Master of Education in Special Education with a concentration in Teacher of Students with Disabilities online

This course introduces candidates for the Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement to the historical roots of Special Education, including the major legislation and court cases that frame the current state and federal regulations.  A major emphasis of the course will be placed on issues and delays in human development, the basic characteristics and defining factors for each of the major disability categories, co-concurrent conditions and how disabilities impact individuals learning and their transition between programs across the lifespan. In addition, participants will discuss family systems, and how language, culture, gender, environmental and societal influence impact the development and achievement of students with disabilities.

This course focuses on both theory and practice of effective classroom management to ensure a safe and supportive classroom environment that promotes student achievement. Methods to manage group behavior are presented with emphasis on preventive intervention strategies for at-risk learners; HIB(harassment, intimidation and bullying), and practices that foster cultural understanding, safety, and emotional well being. The use of structured assessment information to identify supports for children whose behaviors disrupt learning is emphasized through Functional Behavioral Assessments, and the development of Behavior Intervention Plans. Observation and recording measures to assess and analyze the communicative intent of inappropriate behaviors are examined. Replacement behaviors and strategies to promote self-management are covered. Emphasis will be placed on collaboration with families and other educators.

This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the best practices for working with students with diverse needs and abilities, including those with disabilities, in a variety of educational settings. Emphasis will be placed on adapting specific teaching and learning methodologies to meet the needs of students with disabilities in meeting academic standards. Topics will include: the development, implementation, and accountability to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); the selection, adaptation, and development of instructional materials and assessment across curricular areas; as well as the role of the special educator in the school community.

This course is designed to provide teacher candidates with advanced knowledge of research-based practices and interventions and for teaching and assessing literacy when working with students with diverse needs and abilities, including those with disabilities, in a variety of educational settings.

This course will introduce the conceptual framework of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and assistive technology for diverse learners, including learners with disabilities. The course will provide an overview of technologies that integrate UDL as well as assistive technologies that meet evidence-based practice to equitably support learners in achieving academic and functional goals. The teacher candidates will have opportunities to create inclusive materials, activities, and environments that incorporate UDL principles and technology. Students are also expected to take an active role in collaborating with their colleagues through hands-on activities that integrate assistive technology across content areas and settings.

The course will introduce teacher candidates to the knowledge and skills required to work as part of multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive educational services fror students with disabilities. Teacher candidates will develop strategies for collaborating with parents, regular and special educators, paraprofessionals, related service providers, and other individuals in order to support students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment.

This course provides a culminating clinical practice for candidates to demonstrate mastery of CEC Common Core Knowledge and Skills through the application of skills in a classroom based clinical practice setting, and the development of a digital teaching portfolio. In this course, candidates will demonstrate their knowledge of individual differences, and the use evidence-based instructional practices to demonstrate the academic growth of students with disabilities in the classroom through the use of the NJ Department of Education Student Growth Objective process and through tracking of student goals and objectives in their Individualized Education Programs (IEP).

This course will provide instruction in the legal issues involved in the education of students with disabilities. It will illustrate how the American legal system works vis-a-vis special education law. This class will examine the history of special education law, current New Jersey and federal legislation, and pertinent case law. The course content will focus on facets of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (NCLB), Section 504 of the American Disabilities Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This course provides: current perspective on issues and controversies special educators confront, with emphasis on relationships between regular and special education programs and teachers. Selected topics are explored through readings, discussion, and exploratory research, e.g., inclusion, accountability, high-stakes assessment, diversity, and the efficacy of special education practices. A foundation for thesis study is provided, focusing on the knowledge and skills needed to conceptualize empirical research. Candidates review multiple sources of material to identify a researchable topic, state hypotheses, and engage in a preliminary literature search in preparation for the master’s thesis.

This course is designed as a general introduction to the problems, issues and procedures inherent in supervising and administering those various programs that have been organized to meet educational needs of the disabled.

This course will introduce candidates to designing school curricula (goals, method, materials, and assessments) that are flexible enough to accommodate the individual learning needs of all learners within general education classrooms.  Using the model of Universal Design for Learning, candidates will learn to develop curriculum, instruction, assessments, and classroom  environments that are accessible and applicable to students, teachers, and parents with differing abilities, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds.