Special Educator Endorsement Specialty

Advances teachers’ abilities to assess special needs children and develop and design appropriate instructional support for these children. Successful completion of course work and passing scores on the appropriate ORELA test will result in an Oregon endorsement.

Student Learning Outcomes M.Ed. Special Education

Initial Content Standard 1: Foundations

1. Special educators understand the field as an evolving and changing discipline based on philosophies, evidence-based principles and theories, relevant laws and policies, diverse and historical points of view, and human issues that have historically influenced and continue to influence the field of special education and the education and treatment of individuals with exceptional needs in both.

Initial Content Standard 2: Development and Characteristics of Learners

2. Special educators know and demonstrate respect for their students first as unique human beings. Special educators understand the similarities and differences in human development and the characteristics between and among individuals with and without exceptional learning needs. Their students first as unique human beings. Special educators understand the similarities and differences in human development and the characteristics between and among individuals with and without exceptional learning needs.

Initial Content Standard 3: Individual Learning Differences

3. Special educators understand the effects that an exceptional condition can have on an individual’s learning in school and throughout life. Special educators understand that the beliefs, traditions, and values across and within cultures can affect relationships among and between students, their families, and the school community.

Initial Content Standard 4: Instructional Strategies

4. Special educators possess a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to individualize instruction for individuals with exceptional learning needs.

Initial Content Standard 5: Learning Environments and Social Interactions

5. understanding, safety and emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and active engagement of individuals with exceptional learning needs.

Initial Content Standard 6: Language

6. Special educators understand typical and atypical language development and the ways in which exceptional conditions can interact with an individual’s experience with and use of language. Special educators use individualized strategies to enhance language development and teach communication skills to individuals with exceptional learning needs.

Initial Content Standard 7: Instructional Planning

7. Individualized decision-making and instruction is at the center of special education practice. Special educators develop long-range individualized instructional plans anchored in both general and special education curricula.

Initial Content Standard 8: Assessment

8. Assessment is integral to the decision-making and teaching of special educators and special educators use multiple types of assessment information for a variety of educational decisions.

Initial Content Standard 9: Professional and Ethical Practice

9. Special educators are guided by the profession’s ethical and professional practice standards. Special educators practice in multiple roles and complex situations across wide age and developmental ranges.

Initial Content Standard 10: Collaboration

10. Special educators routinely and effectively collaborate with families, other educators, related service providers, and personnel from community agencies in culturally responsive ways.