Online Master’s of Special Education Curriculum

This overview of educational research develops skill in comprehending and critically evaluating research reports. It focuses on interpretation and application of recent research findings in education and the social sciences.

An introductory course in special education with an emphasis on inclusion and diversity, this course provides an overview of the complex issues surrounding inclusive and heterogeneous schooling. Through a variety of learning strategies and experiences, students become familiar with current special education theory, practice, advocacy and legislation, and gain expertise on best practices to ensure access equity and quality education for every student. It includes field experience and case study.

The main purpose of this course is to review current issues, trends, and policies that affect the lives of individuals with disabilities, including the education of students with disabilities. This course examines these issues through a Disabilities Studies framework. Specifically, students will engage in learning experiences which serve to build understanding of the ways in which disability rights exists under the umbrella of the civil rights movement.

This course is designed to provide prospective teachers with computer skills and experiences necessary for successfully incorporating technology into the classrooms. Students learn to use, examine, and develop teaching and learning materials through the use of technology. In addition, this course addresses the use of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. Includes online field experiences.

Strategies for supporting students with high-incidence disabilities including effective and authentic assessment and instruction, goal and objective setting, IEP and ITP writing, lesson planning, and accommodations. This course is designed to focus on persons with learning, behavior, speech and communication, and/or mild cognitive disabilities. It includes field experience and intervention-based case study.

This course also requires a corresponding lab, ED582L. Lab credits are not applicable to the M.ED.

Strategies for supporting students with low-incidence disabilities including effective and authentic assessment and instruction, goal and objective setting, IEP writing, lesson planning, and accommodations. This course is designed to focus on persons with severe and moderate cognitive, sensory, physical and health disabilities, traumatic brain injury, autism and pervasive developmental disorders, and disabilities covered under Section 504. It also addresses Individual Transition planning and post-secondary options. It includes field experience and intervention-based case study.

This course provides an intensive study of the needs of diverse students and families and effective and appropriate responses to these needs within educational settings. During this course, students will examine the intersection and interconnectedness, and at times, intersectionality, of disability with socioeconomic status, cultural and linguistic background, gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity with responses to atypical learning and disability within educational environments. Students will conduct analyses of their own personal and professional identities, as well as their beliefs concerning diverse student populations, through the lens of Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory. Students will analyze and critique their own professional contexts in terms of sensitivity and responsiveness to multidimensional elements diversity, equity and inclusion. Students must provide and implement concrete recommendations for improved cultural responsiveness and sensitivity to marginalized students, families, and practitioners within special education systems in their professional contexts.

This seminar provides students with knowledge of current research-based teaching strategies for students in the autism spectrum. Participants gain experience in assessing and planning meaningful learning goals, developing effective teaching plans and evaluating student outcomes. Topics addressed include teaching complex behaviors, analyzing challenging behaviors and collaborating with families.

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of the transition processes and procedures integral to comprehensive secondary educational programming. Transition-focused education is an outcomes oriented approach to helping students plan and prepare for life after high school in the areas of post-secondary education, employment and independent living. This course examines transition related legislation and planning requirements and explores the various services and instructional methods in transition and career development that support students as they move from middle school through high school and into early adulthood. The course emphasizes evidence-based best practices with a focus on self-determination and self-advocacy, on-going student-centered transition and career assessments, inclusive community-based instruction, aligning transition instruction with standards based curriculum and interagency and family collaboration. Students will participate in Stage 1, 2 and 3 fieldwork experiences. They will have the opportunity to interview school and community based transition professionals and transition-aged youth. Along with observing transition-focused education, students will develop and teach a lesson on self-determination.

This course is designed to provide students with expertise in positive behavioral approaches including school-wide systems of support, effective classroom management, and individual behavioral support. This course uses both instructional and functional approaches to behavior to encourage schools to be systems of support for students and professionals. The teaching of prosocial skills is also addressed. It includes field experience and intervention-based study.

