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SPED 418/518 Survey of Exceptional Learners (3 credits)
Distance education
This is an overview of working with individuals with exceptionalities, including special education and multicultural differences. The nature of diversities (including the talented and gifted) and educational ramifications for the teacher will be addressed.
SPED 510 Teacher Training of Paraprofessional Teams Serving Students with Significant Disabilities (3 credits)
Focus on research-based best practices in the training and supervision of educational assistants by special education teachers. Learn a variety of strategies for organizing paraprofessional work, establishing monitoring and documentation systems, providing training and feedback, and developing a staff team within the classroom or program. Examine your own and other teachers' issues and approaches to paraprofessional supervision.
SPED 410/510 Early Childhood Positive Behavior Supports (3 credits)
Provides an in-depth look at Early Childhood Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) and the Early Childhood PBS teaching pyramid model. Learn practical strategies for implementing universal PBS in preschool classrooms and acquire skills to implement PBS in early childhood environments after completion of this course. This course is designed for those who work in preschool environments with both typically developing children, as well as children with special needs. Learn universal PBS strategies and targeted strategies, such as completing a functional behavior assessment, and implementing a behavior plan. You will have a solid understanding of Early Childhood Positive Behavior Supports and develop all the materials needed in order to implement PBS in your environment.
SPED 510 Assistive Technology, Augmentative, and Alternative Communication (3 credits)
Develop theoretical foundations for the assessment and selection of assistive technology and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals with significant and multiple disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, early childhood through adulthood. This course emphasizes the impact of motor skills, cognitive skills, and visual skills on the selection of assistive technology and AAC. It provides instructional strategies for teaching individuals with disabilities to use assistive technology and AAC. Topics include funding of assistive technology and AAC devices, language development for students who use AAC devices, AAC strategies for beginning communicators, culturally responsive assessment, and the use of assistive technology and AAC to improve access to general education curriculum.
ED 410/510 School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (3 credits)
Learn to develop a clear plan (and the resources) to begin implementing PBS in your school or district. For districts with a PBS plan already in place, this course is an excellent way to introduce new administrators and faculty to this system wide approach and is designed specifically for preK-12 principals, assistant principals, student management specialists, counselors, PBS team leaders, PBS coaches, and others responsible for developing school wide systems to support student behavior. Gain a clear understanding of what PBS is and how schools are using it to support all students in their schools. Learn how to implement the critical features of school-wide PBS and how each of the features can be shaped to fit each unique school environment. Identify what data is available and how it can be used to inform and monitor the implementation of PBS. Identify what a continuum of function-based support looks like, and how it can be integrated into existing student support teams. Develop a model for sharing function based thinking with all school staff and how it can support the effectiveness of student interventions. Learn how the PBS framework can be used to prevent bullying by explicitly teaching students social responsibility, and how PBS can be braided with other initiatives like Response to Intervention (RTI) and the Teaching Learning Connection (TLC).