Course Description

Develops competencies required to teach readiness and basic skills to children with special needs in private or public school settings. Includes the preparation of lesson plans, instructional units, and individualized Education Programs (IEP's). Includes child abuse recognition and intervention training. Emphasizes exceptionalities for students ages 2-21 under Public Law 94-142. Familiarizes students with the indicators of effective teaching. Lecture 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to provide K-12 classroom teachers with tools and resources to accommodate exceptional children in the general education classroom. Activities will prepare teachers to design and implement individualized instruction for students with special needs. In addition, students will complete the child abuse recognition and intervention training required by the Commonwealth of Virginia for teacher licensure.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisite: Successful completion of 24 hours of college coursework preferably including ITE 115 and ENG 111 or equivalent

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify the laws and procedures that govern special education including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, No Child Left Behind.
• Summarize key components of the Individualized Education Plan as required by law.
• Describe the Response to Intervention model including the role of the teacher and approaches to implementing interventions with students.
• Explain key characteristics of exceptional students including, but not limited to, students with autism spectrum disorders, emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, and communication disorders.
• Identify and employ techniques to communicate with families of exceptional children.
• Develop a positive behavior support system for the classroom to promote respect among students and reduce disruptive student behaviors
• Create lesson plans and/or instructional units to meet the individual needs of exceptional students using appropriate teaching methods for exceptional children in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Complete the Commonwealth of Virginia’s required child abuse training for instructional personnel

Possible Assignments Include: (Subject to change each semester. The actual assignments are available in the Syllabus in the Blackboard course site on the first day of classes.)

Your final grade may be based on the following scale. Please note that you must also pass both exams in order to pass the course, regardless of your scores on the other assignments.

There are 2 exams in this course.

Last Updated: February 18, 2016