This capstone course in special education is designed to further integrate and expand students’ implementation of best practices by incorporating change into their own teaching practice. Students refine their abilities to self-assess and to assess resources and situations, to pose critical questions resulting in creative solutions to real life opportunities, and to advance significant change in the field of special education. An emphasis is placed on collaboration and consultation. In addition this course addresses professional standards delineated by special education professional organizations and ethical considerations of the profession. It includes collaborative field experience and practicum activities.

Explore the uses of various traditional and alternative assessment techniques in the classroom. This course includes choosing, administering and interpreting standardized tests; grading and marking, and using tests to evaluate and improve instruction. Curriculum-based assessment and alternative assessment techniques are included as well as issues related to evaluating students in today’s curriculum.

This course addresses research-based instructional strategies for teaching literacy (including language development, reading, writing, and speaking) to K-6 learners, as well as practical and effective modifications for diverse learners (including struggling readers, English language learners, and students with disabilities in reading). Strategic literacy instruction through the content areas of social studies and science, particularly in relation to post-elementary learners, also is emphasized. Formative and summative assessments of emergent and content literacy, including components of literacy (phonological awareness, word analysis, comprehension, vocabulary, fluency) also are addressed, with an emphasis on assessments and progress monitoring that communicate the student’s progress most clearly to parents, teachers, and the students themselves.

This course is designed to provide prospective teachers with computer skills and experiences necessary for successfully incorporating technology into the classrooms. Students learn to use, examine, and develop teaching and learning materials through the use of technology. In addition, this course addresses the use of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. Includes online field experiences.

In this course, we will engage in a collaborative dialogue to understand physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development in children and adolescence with a special attention to developing a cultural perspective to understanding human development. We will examine child and adolescent growth and development within their contextual influences (family, school, peer group, culture, and race, ethnicity & social class) and look for similarities and differences in development across cultural communities as a result of their participation in cultural practices.

This course focuses on the academic language needed for multilingual students to be successful in U.S. schools. Students spend time investigating reading and writing standards and curricula for students in a particular context and the ways that materials might be adapted for English Language Learners (ELLs) and ELLs with disabilities. A variety of models for providing services to ELLs are addressed with particular attention placed on the kinds of collaboration needed to address the literacy needs of all students across the content areas and the benefits of knowing more than one language.

This Seminar/Workshop emphasizes the use of a variety of instructional materials in the teaching of mathematics, grades K–8, including manipulatives, calculators, and other non-textbook resources.

This course is designed to teach future Reading Specialists how to create a repertoire of teaching strategies to address the needs of adolescent readers. An examination of developmental, socio-cultural and multi-literacy aspects of instruction is included. An emphasis toward assessment procedures linked to effective instructional practice, addressing the literacy needs of all learners is explored. Topics include strategies to facilitate comprehension in the content area subjects, writing across the curriculum, word study, structural analysis, classic and contemporary literature selection and study skills for the adolescent learners.

An introductory course in special education with an emphasis on inclusion and diversity, this course provides an overview of the complex issues surrounding inclusive and heterogeneous schooling. Through a variety of learning strategies and experiences, students become familiar with current special education theory, practice, advocacy and legislation, and gain expertise on best practices to ensure access equity and quality education for every student. It includes field experience and case study.

The main purpose of this course is to review current issues, trends, and policies that affect the lives of individuals with disabilities, including the education of students with disabilities. This course examines these issues through a Disabilities Studies framework. Specifically, students will engage in learning experiences which serve to build understanding of the ways in which disability rights exists under the umbrella of the civil rights movement.

This course is designed to provide prospective teachers with computer skills and experiences necessary for successfully incorporating technology into the classrooms. Students learn to use, examine, and develop teaching and learning materials through the use of technology. In addition, this course addresses the use of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. Includes online field experiences.

Strategies for supporting students with low-incidence disabilities including effective and authentic assessment and instruction, goal and objective setting, IEP writing, lesson planning, and accommodations. This course is designed to focus on persons with severe and moderate cognitive, sensory, physical and health disabilities, traumatic brain injury, autism and pervasive developmental disorders, and disabilities covered under Section 504. It also addresses Individual Transition planning and post-secondary options. It includes field experience and intervention-based case study.

