This course will address a specific area of study in Special Education not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

The focus of this course will be on the defining characteristics of disability classifications in common use in the schools (learning disabilities, cognitive issues, such as intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injury, autism, emotional disorders, and physical disabilities/other health impaired), including discussion of subtypes within disability groupings that have been suggested by research, educational, or clinical practice. Definition of exceptionality and incidence rates and how they vary by state or urban/ suburban/rural area will be considered. Moreover, candidates will be introduced to teaching interventions relevant to student needs in each area; these methods of instruction are for cross-categorical special education environments. Historical perspective will be given regarding major national education laws, including IDEA and the most recent reauthorization. Discussion will center on how these laws have been interpreted and how this impacts the service provision in the schools, both for students who receive accommodations (504 Plans) and for those who receive services from a variety of school professionals. The special education referral process will be studied, delineating how and when either a 504 Plan or an Individual Education Plan might be established. Also, state-level legislation that has influenced identification and placement will also be discussed. Ethical and legal issues related to issues such as confidentiality or the reporting of suspected abuse will also be considered. Includes 15 hours of observation centering on the legal aspects of the special education process.

Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics of students and adults who are neurodiverse. A brief history of neurodiversity, including those with autism and related disorders, will precede current research on the etiology and psychological theories of neurodiversity causality. Participants will gain an understanding of the systems and institutions involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and case management of children and adults who are neurodiverse and preview the use of a variety of education and treatment methods. Emphasis will be placed on early identification of neurodiversity and treatment of school-aged children through transition and into adulthood. This course will provide a thorough grounding in the characteristics of neurodiversity, including learning differences as well as executive functioning discrepancies, while introducting strategies and practices that serve neurodiverse individuals and their families.

This course will provide a historical trace of neurodiversity in society and focus on the social implications for neurodiverse as well as explore various needs, challenges, strengths, and supports as they relate to social relations. Specific attention will be given to the development of interpersonal skills that range from fundamental social manners and etiquette to family dynamics, friendships, professional relationships, dating, and marriage. Gender and sexuality as they relate to neurodiverse individuals will also be considered.

This course will address a specific area of study in Special Education not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

Candidates will be introduced to educational research paradigms, including basic qualitative and quantitative methodology and how primary research should be evaluated. The purpose of quantitative statistics and single subject design will be included. Candidates will generate a survey of the literature in some area related to cognitive development or motivational theory as it relates to special education. To facilitate the candidates' ability to distinguish between difference or delays for students in special education, an overview of typical cognitive development for the K-12 years will be undertaken. Additionally, contrasts will be drawn between the impact on various types of cognitive processing strengths and weaknesses, such as auditory or other sensory processing, memory, concept formation, and problem solving. Discussion will focus on how these issues might impact students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, intellectual disability, and acquired disorders (traumatic brain injury). Research examples will be utilized. Topics that will be highlighted include those related to self-determination, self-evaluation, time management, and self-advocacy, particularly for the middle and high school years. One objective of the course will be how to use research to support the candidate's use of evidence-based practices, which will be a focus in ISBE edTPA student teaching requirement. Includes a minimum of 16 hours additional laboratory time of observation and analysis of data gathered while working with children, focusing on typical cognitive development and the differential impact of cognitive disorders above.

This course focuses on how language, culture/ethnicity, socioeconomic level, gender, perceived disability, and cultural awareness impact the teaching and learning of diverse children. An additional focus will be on how various social institutions, particularly the school and family, may define roles and issues of diversity and disability and how this may impact collaboration and communication in regular, ESL/Bilingual, and special education. Research related to over- and under-representation, including potential bias in assessment and identification, will be studied. Finally, the teaching of appropriate strategies to support a diverse population will be addressed. Includes 20 hours of clinical experience in the form of a laboratory attached to the course.

