This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2023-2024 VCU Bulletin. This edition includes all programs
and courses approved by the publication deadline; however we may receive notification of additional program
approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available
in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The purpose of the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood is to prepare students to serve as initially licensed special education teachers or early interventionists. The program will focus on providing students with the tools they need to work in settings serving children birth to age 5 with disabilities or who are at-risk for developmental delays, as well as work with their families. Students will garner the knowledge and skills to be able to recognize a child’s developmental and social concerns, to formulate effective and personalized/individualized instruction, and to consult with parents, teachers, related service providers and administrators to incorporate accommodations and transitions across the child’s educational program. Skills gained through this program are the ability to identify developmental concerns, adapt curriculum and support communication, motor, cognitive, social and self-help skills, as well as provide strategies for behavior management. Students will be prepared to support families of infants and toddlers through coaching around identified outcomes based on the child’s specific needs, work as the lead teacher in preschool special education settings and provide consultation to preschool teachers who work with children with diverse abilities and backgrounds. Graduates will be prepared to work in early intervention and early childhood special education settings across Virginia, with particular focus in urban and high-need areas. Successful completion of the program will result in licensure in special education/early childhood curriculum (B-5).
Student learning outcomes
- Content knowledge: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the subjects they will teach as a special education teacher.
- Learner and learning: Students will understand human development and learning theories appropriate to the age group they will teach and acquire an awareness of the diversity of the school-age populations’ cultural backgrounds, learning strengths and needs.
- Instructional practice: Students will demonstrate an ability to plan and implement effective teaching and measure student learning in ways that lead to sustained development and learning.
- Professional responsibility: Students will develop an understanding of purposes for education and a defensible philosophical approach toward teaching and demonstrate professional dispositions.
Early childhood concentration-specific outcome
- Early childhood content: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the subjects they will teach specifically as an early childhood special education teacher or an early interventionist.
Special requirements
- Students must have received a minimum grade of C in all required education courses (CLED, ECSE, EDUS, SEDP and TEDU).
- Students must have received a minimum grade of C in all prerequisite courses for all required upper-level education courses (CLED, ECSE, EDUS, SEDP and TEDU).
- Required education courses (CLED, ECSE, EDUS, SEDP and TEDU) in which students earn a grade of D or F must be repeated.
- Students must achieve a 2.8 GPA to be admitted to teacher preparation and a 3.0 GPA to be admitted to clinical internship.
Degree requirements for Special Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) with a concentration in early childhood
Course | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General education | ||
Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
Major requirements | ||
• Major core requirements | ||
EDUS 202 | Diversity, Democracy and Ethics | 3 |
EDUS 301 | Human Development and Learning | 3 |
SEDP 200 | Characteristics of Individuals With Disabilities | 3 |
SEDP 201 | Teaching Individuals With Mild and Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
SEDP 203 | Special Education Law | 3 |
SEDP 216 | Families and Professional Partnerships | 3 |
SEDP 282 | Multicultural Perspectives in Education | 3 |
SEDP 330 | Survey of Special Education | 3 |
SEDP 402 | Exceptionality and Technology: Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology | 3 |
SEDP 405 | Collaborative Practices and Co-teaching in Inclusive Schools | 3 |
SEDP 415 | Action Research in Education and Special Education: Capstone Project | 3 |
SEDP 420 | Special Education Leadership for Inclusive Schools | 3 |
SEDP 495 | Universal Design for Learning and Transition | 3 |
• Concentration requirements | ||
ECSE 201 | Infants and Young Children With Disabilities | 3 |
ECSE 202 | Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
ECSE 301 | Developmental Assessment for Young Children | 3 |
ECSE 302 | Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities | 3 |
ECSE 303 | Behavior Support in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
ECSE 304 | Communication and Language Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
ECSE 351 | Topics in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
ECSE 401 | Medical Aspects of Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
ECSE 410 | Play-based Instruction for Inclusive Settings | 3 |
ECSE 501 | Principles of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health | 3 |
SOCS 302 | Diverse Families and Children in the United States | 3 |
TEDU 425 | Emergent and Early Literacy | 3 |
TEDU 452 | Teaching English Language Learners | 2 |
• Field-based learning and student teaching requirements | ||
ECSE 250 | Infant/Toddler Fieldwork | 2 |
ECSE 350 | Preschool Fieldwork | 2 |
ECSE 450 | ECSE Consultation/Itinerant Fieldwork | 2 |
ECSE 499 | Student Teaching in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education | 6 |
Open electives | ||
Select any course. | 4 | |
