Special Education
Positive Behavior Support at the Individual Level: Demystifying the Process
SPED 7044 1 cr.
Participants will examine alternative strategies for conducting an effective Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and using the results to design an individual Behavior Support Plan.
Implementing Classroom and School-Wide Effective Behavior Support for All Students
SPED 7033 1 cr.
This course provides an overview of the research and best practices for assessing, planning, and implementing classroom and school-wide positive behavior support. We will look at patterns of problem behavior and examine it through a systems approach and explore ways to design and implement school-wide supports. User friendly materials and handouts will be shared. Problem-solving strategies will be discussed with the understanding that each school has its own unique characteristics and there is no one size fits all approach.
Early Intervention
SPED 6600 3 cr.
This course focuses on assessing and working with children at risk for special needs or identified as having special needs. Current issues and concerns about infant stimulation and the role of parents and agencies in providing services are addressed.
Sign Language and Deafness
SPED 6700 3 cr.
In this class students acquire a basic sign language vocabulary (SL) as used by the majority of deaf adults, including structure, grammatical principles and vocabulary development. Issues in deaf education as well as deaf cultures and the needs of deaf individuals in the school and community are studied.
Topics in Special Education
SPED 7001 1 cr.
SPED 7002 2 cr.
SPED 7003 3 cr.
Course content varies from semester to semester, reflecting contemporary issues in special education and depending upon student and faculty interest.
Working with Individuals with Disabilities
SPED 7004 3 cr.
Course content covers the characteristics and needs of children and adults with disabilities. The total special education service delivery system; problems, issues, and controversies in the field; and relevant legislation are examined. The course is intended for regular educators and students beginning in special education and it provides an update for experienced special educators and administrators.
Understanding the Structure of the English Language
SPED 7016 3 cr.
Examines the inherent linguistic structure of Modern English and apply this knowledge to classroom instruction. The course begins by comparing previous historical knowledge about the nature of language with today's current theoretical issues. Next, we will particularly describe Modern English in terms of its linguistic structure, the sound system, English spelling, morphology, the semantic system and work formation, grammar and sentence structure.
Psychology of Reading, Reading Development
and Disabilities
SPED 7017 3 cr.
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the reading process and its developmental progression. Students will examine reading models, review research related to reading psychology and identify characteristics of proficient and non-proficient readers.
Children and Adults with Disabilities: A High Incidence Population for Abuse, Neglect and Victimization
SPED 7018 1 cr.
An examination of how special needs children are high incidence population for abuse, neglect, and victimization. The class is exposed to topics such as: the child abuse reporting statute/responsibilities of DSS, care and protection orders/juvenile court process, the criminal justice system's response to child victims and their needs, how school systems can respond to victimization of children and initiatives to promote violence prevention programs in communities/schools. The course involves both lecture and group discussion formats with an emphasis on case scenarios/problem solving.
Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
SPED 7019 1 cr.
This course delves into the many topics surrounding the study of ADHD: history, theory and brain research, diagnosis, symptoms, medical treatments, behavioral modifications and classroom suggestions. Students have the opportunity to develop individual classroom manuals which detail ADHD accommodations across multi-leveled curriculum settings.
Modifying and Adapting Curriculum: Math, Science, and Social Studies
SPED 7020 3 cr.
In this course students develop skills in observation techniques, learning style assessment, classroom organization and lesson planning. This course is a prerequisite course for the clinical master's degree and is required for students who wish to enter the clinical program but do not have teacher certification. Students complete a 25 hour practicum (field-based) experience as part of the course.
Homeless and in Need of Special Education
SPED 7021
The course provides an overview of the nature and impact of homelessness: enrollment and attendance policies effective curriculum, instruction and management and the development of educational and social service interventions designed to assist families and children who are homeless to meet with success in the school and community setting. An on-site shelter visit further enhances student learning relative to this pervasive, societal issue.
Pedagogy in Reading/Language Arts
SPED 7025 3 cr.
In this course students demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum areas of reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. They develop lesson plans which are implemented during a 25 hour practicum (field-based) experience. This course is a prerequisite for the master's degree. It is required for students who wish to enter the initial licensure program but do not have teacher certification, and for students with secondary certification only.
Students with Disabilities: Issues in Assessment and Education of Bilingual and Non English Speaking Students
SPED 7110 3 cr.
The purpose of this course is to provide both regular and special education teachers with the background information necessary to skillfully handle the referral and assessment process and work collaboratively with others in providing optimal service for the target population. Participants will explore their own experiences and belief systems to see how these impact their professional behavior.