The course includes an introduction to methods for teaching early literacy skills to primary grade readers, including emergent literacy, the development of the alphabetic principle, concepts about print letter-sound patterns, comprehension of connected text, vocabulary, fluency and writing. Teacher candidates will learn classroom-based assessments to evaluate student learning in these areas, including such things as concepts of print interviews, running records, miscue analysis, informal reading inventories, fluency checks, oral retelling rubrics and rubrics to assess strategy use. Many approaches to teaching reading are examined, including basal, literature-based, individualized, reading workshop, guided reading, and language experience. Teacher candidates will learn how to develop a community of learners in a classroom where the teacher interacts with the children while differentiating instruction in the regular education classroom, particularly for students of diverse backgrounds, including students with disabilities. Within this framework, candidates will study interventions that focus on students who will benefit from highly structured, explicit instruction in reading, writing, mathematics and other content areas. Interventions, methods and programs for small groups and individualized instruction will be evaluated. Common application in Response to Intervention plans will also be discussed. Systems that may be investigated include, but are not limited to, Multi-sensory Instruction, Direct Instruction and explicit instruction. Includes 14 hours (minimum) of school laboratory time utilizing direct instruction programs with students. Open to special education majors only.

Initial focus will be on developing prosocial behavior, thereby facilitating involvement in the least restrictive environment, and how intervention may be adjusted based on needs of students with varying disabilities. Both school-wide and classroom-wide strategies will be discussed. Therefore, programs in common use in the schools, such as PBIS, and how they relate to Response to Intervention will be studied. Subsequent focus will be on behavioral interventions for more challenging behaviors and how issues may change from the elementary to high school years. Environmental modifications, techniques of non-aversive behavioral control and methods to maintain attention, and effective reinforcement techniques will be taught. Techniques such as problem solving, crisis prevention, and conflict resolution, also potentially used to develop prosocial behavior, will be extending in this class to deal with more significant behavior problems, including issues such as self-stimulation and self-abuse. Issues related to the law and the range of service provision outside the school, such as residential placements, will be discussed in relation to challenging behaviors and how the schools collaborate with external professional groups. Candidates will gain applied knowledge and practice creating functional behavior assessments plans.

This course will address a specific area of study in Special Education not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

This course will focus on intervention techniques, adaptations and assistive technology for students with more significant disabilities (e.g., the PECS system Boardmaker), including intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, more significant autism and other health impaired. Typical and atypical motor development will be addressed. Functional adaptation of curriculum will be stressed, as well as resources available in the community and transition needs for this population. Study will span the needs of students in relation to life skills, recreation/leisure, community, and career/vocational issues and the development of goals and interventions to meet those needs. Specific life skills addressed will include toileting, eating, dressing, grooming, mobility, positioning, and transfers. Includes a minimum of 16 hours additional laboratory time of school observation.

This course focuses on the assessment of language, development, academic performance, psychosocial behavior and vocational skills for the P-12 grades and how it is used to identify, place and monitor students with disabilities. Moreover, issues related to second language acquisition, cognitive development (e.g., memory, speed of processing), modification and adaptations will be addressed. Case studies will be used to understand the process of differential diagnosis, assessment of the learning environment (including curriculum-based assessment and portfolio assessment), and planning for instruction. Oral and written dissemination of results will be included. State and local language and learning assessment tools will be examined. Research will focus on the strengths and limitations of formal and informal testing and how this impacts response to intervention and service provision for students with disabilities. Includes 20 hours of laboratory assessment and clinical experience. Open to special education majors only.

Participants will develop an understanding of the characteristics of students and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A brief history of autism, and related disorders, will precede current research on the etiology and psychological theories of ASD's causality. Participants will gain an understanding of the systems and institutions involved in the diagnosis, treatment and case management of students and adults with autism spectrum disorders as well as identify the use of broad evidence-based education and treatment methods. Emphasis will be placed on early identification of autism and treatment of school-aged children through transition and into adulthood. The topics of child-centered inclusive education and ongoing family-centered support systems in home, school and community settings will also be discussed. This course will provide a thorough grounding in the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder and introduce the learner to best practices in serving persons experiencing ASD. Eligible for graduate credit.

