A Lifespan Approach to Mental Retardation

-offered as a distance course via Blackboard

A lifespan approach that can be used by teachers, psychologists, multidisciplinary educational personnel for understanding individuals with mental retardation.   Issues regarding definitions, identification, best practice standards and research in educational, residential, and vocational programming will be introduced.   Analysis of current legal and ethical issues in developmental disabilities is included.

3

Advanced Methods for Students with Retardation or Severe Disabilities

-offered as a distance course via Blackboard + tv/satellite + 3 on-campus wkends

-may be taken as one class or three separate modules

Strategies for instruction and specialized interventions to accommodate the diverse needs of students with significant disabilities in inclusive school and community settings.   Adaptations and unique accommodations for effective education of students with autism, dual sensory impairments, moderate-severe intellectual impairments and multiple disabilities are provided.   Topics include neuromotor disorders, health care, positioning, and using assistive technology

Prerequisite: SPED 881:   Endorsement for students in Severely/Multihandicapped Endorsement, SPED 862:   Endorsement for students in Early Childhood Handicapped, permission of instructor

3

Collaborative Assessment for Students with Retardation and Severe Disabilities

Designed to meet the needs of teachers, psychologists, and professional staff who conduct assessment of students with moderate-profound retardation and multiple disabilities in school settings.   Strategies emphasize assessing student's capabilities and needs in relationship to valued life outcomes.   Processes of assessment will be conducted in actual classroom and community settings.

Prerequisite: permission of instructor

2

Teaching Students with Retardation or Severe Disabilities

-offered as a distance course via Blackboard + interactive tv/satellite

Planning, implementing, and evaluating effective longitudinal education for individuals with moderate-profound retardation, severe impairments and multiple disabilities.   Knowledge and skill regarding best practices with inclusive education settings for these learners will be emphasized using an ecological and functional model that addresses useful skills in current and future environments.

Prerequisite:  SPED 880, permission of instructor

Functional Alternatives to Challenging Behavior

Focus is on students with retardation or severe disabilities with examination of the context in which individuals exhibit stereotypic, self-injurious, and aggressive behavior.   Use of an educative approach will include elements of functional analysis of behavior, communicative function, and a wide variety of programmatic, curricular, ecological interventions.   Processes of assessment will be conducted in actual classroom and community settings.

Prerequisite: permission of instructor

2

Seminar in Special Education:   Communication and Early Language in Autism-offered as a distance course via Blackboard, on-campus, video conference

2

Directed Field Experience

Prerequisite:permission of instructor

arranged

Student Teaching:   Severely Multihandicapped

Laboratory and teaching experience in the area of specialization

Prerequisite:by application only (March 1 for Fall, October 1 for Spring)

6-12