Graduate Catalog 2010-12
Special Education
Note: Additional work
will be required for graduate credit in 400-level courses.
SPED 423 Assessment, Instruction and Curricular
Adaptations for Preschoolers 3
Prereq.: Admission into the Professional
Program. Development of Individualized Education Programs, adapting curricula,
and the utilization of assessment and teaching strategies to promote the
development and independence of preschoolers with disabilities in community and
integrated school settings. Taken concurrently with EDEC 423. Field experience
required.
SPED 430 Characteristics and Education of
Individuals with Behavioral/Emotional Disorders 3
Prereq.: SPED 315 or permission of
instructor. Taken concurrently with SPED 431. Overview of the education of
behavioral/emotional disorders, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity
disorders. Topics include characteristics, identification, etiology,
theoretical, and educational approaches. Involves field-experience
component.
SPED 431 Behavior Management and Social Skills
Development 3
Prereq.: SPED 315 or permission of
instructor. Taken concurrently with SPED 430. Examination of methodologies for
evaluation, assessment, management of student behavior, and program
planning/instruction utilized in special education settings. Involves field-experience
component.
SPED 433 Educational Assessment for Exceptional
Learners 3
Prereq.: Admission to the Professional
Program and SPED 432. Examines formal and informal assessment materials and
techniques used in evaluating adaptive skills, processing abilities, and
academic achievement in individuals with learning and/or behavior problems.
Topics include procedures for test selection/administration, methods for
scoring and interpreting test results. Involves field-experience component.
SPED 434 Characteristics and Education of
Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 3
Prereq.: Admission to the Professional
Program. Taken concurrently with SPED 435. Overview of mental retardation,
developmental disabilities, autism and physical disabilities. Topics include
characteristics, identification, etiology, theoretical, and educational
approaches. Involves field-experience component.
SPED 435 Curriculum Adaptations and Teaching
Strategies for Learners with Exceptionalities 3
Prereq.: SPED 433. Taken concurrently
with SPED 434. Techniques for assessing social studies, science, and
pre-vocational skills, as well as for selecting, developing, and adapting
curricula and methods for students with exceptionalities. Involves
field-experience component.
SPED 436 Language Arts for Learners with
Exceptionalities 3
Prereq.: SPED 432, 433. Taken
concurrently with SPED 438. Techniques for planning and delivering instruction
in the areas of reading, writing, and oral language specific to students with
special needs.
SPED 437 Integrative Seminar for Beginning Special
Educators 3
Prereq.: SPED 436. Taken concurrently
with SPED 439. Examines collaborative strategies for assessment and program
planning. Communication skills, professional ethics and codes of conduct will
be examined.
SPED 501 Education of the Exceptional Learner 3
Examines growth and development of students with disabilities, including those
identified as gifted and talented, and methods for assessing, planning for and
working effectively with these students. Meets State of Connecticut requirement
for teacher certification (10 hours of off-campus field experience required).
SPED 506 Foundations of Language for the Exceptional Child 3
Prereq.: Admission to any M.S. education program. Review of the
basis of language competence in the exceptional child, including phonology,
morphology, semantics, syntax, and other component factors. This course is for teachers certified in
education.
SPED 510 Inclusive Education 3
Prereq.: Certification in any area of
education or permission of instructor. Identification of the issues,
legislation, and litigation affecting inclusion as a method of integrating
special needs children in regular education. Methods and assessment strategies
of learning which facilitate inclusion along with alternate curriculum and
classroom management strategies will be presented.
SPED 511 Behavioral/Emotional Disorders 3
Prereq.: SPED 315 or 501, admission to
the School of Graduate Studies and admission to the Special Education program;
or permission of the chair. Examination of behavioral/emotional disorders,
autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and schizophrenia, with
emphasis on current issues, classroom practices, and contemporary research (10
hours of off-campus field experience required.
SPED 512 Learning Disabilities 3
Prereq.: SPED 315 or SPED 501, admission
to the School of Graduate Studies and admission to the Special Education
program; or permission of the chair. Characteristics and identification of
students with learning disabilities. Impact on reading, writing, mathematics,
oral language, cognition, and other performance dimensions. Implications for
instruction (10 hours of off-campus field experience required).