Technology in Special Education
SPED 7250 3 cr.
This course provides an overview of the application of computers to special education. The role of computers for diagnostic, instructional and administrative purposes in special education settings is examined. Students evaluate existing hardware, software and peripherals in terms of their applicability for individuals with special needs. Students utilize tool software (word processing, data base) and commercial software to develop and increase their computer skills.
Working with Families that Include Children with Disabilities
SPED 7300 3 cr.
This course defines and discusses issues of families with one or more children with special needs. The focus is on the effects a child with disabilities has on the family system and on the roles of individuals in the family. Strategies for working effectively with families are emphasized.
Emotional Disturbances: Theory and Practice
SPED 7400 3 cr.
This course is designed to examine the major theoretical frameworks that conceptualize and explain emotional disturbance. Students utilize these conceptual frameworks to focus on identification, assessment, and the development of effective treatment approaches for children.
Advanced Strategies for Teaching School-Age Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems
SPED 7410 3 cr.
This course builds upon theoretical perspectives of SPED 7400. Students explore their own responses to conflict and stress and identify and practice strategies suited for teaching troubled children and youth. In addition, students examine issues pertinent to the education of this population.
Prerequisite: SPED 7400.
Inclusion of Students with Disabilities
in Regular Education
SPED 7650 3 cr.
Students will analyze barriers to inclusion and develop effective strategies for integration of individuals with disabilities into all aspects of the community including home, school and work setting. Students will define and redefine their role as professionals as it relates to their philosophy of integration.
The High School Environment - Challenges In Educating Students with Disabilities
SPED 7709 3 cr.
The high school environment is undergoing dramatic change shaped by social, political, technological, methodological and philosophical issues and controversies. Students will analyze the external forces pressing for redesign of administrative structure, delivery of education, the learning environment and how those changes impact students with special needs. Research-based methods for teaching to a wider range of abilities, and models for curriculum modification and staffing reallocations will be discussed.
Physical and Medical Aspects of Working with Children with Disabilities
SPED 7950 3 cr.
The course provides an overview of the basic neurological and physiological systems of the body while exploring typical and atypical development. Disabilities common in infants, children and adolescents (such as, seizures, cerebral palsy) are examined with a focus on educational adaptations and accommodations. Various models of service provision are contrasted. Collaborative strategies for working with students with physical disabilities and health impairments are developed.
Differentiating Content Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms
SPED 8011 3 cr.
This course delineates instructional and managerial strategies that can be used in classrooms to address the individual learning needs, strengths and styles of all students. Emphasis will be placed on best practices that maximize student learning within the regular classroom. The most current and promising practices, as well as relevant research, will be presented. Other areas of specific study will include special education, second language learning, brain research, gifted and talented, learning styles, technology and rubric design. The varied learning environments, content, processes and product for the course will strive to reflect the best practices in differentiated instruction.
Specialized Reading Approaches
SPED 8017 3 cr.
This course is designed to give students a comprehensive instruction based overview of the various reading approaches. Students will utilize research to analyze the components and effectiveness of these programs.
Reading Disabilities and the Assessment of Reading
SPED 8018 3 cr.
This course addresses historical and contemporary theories regarding reading disabilities. This course focuses on assessment practices where students administer, score and interpret the results of screening and diagnostic reading instruments and informal reading inventories. Students develop recommendations for direct instruction and teach children with a variety of reading needs.
The Assessment of Writing Skills and Writing Disabilities
SPED 8019 3 cr.
In this course students will analyze the components of written language and factors affecting performance. Cognitive factors associated with written language are addressed. Students assess writing skills and plan approaches to writing instruction.
Behavior Analysis and Support for Students with Severe Disabilities
SPED 8020 3 cr.
Theoretical frameworks for analyzing behaviors are examined with a focus on a supportive or educational approach. Students operationalize descriptions of behaviors, collect and analyze data, and work collaboratively to develop and implement a behavior support plan.
Curriculum Frameworks and Alternate Assessment
SPED 8021 3 cr.
The focus of this course is on curriculum and adaptations for teaching students with severe disabilities in the general education classroom, and ensuring access to the general curriculum for all students. Students will work with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and MCAS Alternate Assessment Resource Guide.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
SPED 8022 3 cr.
Students will examine communication options for individuals who are unable to meet their daily communication needs through speech. Emphasis will be places on conceptual and technical aspects of augmentative and alternative communication as well as intervention strategies and procedures used by teachers when supporting and expanding the individual's ability to communicate.