Total Hours | 123 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 123.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Freshman year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall semester | Hours | |
SEDP 200 | Characteristics of Individuals With Disabilities | 3 |
UNIV 111 ![]() | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
General education course (select quantitative foundations) | 3 | |
General education course | 3 | |
General education course | 3 | |
Term Hours: | 15 | |
Spring semester | ||
ECSE 201 | Infants and Young Children With Disabilities | 3 |
EDUS 202 | Diversity, Democracy and Ethics | 3 |
SEDP 201 | Teaching Individuals With Mild and Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
UNIV 112 ![]() | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
General education course | 3 | |
General education course | 3 | |
Term Hours: | 18 | |
Sophomore year | ||
Fall semester | ||
ECSE 202 | Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
SEDP 216 | Families and Professional Partnerships | 3 |
SEDP 282 | Multicultural Perspectives in Education | 3 |
SOCS 302 | Diverse Families and Children in the United States | 3 |
UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
Open elective | 3 | |
Term Hours: | 18 | |
Spring semester | ||
2.8 GPA required for admission to teacher preparation | ||
ECSE 303 | Behavior Support in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
EDUS 301 | Human Development and Learning | 3 |
SEDP 203 | Special Education Law | 3 |
SEDP 330 | Survey of Special Education | 3 |
General education course | 3 | |
Open elective | 1 | |
Term Hours: | 16 | |
Junior year | ||
Fall semester | ||
ECSE 250 | Infant/Toddler Fieldwork | 2 |
ECSE 301 | Developmental Assessment for Young Children | 3 |
ECSE 302 | Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities | 3 |
ECSE 304 | Communication and Language Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
TEDU 425 | Emergent and Early Literacy | 3 |
General education course | 3 | |
Term Hours: | 17 | |
Spring semester | ||
3.0 GPA required for admission to clinical internship | ||
ECSE 350 | Preschool Fieldwork | 2 |
ECSE 410 | Play-based Instruction for Inclusive Settings | 3 |
SEDP 402 | Exceptionality and Technology: Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology | 3 |
SEDP 495 | Universal Design for Learning and Transition | 3 |
TEDU 452 | Teaching English Language Learners | 2 |
Term Hours: | 13 | |
Senior year | ||
Fall semester | ||
ECSE 351 | Topics in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
ECSE 401 | Medical Aspects of Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
ECSE 450 | ECSE Consultation/Itinerant Fieldwork | 2 |
ECSE 501 | Principles of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health | 3 |
SEDP 405 | Collaborative Practices and Co-teaching in Inclusive Schools | 3 |
Term Hours: | 14 | |
Spring semester | ||
ECSE 499 | Student Teaching in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education | 6 |
SEDP 415 | Action Research in Education and Special Education: Capstone Project | 3 |
SEDP 420 | Special Education Leadership for Inclusive Schools | 3 |
Term Hours: | 12 | |
Total Hours: | 123 |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 123.
Early childhood special education
ECSE 201. Infants and Young Children With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course focuses on the foundations for early intervention and education, with emphasis on inclusive environments, typical and atypical development, family and community contexts for development, professional standards and current policy issues.
ECSE 202. Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course examines typical and atypical social-emotional development of young children, as well as risk factors impacting social-emotional development. Students learn techniques for supporting positive behavior (to prevent inappropriate behavior) and strategies for building children's social competence.
ECSE 250. Infant/Toddler Fieldwork. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: ECSE 201. Corequisite: ECSE 302. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. This field-based course provides an in-depth experience in working with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Students may be placed in settings that provide home-based or community-based services.
ECSE 301. Developmental Assessment for Young Children. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The purpose of this course is to equip early childhood professionals with strong foundational knowledge and application skills in screening and assessment of young children birth through age 8 in inclusive settings. The focus of the course is to introduce formal and informal developmental assessment through a variety of formats and approaches. Students will also learn structured and unstructured observations of young children with or without disabilities in inclusive settings. Survey, review and critique of standardized and non-standardized tests as well as the use of test data in planning instruction will be covered. This course provides experiences to increase awareness of, and knowledge about, a variety of assessment procedures appropriate for use with children birth through age 8. Students completing the course will be prepared to make professional decisions regarding the screening, assessment and ongoing evaluation of typically developing children and children with or at risk for disabilities.
ECSE 302. Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ECSE 201. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 30 hours (sophomore, junior or senior standing). This infant-toddler early intervention class focuses on the provision of family-centered services as discussed in Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Students learn various relationship-based approaches for providing services that support the development of very young children with disabilities and their families.
