ESP 507 INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSE SYLLABUS

Transcription

1 ESP 507 INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSE SYLLABUS Course Description: This course will provide information and knowledge on legislation and litigation in Special education. A historical overview of the filed of Special education will be presented. Characteristics of Children and youth with disabilities will be presented. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, each student will be able to: Demonstrate competence in understanding litigation and legislation in special education including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and subsequent related laws. Demonstrate competence in understanding the history of the field of special education. Define and explain definitions and terminology related to the field of special education. Identify and explain educationally relevant characteristics of children and youth with special educational needs, such as medical, learning and cultural variables. Demonstrate knowledge of the reactions of families to a child with disabilities and the importance of parent involvement in the education process. CEC Common Core (CC) Standards and Individualized General Curriculum (GC) Standards Definitions, issues and due process related to the identification of individuals with disabilities, including over-representation of culturally/linguistically diverse students (CC1-K6; GC1-K1, 7). Similarities and differences of individuals with and without disabilities and among disabilities, including impact of sensory impairments, medical and health issues, psychological and socio-emotional development, and language development/listening comprehension (CC2-K5,6; GC3-K1; GC6-K1,3). Implications of characteristics of various exceptionalities on individuals, families and society (CC2-K2, 5, 6, 7; GC2-K1-6; CC3-K1, 7; GC3-K1; GC6-K1, 3). Prevention and intervention strategies for individuals at risk for a disability (GC4- K4, GC7-K3) Kentucky New Teacher Standards: I. Designs/Plans Instruction II. Creates/Maintains Learning Climates III. Implements/Manages Instruction Experiences/Performance Assessments: Interview and observe/review individual IEP processes Modify lesson plans, activities, 142

2 V. Reflects/Evaluates Teaching/Learning VII. Engages in Professional Development VIII. Knowledge of Content IX. Technology schedules Develop and implement differentiated lesson plans Journal interviews, observations, instructional experiences and reflections Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) Themes: The knowledge and skills addressed by this course reflects indirectly to all the EPSB themes. It most heavily focuses on issues related to the following Seven themes: Diversity Technology Collaboration Field Experience Environmental Educational School Safety Education Literacy Education Teacher Work Sample: Candidates in the program will master and incorporate key concepts of Kentucky s Teacher work samples in their teaching. KERA Elements/Contexts: Curriculum: Learning goals and academic expectations Core Content Authentic assessment This class will use the above KERA elements to tie our study and discussion of theory and research with application in the classroom. Methods of Instruction will include: Online learning lessons Individual consultation with instructor Chat room discussion groups Demonstration Teamwork Speakers Cooperative learning activities Site visitation and classroom observation School of Education Mission Statement: As a professional teacher education program in a unique liberal studies institution, the School of Education has as its mission the preparation of professional teachers who will pursue opportunities to serve as liberators through education in whatever social setting their career shall lead them. Conceptual Framework: The assignments, presentations, and assessments in this course are designed to: Enhance the students performance articulated by national and state standards. To meet the needs of diverse learners in the ever-increasing diversity in our society. 143

3 Incorporate the components of general studies, specialty studies, continuous assessment, research, professional studies, and field experience. Emphasize formative and summative assessments as directed by evaluation and reflection. We believe, TEACHERS AS LIBERATORS THROUGH EDUCATION, who possesses knowledge and skills, heightened personal, social and ethical consciousness, as well as a constructive critical spirit. To this end, instructor and students are expected to be: Knowledgeable by having both content and pedagogical skills. Skilled by utilizing different teaching strategies Ethical by fostering in our students the dispositions needed to function effectively as liberators through education. Caring by being deeply aware, that diversity is a fact of lie in schools and classrooms. Course Assignments/Assessments All assignments must be word-processed using Microsoft Word Class Participation (Activities) Students will be graded on their ability to ask pertinent questions and critically discuss issues related to the learning activities of the class (small and large group online chat room sessions, small and large group online discussions, study questions and reflective writing assignments). Class attendance will be checked. Please notify the instructor if you are to be absent. Assignments Read and respond to assignments related to the textbook and online course content. Teaching Portfolio Project A two-page statement, that include the student s philosophy of how an individual with disabilities are taught. A draft of this statement is due by the 5 th week of the course; the final statement is due by the 9 th week of the course. Special Education Experiences Observations: Students will participate in ten (10) hours of site-based classroom observation of students with disabilities. Recorded observations will be made on the discussion board with team members. Logs must be kept of the field experiences. Compare what you saw with the characteristics described in the textbook. Documents will be recorded in the electronic portfolio submitted to the professor. Characteristics: Students will write a two-page summary of each of the following disability areas: autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, hearing impairment, intellectual disabilities, physical impairment, specific 144

4 learning disabilities, speech-language impairment, traumatic brain injury and visual impairment. Program Models: Students will type a one- or two-page reflective summary observation comparing the models of service delivery, adaptation, modification and what impact it will have on you as a teacher. Documents will be recorded on the discussion board. Documents will be recorded in an electronic portfolio for submission to the professor. Case Study: Students will choose a student with a learning or behavioral disability and complete a case study. The instructor will provide the format. Documents will be recorded in electronic portfolio to be submitted to the professor. Resource List: Each student will compile a list of resources for educators to access relating to individuals with disabilities. This list will include Websites and professional organizations that provide content information (statistics, characteristics, etc.), strategies/interventions for classroom, and educational journal sites. This list should be organized by area of disability. The list should be developed in Microsoft Word format and recorded on a zip file or floppy disk. Documents will be recorded in electronic portfolio to be submitted to the professor. Quizzes and Final Exam: Students will take a series of quizzes. The quizzes will cover Materials related to class, reading, online discussions and Web links. The quizzes will be an objective-type test. Students must pass at least 85% of the items on each quiz prior to being permitted to move to the next lesson. Final Exam: Students will taka a final exam reviewing the total course. The final exam will consist of objective items and short answer questions. Group Project: A small group, student swill choose one of four disability areas (emotional and behavioral disorders, learning disabilities intellectual disabilities or physical impairment) and develop a sample eligibility report. Students will post their work on the team discussion board. Students may use eligibility guidelines from the state of Kentucky or another state. A copy of the report will be placed on the overall discussion board. Documents will be recorded in an electronic portfolio to be submitted to the professor. Research Paper: Select Research Topic with the instructor. The paper must be a minimum of eight (8) pages in length and include a bibliography consisting of at least 15 to 20 research references. Special Note: Each assignment should be developed as a Microsoft Word document. Save the document on your computer hard drive before sending it to the instructor. Save the document on a zip disk, floppy disk, or CD as a part of the Electronic Portfolio. Only PC Microsoft Word documents will be considered. The instructor will not accept Macintosh documents of any type. Organize your electronic portfolio as if you were organizing a 3- ring paper notebook. Include a Table of Contents (Example: Section 1, Informal Assessment 1, Informal Assessment 2, etc.). Grading System: Assignments Points o Class Participation 100 o Electronic Portfolio 100 o Final Exam

5 o Group Project 100 o Research Paper 300 o TOTAL 700 Course Grading Scale A % B 80-89% C 70-79% D 60-69% F BELOW 60% Resources/Materials: Textbook: Colarusso, R. and O Rourke, C. (1999) Special education for All Teachers (2 nd edition). Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/hunt Publishing Co. Textbook assignments are given online in the Assignment function of your course. 146