SPED 513 Developmental Disabilities 3
Prereq.: SPED 315 or SPED 501, admission
to the School of Graduate Studies and admission to the Special Education
program; or permission of the chair. Examination of developmental disabilities
including students with mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorder,
cerebral palsy, and other physical disabilities, with emphasis on current
issues, classroom practices, and contemporary research (10 hours of off-campus
field experience required).
SPED 514 Cognitive Behavior Management and Social
Skill Strategies 3
Prereq.: SPED 315 or SPED 501, admission
to the graduate program in Special Education; or permission of the department
chair. Examination of methodologies for evaluation, management of student
behavior, program planning, cognitive restructuring, and functional behavior
analysis utilized in special education settings (15 hours of off-campus field
experience required).
SPED 515 Assessment in Special Education 3
Prereq.: SPED 511, 512, 513. Review of methods
and materials used in assessing and evaluating the performance of students
who may be eligible for special education. Topics include psychometric theory,
selecting/administrating tests, scoring, and interpreting and communicating test
results/findings. 10 hours of off-campus field experience required. May be
taken concurrently with SPED 516.
SPED 516 Instructional Programming for Students
with Exceptionalities 3
Prereq.: SPED 511, 512, 513. Designing the
individualized education program (IEP) and subsequent lesson plans in
academic and non-academic areas to meet the needs of exceptional students. 10
hours of off-campus field experience required. May be taken concurrently with SPED 515.
SPED 517 Instructional Methods for Students with
Special Needs - Elementary 3
Prereq.: SPED 515, 516. Methods
associated with planning and implementing instruction, with emphasis on the
areas of mathematics, reading, writing, and oral language in the elementary grades
(10 hours of off-campus field experience required).
SPED 518 Instructional Methods for Students with
Special Needs - Secondary 3
Prereq.: SPED 515, 516. Methods
associated with planning and implementing instruction in grades 7 through 12.
Issues related to academic content, advocacy/self-determination, vocational
transitioning, and functional living are also discussed(10 hours of off-campus
field experience required).
SPED 520 Student Teaching Seminar 1
Coreq.: SPED 521. Examines current
issues in special education which affect
teaching and learning including multiculturism and diversity, leadership,
collaboration, professional ethics, and codes of conduct.
SPED 521 Student Teaching in Special Education -
Elementary 3 TO 6
Prereq.: SPED 517 or 518, and permission
of the Director of Field Experiences. Supervised teaching in elementary special
education classrooms, agencies, or institutions. Attendance at on-campus
seminars is required. The post-baccalaureate certification program has been
revised to include two student teaching experiences within the same semester
instead of the currently offered one student teaching (6 credits) for each of
two semesters. The eight weeks (3 credits for SPED 521) and eight weeks (3
credits for SPED 522) allow for students to complete student teaching in just
one semester.
SPED 522 Student Teaching in Special Education -
Secondary 3 TO 6
Prereq.: SPED 517 or 518, and permission
of the Director of Field Experiences. Supervised teaching in secondary special
education classrooms, agencies, or institutions. Attendance at on-campus
seminars is required. The post-baccalaureate certification program has been
revised to include two student teaching experiences within the same semester
instead of the currently offered one student teaching (6 credits) for each of
two semesters. The eight weeks (3 credits for SPED 521) and eight weeks (3
credits for SPED 522) allow for students to complete student teaching in just
one semester.
SPED 523 Practicum in Special Education -
Elementary 3
Prereq.: SPED 517 or SPED 518, SPED 520.
Supervised practicum in elementary special education classrooms. Summer.
SPED 524 Practicum in Special Education -
Secondary 3
Prereq.: SPED 517 or 518, SPED 520, and
permission of department chair. Supervised practicum in secondary special
education classrooms. Summer.
SPED 532 Contemporary Issues in Special Education 1-3
Prereq.: Certification in education. Overview of current theory and practices in various aspects of special
education, including topics in etiology, identification, classification,
assessment, and education.
SPED 534 Advanced Topics in Developmental
Disabilities 1-3
Prereq.: SPED 513 or permission of
Special Education advisor or permission of department chair. Overview of
current theory and practice in various aspects of developmental disabilities
including advanced topics in etiology, identification, classification,
assessment and programming. Irregular.