Supports and Services from Birth Through Adulthood
SPED 8023 3 cr.
The purpose of this course is to look beyond the educational setting to examine the range of services and supports which individuals with severe disabilities and their families need to live full and independent lives. A strong focus will be on working collaboratively with families. Particular attention will be given to the process of transition in general, and transition from school to adult life in particular.
Program Development in the Functional Domains
SPED 8024 3 cr.
Focusing on four domain areas-community, domestic, recreation/leisure, and vocational-a systematic approach for assessment and instructional strategies are examined and implemented. The establishment of programs and the modification of curricula in inclusive settings will be addressed throughout the course.
Alternate Assessment in the Content Areas
SPED 8025 3 cr.
State and federal law require that all students have access to the general education curriculum. The focus of this class will be on standard-based instruction (using the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks), MCAS Alternate Assessment, and IEP 2000. Curriculum areas to be addressed are primarily those in the cognitive domain: English language, arts, mathematics, science and technology/engineering, and social sciences. Students will work through the process of designing and preparing MCAS Alternate Assessment Portfolio entries.
Positive Behavioral Supports for Students
with Disabilities
SPED 8180 3 cr.
A framework is provided for thinking about and resolving behavioral issues teachers encounter in today's classrooms. Various theoretical approaches are presented. Teachers are required to implement strategies in their classrooms and report and discuss results.
Language Development, Differences
and Disorders
SPED 8300 3 cr.
This course addresses normal development of receptive and expressive language in terms of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. It focuses on the language performance exhibited by different populations of children/adults with disabilities. The language of bilingual-bicultural children and language disordered adolescents are addressed. Students develop an understanding of the principles and practices related to assessment and intervention for children with language disorders. Students assess language needs and plan appropriate strategies. Field experience (25 hours) required for testing and program planning.
Fieldwork (Severe Disabilities)
SPED 8801 1 cr.
This course provides students enrolled in the Clinical Master's Program who already hold Standard Certification, or Provisional with Advanced Standing in Special Education (Intensive) with the opportunity to work with students who have severe disabilities in connection with Clinical Coursework I & II. Students are involved in schools three to five hours a week (minimum) as they implement assignments related to clinical coursework and they begin to develop skills in working with diverse learners.
Practicum (Severe Disabilities)
SPED 8861 6 cr.
This course is the student teaching experience for students in the first year of the clinical program who do not have a prior certificate or license. Through a 150 hour field based experience, students are provided an opportunity to develop skills and demonstrate competency in the area of certification they are seeking. This course is one of the requirements for initial licensure.
Clinical Experience (Severe Disabilities)
SPED 8862 6 cr.
This course provides students in the second year of the clinical program with an opportunity to demonstrate skills they are learning in the clinical coursework as well as demonstrating competencies required for professional licensure. The experience is designed to be a supportive one, with clinical supervisors providing students with guidance and support needed to enhance their development as teachers.
Early Intervention Practicum
SPED 8900 6 cr.
This 150 hour field based experience provides students with a supervised opportunity to develop skills and demonstrate competencies necessary in early intervention settings. The practicum is designed to be a supportive experience, with supervisors providing the guidance and support needed to enhance students' development as early intervention specialists.
Fieldwork Credit (Moderate Disabilities)
SPED 8901 1 cr.
This course provides students enrolled in the Clinical Master's Program who already hold Standard Certification, or Provisional with Advanced Standing in Special Education with the opportunity to work with students who have moderate disabilities in connection with Clinical Coursework I and II. Students are involved in schools three to five hours a week (minimum) as they implement assignments related to clinical coursework and they begin to develop skills in working with diverse learners.
Assessment, Curriculum, Strategies in Reading Language Arts
SPED 8914 6 cr.
This course focuses in on understanding of the processes for developing reading and language arts skills with students who have special needs. Alternative and traditional assessment strategies are addressed and applied to students with moderate disabilities in the clinical experience. Adaptation strategies, including the use of educational technology for teaching language arts and social studies are addressed. Concepts of measurement are studied to enable students to establish criteria for selecting appropriate assessment tools. Students evaluate assessment devices for technical quality.
Assessment, Curriculum and Strategies for Math/Science, Social Studies and Cognitive Assessment
SPED 8924 6 cr.