This course provides an intensive study of the needs of diverse students and families and effective and appropriate responses to these needs within educational settings. During this course, students will examine the intersection and interconnectedness, and at times, intersectionality, of disability with socioeconomic status, cultural and linguistic background, gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity with responses to atypical learning and disability within educational environments. Students will conduct analyses of their own personal and professional identities, as well as their beliefs concerning diverse student populations, through the lens of Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory. Students will analyze and critique their own professional contexts in terms of sensitivity and responsiveness to multidimensional elements diversity, equity and inclusion. Students must provide and implement concrete recommendations for improved cultural responsiveness and sensitivity to marginalized students, families, and practitioners within special education systems in their professional contexts.

This seminar provides students with knowledge of current research-based teaching strategies for students in the autism spectrum. Participants gain experience in assessing and planning meaningful learning goals, developing effective teaching plans and evaluating student outcomes. Topics addressed include teaching complex behaviors, analyzing challenging behaviors and collaborating with families.

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of the transition processes and procedures integral to comprehensive secondary educational programming. Transition-focused education is an outcomes oriented approach to helping students plan and prepare for life after high school in the areas of post-secondary education, employment and independent living. This course examines transition related legislation and planning requirements and explores the various services and instructional methods in transition and career development that support students as they move from middle school through high school and into early adulthood. The course emphasizes evidence-based best practices with a focus on self-determination and self-advocacy, on-going student-centered transition and career assessments, inclusive community-based instruction, aligning transition instruction with standards based curriculum and interagency and family collaboration. Students will participate in Stage 1, 2 and 3 fieldwork experiences. They will have the opportunity to interview school and community based transition professionals and transition-aged youth. Along with observing transition-focused education, students will develop and teach a lesson on self-determination.

This course is designed to provide students with expertise in positive behavioral approaches including school-wide systems of support, effective classroom management, and individual behavioral support. This course uses both instructional and functional approaches to behavior to encourage schools to be systems of support for students and professionals. The teaching of prosocial skills is also addressed. It includes field experience and intervention-based study.

This capstone course in special education is designed to further integrate and expand students’ implementation of best practices by incorporating change into their own teaching practice. Students refine their abilities to self-assess and to assess resources and situations, to pose critical questions resulting in creative solutions to real life opportunities, and to advance significant change in the field of special education. An emphasis is placed on collaboration and consultation. In addition this course addresses professional standards delineated by special education professional organizations and ethical considerations of the profession. It includes collaborative field experience and practicum activities.

Strategies for supporting students with high-incidence disabilities including effective and authentic assessment and instruction, goal and objective setting, IEP and ITP writing, lesson planning, and accommodations. This course is designed to focus on persons with learning, behavior, speech and communication, and/or mild cognitive disabilities. It includes field experience and intervention-based case study.

ED582 is to be taken concurrently with ED582L. Lab credits are not applicable to the program.

This 3-credit combined practicum and seminar course encompasses pre-student teaching in special education settings for graduate students in the Special Education PreK-12 certification program. This course is designed as a precursor experience to the student teaching culminating seminar for students pursuing a teaching career in special education and/or teaching students with disabilities in other inclusive educational environments. The practicum involves a once per week, 10- week field placement in a special education setting, where students will work under the guidance of a mentor teacher and Arcadia supervisor to develop their skills as future special educators. Students will attend a series of professional seminars that will prepare, reinforce, and supplement their practicum experience. The overall objective of this course is for students seeking Special Education PreK-12 licensure to demonstrate developing competencies to begin a career in a special education teaching position. The student’s readiness will be evaluated onsite by the mentor/host teacher and Arcadia supervisor and in consultation with the course professor.

There are two (2) parts of this course: 1) The hands-on, professional, instructional practicum with a Host Teacher at a field placement location; and 2) The activities/assignments and professionalism activities to meet the learning outcomes of the course seminar.

Practicum for students pursuing the certification track.