Service models that cover the range of support services needed by people with disabilities will be investigated, including vocational, social/leisure, residential and case management spheres. In addition to providing evaluation of intervention techniques such as job-coaching, sheltered employment, group and independent living options, and the importance of integrated opportunities for social/leisure activities, the course will provide historical context for service provision and require candidates to evaluate where the field should expand in relation to advocacy activities for people with disabilities. Eligible for graduate credit.

The development of mathematical and science knowledge and reasoning will be studied in conjunction with disorders of these domains. Candidates will learn to assess and remediate weaknesses in both physical, biological and social sciences and mathematics, including the use of manipulatives and software technology. Strategy instruction as applied to the sciences will be a focus for middle and high school levels, as well as common accommodations. The development of lesson plans to deal with difficulties that may be encountered in topics, such as estimation, mental mathematics, measurement, algebra, geometry, patterns and problem solving in mathematics; the inquiry process, experimentation, and safety in science; and integration and interrelatedness of areas within the social sciences will be covered. For all domains, the importance of utilizing authentic activities that take into account issues of diversity and facilitate the student integrating academic skills to the spheres of family, community, vocation and recreation will be stressed. Includes a minimum of 16 hours laboratory time for embedded (some experiences may be outside of class time periods) clinical experience at the elementary and middle/high school levels, focusing on collaboration in mathematics and sciences.

The focus of this course will be on the theoretical models of reading development and disorders and how these theories have impacted the definition of the causes, diagnosis and treatment of reading disorders. Normal development of pre-reading and reading skills will be contrasted with atypical development. Research regarding how reading achievement relates to decoding and phonological awareness; word recognition; vocabulary; comprehension; fluency; self- monitoring; and instruction/service provision (individual, small group, and whole-class programs) will be studied, with practice of intervention techniques. For the middle and high school years, techniques effective for various domain areas will be stressed, as well as how accommodations in relation to reading can be integrated into the student's curriculum. In addition, the course will include further training on the standardized tests and software technology interventions specific to reading, as well as the performance of informal measures such as running records and informal reading inventories, with a focus on error analysis, interpretation, and communication of results to students, families and colleagues. Finally, an overview of direct instruction models will be provided, using the Wilson system as an example of this type of intervention. Includes additional laboratory time of a minimum of 20 hours of work with students in addition to semester hours.

This course will study theories and research regarding the development and disorders of oral and written language, including oral discourse, handwriting, spelling and written discourse, from emergent literacy to strategies for research and essay forms used more extensively in middle/high school. The range of impact, dependent on disability, will be investigated, both in regard to academic, social and vocational pursuits. Formal and informal assessments to elicit and analyze oral and written language samples will be learned and practiced, as well as lesson plans using remedial techniques and software technology commonly in use for varying disabilities, ranging from learning disabilities to autism and to physical disorders impacting the physical act of writing. Includes a minimum of 15 hours working with students at both the elementary and middle/high school levels. Includes a one-hour lab in addition to semester hours.

Intervention theories and models for the preschool to postsecondary years will be investigated, ranging from individual to small group to inclusion classroom settings. An overview of how remedial efforts in oral language, reading, writing, mathematics, nonverbal and social issues might interrelate will be delineated. Current trends in service provision will be explored, such as response to intervention models. The role of the special educator as a facilitator for differentiating curriculum and providing accommodations in the regular education classroom will be highlighted, as well as co-planning and co-teaching models. Moreover, transition services and how they might be impacted by differing needs dependent upon disability will be an additional focus. Local and state resources that pertain to issues of employment, sexuality, independent living and learning, and social participation in leisure activities will be explored, particularly for the middle and high school student. Special educators' varying roles, from addressing family concerns and advocacy to supervision of para-educators, will be discussed. Candidates will be exposed to professional organizations in the field and will develop a professional development plan and a personal philosophy of special education. The necessity for consultation, collaboration and flexibility of services will permeate all discussion of theory and models. Includes a minimum of 15 hours of observation and work related to course topics.