Students learn current approaches for teaching math and science as well as appropriate strategies for modifying instruction when necessary. The standards of the National Council for the Teaching of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks are presented. Specific computer programs are studied to demonstrate the integration of computers into units of study. Students with special needs are evaluated using formal and informal assessment tools, background information and observation. Alternative assessment techniques are emphasized and applied in the clinical experience.
Clinical Course Work III Moderate Disabilities:
Assessment in Cognition/Achievement: Curriculum for Social Skills and Affective Development: Strategies for Behavior Management; Collaboration Skills for Inclusion
SPED 8934 6 cr.
Graduate students evaluate students with disabilities to determine cognitive skills, achievement in all areas and affective assessment. Curriculum and instructional strategy modifications that develop social skills and enhance affective development are a focus. Behavior management strategies for the classroom are addressed. Special attention is given to the diverse population of today's schools, especially to students at risk. Students learn collaborative models of consultation and effective communication skills for working with peers and parents. Semester long collaboration projects offer students opportunities to practice skills and receive feedback from a number of sources.
Clinical Course Work IV Moderate Disabilities:
Legal and Ethical Issues in Assessment: Curriculum Theory and Development; Transitions; Collaboration with Families, and the Educational Team
SPED 8944 6 cr.
This course focuses on the legal and ethical considerations in assessment. The philosophical underpinnings of effective curriculum development are addressed. The need for educational programs to be provided in inclusive settings is explored and emphasized. Students examine and then develop a curriculum development and education process. The strategies strand focuses on reflective teaching and the strategies used to implement changes in schools relative to providing services to students with special needs. Students work collaboratively with a family that includes a child with special needs and other members of the professional team. Using person centered planning, a transition plan is developed for a student facing a transition in school.
Assessment Practices in the Content Areas
SPED 8950 3 cr.
This course examines the use of formal and informal assessment devices as well as criterion referenced and non-referenced techniques. Students use various assessment strategies as they observe, analyze and interpret children's learning needs. Varied test instruments are reviewed and current issues in assessment are researched and discussed.
Practicum (Moderate Disabilities)
SPED 8961 6 cr.
This course is the student teaching experience for students who do not have a prior certificate or license. Through a supervised field based experience students are provided an opportunity to develop skills and demonstrate competency in the area of certification they are seeking. This course is one of the requirements for Provisional with Advanced Standing certification status.
Clinical Experience (Moderate Disabilities)
SPED 8962 6 cr.
This course provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate skills they are learning in the clinical coursework as well as demonstrating competencies required for Standard Certification. The experience is designed to be a supportive one, with clinical supervisors providing students with guidance and support needed to enhance their development as teachers.
Research in Special Education
SPED 9000 3 cr.
In this course students learn specific skills necessary to read and interpret relevant research. Students write critiques of current articles and discuss alternative interpretations in class. Students also design and implement a research prospectus.
Research Application Seminar
SPED 9002 1 cr.
This seminar provides a mixture of group planning, support and guided individual study for students in special education who are enrolled in their practicum and ready to work on a specific research project. Students will develop a study design, work in small groups to apply principles of research design and implement a research project in the practicum setting.
Reflective Teaching
SPED 9003 3 cr.
Professional educators must be reflective practitioners. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) materials will be used to structure this highly interactive and individualized course designed for teachers who want to reflect on, and further enhance, their teaching practices.
The Adult Learner
SPED 9010 3 cr.
The course focuses on the nature of the developing adult as a learner. An understanding of how the adult learner processes experience, how learning is best structured and how to provide feedback is emphasized. An extension of this focus includes an investigation of human relations and gender uniqueness, as well as relations within diverse populations as they impact the personal competence of the adult learner. Journals and readings are the basis for guided reflection and introspection.
The Reading Specialist: Leadership Roles
SPED 9012 3 cr.
This course is designed to develop the skills needed for the reading specialist to work directly with teachers to contribute to their professional development. It addresses the knowledge in leadership and in reading needed to provide teachers with the support necessary to learn pedagogical content knowledge, curriculum development, research based instruction, assessment practices and strategies to become effective liaisons with parents and school personnel.
Advanced Research in Reading
SPED 9100 3 cr.
This course focuses on past and current research in reading, written language and spelling and in disabilities associated with each area. Theories, research and implications for reading instruction are addressed. Appropriate instruction based on research is determined. Students read studies that test all theories against one another at different points in time. Students develop an understanding of longitudinal studies, sampling procedures, research bias and evaluating competing theories. Student report implications for teaching. Prerequisite: Research in Education
Practicum (Reading Specialist)
SPED 9101 6 cr.
