400

This course focuses on collaboration with families, students, teachers, and other professionals (e.g., paraeducators, community professionals) in the integration of individuals with disabilities into educational settings. The course examines techniques to foster active inquiry, leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and supportive interaction among professionals, families, and students and their rights and responsibilities. Personal and cultural biases involved in collaboration are also explored. Prerequisite(s): Admission to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program; SPE 300 or equivalent. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 quarter hours

This course continues the professional development of special education teacher candidates concerning roles and responsibilities of special educators in grades K-12. A university seminar combines with 45 hours of field experiences focusing on active involvement with a cooperating special education teacher within the larger inclusive community of the school. The field experiences require candidates to apply specific teaching strategies with individual or small groups of students. Candidates will collaborate with classroom teachers on lesson planning and implement lesson plans written during this or previous program classes. Candidates will submit videos for review in addition to on-site observation by a university supervisor. Prerequisite(s): Admission to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program; SPE300 or equivalent, SPE305, SPE310, SPE315, SPE320, SPE25, SPE335, SPE410, SPE411. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course focuses on the significance of teaching reading, writing and oral communication, and on integrating these components to facilitate learning, to empower students and achieve social equity for all students with disabilities. Theories, current research, and methods regarding language and literacy skills for all students with disabilities are discussed. The course specifically addresses phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary and their relationship to the general curriculum. The candidates are introduced to a variety of formal and informal assessments. Prerequisite(s): Admission to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program; SPE 300 or equivalent, SPE 310. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 quarter hours

This advanced course expands on the significance of teaching reading, writing and oral communication, integrates these components to increase content learning and to empower students and achieve social equity for all students with disabilities. This course addresses a broad range of literacies and effective literacy techniques that help learners construct meaning through reading, writing, listening, viewing and communicating. The course also addresses curriculum, literacy skills, developmental reading and writing instruction, assessment, and instructional and assistive technology. Prerequisite(s): Admission to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program; SPE 300 or equivalent, SPE 310, SPE 410. 4 quarter hours

This course focuses on planning and implementing alternative and specialized curricula and instruction as related to the general education curriculum and legal requirements. Emphasis will be placed on transition and comprehensive person-centered planning, self-determination, vocational instruction, functional and life-skills curriculum development and implementation, task analysis, and errorless learning strategies. Candidates will use present levels of performance to develop IEP goals and objectives/benchmarks related to Illinois Learning Standards and IDEA requirements and are incorporated into instructional planning. Prerequisite(s): Admission to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program; SPE 300 or equivalent. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 quarter hours

This advanced course expands on the planning and implementing of inclusive curricula and instruction as related to the general education curriculum and legal requirements. Emphasis will be placed on developing lessons and integrated thematic units across general education content areas and the Illinois Learning Standards, (e.g., science, social studies, mathematics, and language arts) from a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective and incorporating IEP objectives/benchmarks. Topics include differentiated instruction, accommodations and modifications, and Understanding by Design. Prerequisite(s): Admission to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program; SPE 300 or equivalent, SPE 415. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 quarter hours

This course examines developmentally and individually appropriate strategies to foster the social, emotional, cognitive, communicative, and adaptive learning and motor development of young children with special needs in various settings, including the home, school, and community. Curriculum, instructional methods, and materials for teaching young children with special needs, from birth through second grade, are examined. A variety of disabilities are addressed, and topics include compliance with pertinent legislation, team collaboration and practices, IFSPs and IEPs, accommodations and modifications for educating children in the least restrictive environment, individual and family-centered programming, and direct educational and behavioral intervention techniques. Ten hours of observation in an appropriate ECE SPE setting is required. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 350. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course provides an overview of the purposes of engaging in assessment and examination of different kinds of measures, such as screening, assessment for eligibility, and ongoing developmental assessment, all within the birth to age eight classrooms. Specific types of assessment instruments used for early intervention and other early childhood special education purposes are reviewed and implemented, including formal and informal instruments for assessing young children’s social, emotional, cognitive, communication, motor skills, family strengths, needs, concerns, priorities, resources, as well as school, home, and community learning environments. Through hands-on practice with a variety of tools, students learn procedures and develop strategies for implementing nondiscriminatory assessment, utilizing valid and reliable measures when conducting formative and summative individual and program evaluation. Ten field hours are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course provides an examination of the historical, philosophical, and legal basis for family participation in education and family-centered services. Students develop techniques for promoting positive, supportive relationships with parents of young children with special needs, including strategies for working with socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse families. Family systems theory is reviewed, as well as family stressors, grief, and coping. Emphasis is placed on models for building effective teams, strategies for facilitating consultation and collaboration among professionals, para-professionals, families, and other agencies, as well as techniques for supporting family strengths, addressing family needs, priorities and concerns, and accessing community resources. Ten field hours are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

In this course, students will be provided with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement recommended, evidence-based practices with young children (under 6 years of age) with autism spectrum disorders and/or developmental delays in an inclusive ECE setting. Etiology, diagnostic procedures, current theoretical approaches to intervention, and research on supporting young children with autism-spectrum disorders and/or developmental delays and their families, will be considered. Developmental delays will be considered in their relationship to autism-spectrum disorders and independently in the areas of cognition, social-emotional, gross motor, and speech development. Ten field hours are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course serves as the culminating experience in the special education undergraduate program. The course involves supervised teaching of students with disabilities in public or private school settings and includes a seminar in which candidates examine, apply, and evaluate instructional and curricular strategies and interventions in school settings. In all settings, the collaborative-consultation model is practiced. Student candidates must make arrangements for practicum six months prior to registration. Prerequisite(s): Admitted to NCE and the Special Education Undergrad Program. Completion of all undergraduate special education course work. Degree status in special education and consent of students' advisor and program coordinator. Application form must be made in writing as determined by program guidelines and procedures. Co-requisite(s): None. 10 quarter hours.