SPED 536 Autism Spectrum Disorder 3
Prereq.: Admission to any M.S. education program. Historical
and current views regarding the characteristics, etiology, and prognosis of
autism spectrum disorder. Current educational and treatment programs will be
reviewed. This course is for teachers certified in education. Irregular.
SPED 541 Issues & Strategies in the Transition
Process 3
Prereq.: Admitted to Master's Degree
Program in Special Education. Emphasized the planning process for making a
smooth transition from school to post school options for students with
disabilities. Promotes the use and values of compatibility analyses,
self-determination and natural supports. Irregular.
SPED 542 Designing Classroom Environments for
Creative Learning 3
Prereq.: Admission to graduate school or
permission of department chair. Examines creative practices in assessment,
instruction and curriculum development for students with special education
needs. Participants share experiences from their own content areas and add to
the richness of options in working with students in special education. Summer.
SPED 560 Positive Classroom Management for
Students Receiving Special Education Services 3
Prereq.: Admission to
any M.S. education program. Basic skill
and application of reality-oriented verbal strategies and Life Space Crisis
Intervention strategies and general classroom management for educators who
address the needs of special education students experiencing emotional and/or
physical crises. This course is for
teachers certified in education. Irregular.
SPED 566 Legal and Administrative Issues in
Special Education 3
Prereq.: Acceptance to M.S. program in
Special Education or permission of department chair. Federal and state laws and
regulations for special education are studied. Emphasis is placed on the
theories and processes in pupil personnel services including writing an
individualized education program (IEP) and organizing and participating in
planning placement team (PPT) meetings.
SPED 577 Integrative Seminar 3
Prereq.: Certification in special education. Integration of theories, practices, and issues as related to provision and delivery of services to exceptional learners. Students in conjunction with the instructor, will evaluate their current professional skills and develop and carry out an independent study to increase their professional competence. [Note: This course was added back to the catalog on 12.20.10 after being mistakenly deleted earlier.]
SPED 578 The Juvenile Offender with Special
Education Needs 3
Prereq.: Admission to
any M.S. education program. Study of the
educational characteristics of the juvenile offender as a special education
student, including a review of current educational interventions. This course is for teachers certified in
education.
Irregular.
SPED 580 Collaborative Process in Special
Education 3
Prereq.: Teacher certification or
permission of department chair. Examination of the interactions between the
special educator and the regular classroom teacher, including programming,
management, and monitoring, for the purpose of providing supports and services
for students with special education needs.
SPED 581 Assistive Technology in Special Education 3
Prereq.: Admitted to Master's Degree
Program in Special Education. Considering, designing, and implementing a range
of assistive technologies for people with individualized education or
rehabilitation programs; individualizing instruction through the use of
adaptive devices, hardware, and software; applying instructional technology
applications to the roles and responsibilities of special educators. Irregular.
SPED 591 Independent Study in Special Education 3
Directed independent studies in special education. May be repeated under
different topics for a total of 6 credits.
SPED 595 Topics in Special Education 1
TO 3
Prereq.: Admission to
any M.S. education program. Seminar
addressing a specific area of special education, with emphasis on current
trends in the field. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 6
credits. This course is for teachers certified in education. Irregular.
SPED 596 Designing Action Research in Special
Education (Plan E) 3
Prereq.: Admission
to the M.S. in Special Education, SPED 598, and permission of department
chair or instructor. Introduction to action research in special education. Students
will identify a topic, conduct a literature review, formulate an appropriate
research design plan, and receive CCSU Human Studies Committee approval in
partial completion of the Master's Degree Capstone (Plan E) project. Fall.
SPED 597 Implementing and Documenting Action
Research in Special Education 3
Prereq.: SPED 596. Students implement
and document action research design plan formulated in SPED 596. Final report
documents results, discussion, and limitations of study. Required presentation
supplements the written report. Spring.
SPED 598 Research in Special Education 3
Prereq.: Admission to the Special Education master’s program; must be taken prior to enrolling
in SPED 596. Examines quantitative, qualitative,
and single-case design research methods used in special education for
assessing the impact of instructional techniques, treatment programs, related
services, and behavioral interventions. Students will use research quality
indicators to evaluate research methods, approaches, and publications in the special
education literature base. Students will use statistical applications to
analyze data and conduct analyses. Spring, Summer.