This course provides graduate candidates with an opportunity to demonstrate skills they are learning in the graduate program in reading, as well as demonstrating competencies required for an initial license as a Reading Specialist. The experience is designed to be a supportive one, with practicum supervisors providing interns with guidance and support needed to enhance their development as a reading specialist.
Special Education and the Law
SPED 9120 3 cr.
Students will review policy and program regulations associated with Massachusetts Chapter 766, IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act, as they apply to implementation of services in school-based settings. Precedent setting court decisions associated with those laws will also be examined. New legislation affecting educational practices in general, and therefore, affecting special education practices, will be explored. Students will have the opportunity to explore case studies and challenge their own ability to think critically about various situations.
Advanced Identification and Remediation of Reading/Language Based Learning Disabilities
SPED 9130 3 cr.
The focus of the course is on identification and remediation of reading and written language disabilities. Dyslexia and related problems are analyzed in terms of current research. Critical aspects of reading that are addressed include phonology, word analysis skills, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Written language skills are analyzed in depth. Explicit and systematic instructional strategies are presented. The course includes the response to intervention model and its impact on current diagnostic practices.
Prerequisites: A reading and a language course or permission of instructor.
Woodcock/Johnson - III
SPED 9150 3 cr.
This course focuses on the WJIII. Students will demonstrate knowledge of theories of intellectual processing and skill in administering, scoring and interpreting the cognitive and achievement batteries of the WJIII. An understanding of the early childhood, elementary or secondary school curriculum is necessary. Previous preparation in educational assessment and basic knowledge of statistical terminology related to norm-referenced testing are prerequisites. Student profiles will be analyzed. A field-based component is required. Kits need to be obtained from the students' school systems.
Consultation and Collaboration Strategies
SPED 9200 3 cr.
Students study theory and practice skills related to communication skills and processes as well as effective consultation strategies for working with school personnel. The process of collaborative consultation is practiced in class in addition to peer coaching and mentoring. Students learn how to evaluate their consultation skills and maintain themselves as a consultant.
Educational Strategies
SPED 9250 6 cr.
Given the context of the adult learner and the process of implementing educational change studied in the previous courses in the CAGS sequence, the focus of this course is on effective and promising strategies which improve teaching and, thereby, learning for all children. Students become proficient at critiquing the design, analysis and results of research to determine which strategies hold promise for improving teaching. Students also study current effective strategies in the field, such as cooperative learning, social interaction, peer mediation, teaching/learning styles, cross cultural competency, apprenticeship models, reciprocal teaching and project approach. Lastly, students learn how to implement these strategies in their schools.
Internship and Reflective Analysis Seminar
SPED 9350 6 cr.
This internship is designed to advance the development of self-directing educators who initiate, facilitate, participate in, and evaluate all aspects of educational practice. The internship is a year-long experience which offers interns an opportunity to practice communication skills and apply collaborative skills with one or more colleagues in the field. The experience includes opportunities to plan, organize and evaluate ways of improving instruction through the cooperative participation of school personnel and to implement educational change through such peer leadership structures and practices as mentoring, collaborative supervision, peer coaching and team teaching. All work is carried out under the supervision of faculty. Ongoing internship projects are analyzed during biweekly seminars.
The Reflective Analysis Seminar serves as the capstone course for the CAGS Program in Teacher Leadership: A Program for Teachers. Opportunities are provided which allow students to analyze their course work and their internship through an integrated and reflective process. Each session is accompanied by discussion formats with other students, by reading, and research. Students are encouraged to present ideas on the role of instructional leadership and its purpose in improving instruction. The instructor's role in the course is that of a facilitator.
Current Issues in Special Education
SPED 9400 3 cr.
Students consider the context for special education and examine current and controversial issues such as inclusion, cost-effectiveness, educational reform and grading. The course format gives students the opportunity to examine and debate these issues from multiple perspectives. Particular attention is given to the ways in which current issues and controversies affect classroom teachers and their students.
Independent Study
SPED 9500 3 cr.
Students who wish to pursue an area of interest in special education that is not offered through course work may develop a program of study with a member of the graduate faculty. Faculty use a conference approach with the individual students, which places emphasis on critical thinking and sensitivity to the process of resolving issues.
Prerequisite: with permission of advisor only.
Administration of Special Education Programs
SPED 9800 3 cr.
In this course emphasis is given to services, organization programs, personnel and facilities as they relate to the needs of the child and adult with special needs. Students are expected to be well-versed in the effects of federal and state mandates for special education services as a result of this course.
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