The student-teaching experience involves placement in a special education setting under the supervision of a certified teacher. Placements will encompass the K-21 age range, experiencing two separate placements, and including a range of level of disability. Candidates will capitalize on skills learned in earlier courses to conduct formal, informal and functional assessments. Based on this information, they will generate and implement lesson plans, establishing an effective learning climate for their students. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate the ability to collaborate with colleagues, para-educators (candidates should expect a supervisory role as well), other professionals within the school and community, and families to meet students' academic, social and life skill needs. In short, the candidate will learn to fill all roles and major functions expected of the special educator, with the benefit of supervision.

Additional fee required

The special education student-teaching seminar will guide the teacher candidate through her or his student-teaching experience by facilitating work and discussions on competencies related to becoming a successful special educator. As part of this work, the teacher candidate will complete both the edTPA and an electronic professional portfolio structured around the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and the Council on Exceptional Children (CEC) standards. Seminar topics will cover best practices in instructional decision making, analysis of student learning via formative and summative assessments, self-evaluation of teaching practices through the use of action research, supporting diverse learners through a positive, prosocial learning environment, professional and legal obligations as a special educator, fostering positive parent and community relationships, seeking and obtaining a teaching position, managing the first year as a professional special educator, and becoming a teacher leader in the first year of teaching and beyond. In particular, the seminar will provide candidates with support in completing their edTPA and comparative case study projects that will be incorporated into their portfolio in Livetext, with a focus on how to conduct effectively action research in the candidate's own classroom, developing culturally responsive collaboration and co-teaching skills, professional ethics, and professional development plans for lifelong learning. Includes support for ISBE TPA.

The student-teaching experience involves placements in both elementary and special education settings under the supervision of a certified teacher. Placements will encompass the K-21 age range, affording candidates with experience in a range of ages. Candidates will capitalize on skills learned in earlier courses to conduct formal, informal, and functional assessments. Based on this information, they will generate and implement lesson plans, establishing an effective learning climate for their students. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate the ability to collaborate with colleagues, para-educators (candidates should expect a supervisory role as well), other professionals within the school and community, and families to meet students' academic, social and life skill needs. In short, the candidate will learn to fill all roles and major functions expected of the elementary and special educator, with the benefit of supervision. Additionally, this will assure maximum exposure during the candidates' field experiences to both elementary classrooms and the range/severity/age levels of all disabilities covered by the LBS I certification. It should be noted that the student teaching process for both Elementary and Special Education certification extends beyond the duration required for either of the certifications individually. Candidates should anticipate that the field experience will go beyond the published dates for the semester in which they engage in the experience and that this extended experience may result in the graduate date also being extended.

Additional fee required

The special and elementary education student-teaching seminar will guide the teacher candidate through his or her student teaching experience by facilitating work and discussions on competencies related to becoming a successful special and elementary educator. As part of this work, the teacher candidate will complete both the edTPA and an electronic professional portfolio structured around the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the Council on Exceptional Children (CEC), and EMAG standards. Seminar topics will cover best practices in instructional decision making, analysis of student learning via formative and summative assessments, self-evaluation of teaching practices through the use of action research, supporting diverse learners through a positive, prosocial learning environment, professional and legal obligations as a regular and special educator, fostering positive parent and community relationships, seeking and obtaining a teaching position, managing the first year as a professional educator, and becoming a teacher leader in the first year of teaching and beyond. In particular, the seminar will provide candidates with support in completing their edTPA and comparative case study projects that will be incorporated into their portfolio in Livetext, with a focus on how to conduct effectively action research in the candidate's own classroom, developing culturally responsive collaboration and co-teaching skills, professional ethics, and professional development plans for lifelong learning. Includes support for ISBE TPA.

This course will address a specific area of study in Special Education not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.