ECSE 303. Behavior Support in Early Childhood Special Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: ECSE 201 and ECSE 202. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 30 hours (sophomore, junior or senior standing). This course will provide an introduction to theoretical models, research and strategies for supporting positive behaviors and reducing challenging behaviors of young children. Emphasis is on developing, implementing and/or structuring environments and interventions to encourage adaptive behaviors in young children. Course content focuses on conducting formal and informal assessments of behavior and environments to individualize and implement strategies to support the growth and development of individuals with challenging behavior.
ECSE 304. Communication and Language Development in Early Childhood. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 30 hours (sophomore, junior or senior standing). This course emphasizes how children learn to communicate and how to facilitate communication development. The course includes examination of language development, language differences and disorders, language facilitation, and relationship of language to literacy. Course content and assignments include information about evidence-based practices and promote critical reflection and problem-solving skills.
ECSE 350. Preschool Fieldwork. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisites: ECSE 201 and ECSE 250. Corequisite: ECSE 410. Enrollment is restricted to students in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. This field-based course provides an in-depth experience in working with preschool-aged children with disabilities. Students may be placed in school- or community-based settings.
ECSE 351. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of nine credits. A course on selected topics in early childhood special education. Generally, the content will relate to infant and toddler development, parent-child relationships, and strategies to support young children with or at-risk for disabilities and their families.
ECSE 401. Medical Aspects of Early Childhood Special Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ECSE 201. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 60 credit hours (junior or senior standing). This course focuses on the nature and characteristics of major disabling and at-risk conditions for infants and young children. Emphasis is given to the medical aspects of young children with disabilities and the management of neurodevelopmental and motor disabilities. Specific strategies for positioning and handling, facilitating movement, and developing self-care skills are provided. Review of adaptive equipment and its safe use, and selection and implementation of appropriate assistive technology will be covered.
ECSE 410. Play-based Instruction for Inclusive Settings. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Registration requires permission of the instructor. This course is designed to introduce students to the sources, concepts, theory and integrated approaches to play-based instruction for young children with or without disabilities from diverse backgrounds, and including school, home and community settings. Young children’s development and learning are viewed as integral components of play. Various approaches to formal and informal play will be addressed through a hybrid format of course delivery that includes face-to-face lectures, online discussions and reflections, onsite observations, and case-based inquiries. This course particularly values the critical role of families in child development, therefore emphasizing family involvement in play-based instructions across all settings.
ECSE 450. ECSE Consultation/Itinerant Fieldwork. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisites: ECSE 201, ECSE 250 and ECSE 350. Corequisite: SEDP 405. Enrollment is restricted to students in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. This field-based course provides an in-depth experience in providing consultation or itinerant services for young children with disabilities. Students may be placed in school- or community-based settings.
ECSE 499. Student Teaching in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. 6 Hours.
Semester course; 6 field experience hours. 6 credits. Prerequisites: ECSE 250, ECSE 350 and ECSE 450. Corequisites: SEDP 415 and SEDP 420. Enrollment is restricted to students in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program with a minimum of 90 credit hours (senior standing). The student teaching experience is designed to provide in-depth practical experience within a school, community-based program serving young children (birth to age 5) and their families, from a variety of cultural backgrounds, who are at risk for or have developmental disabilities. Through readings, community-based learning and face-to-face and online collaboration, the student will gain an understanding of the early intervention/early childhood special education requirements and practices. To demonstrate their abilities to critically reflect on their effectiveness, students will demonstrate problem-solving and critical-thinking skills as they apply the competencies gained through course work within the student teaching experience. These competencies are based on DEC-CEC standards and include participation in the assessment, planning and implementation of intervention programs; collaboration on an interdisciplinary team; use of family-centered principles; and development of professional relationships with families and other professionals in the student teaching setting.
Special education
SEDP 200. Characteristics of Individuals With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course focuses on characteristics and identification of individuals with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, developmental delay, the less severe autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injury, deaf-blindness, visual impairment and other health impairments, and knowledge of characteristics throughout the lifespan, as well as providing information on effects of educational, psychosocial and behavioral interventions that serve as adaptations to the general curriculum. The possibilities of co-morbid or multiple conditions, coupled with cross-categorical instructional settings, warrant a class that examines all eligibility categories of students served under the special education, general curriculum.
SEDP 201. Teaching Individuals With Mild and Moderate Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides an understanding and application of learning principles and methodologies for instructing, communicating and enhancing student learning that will reflect culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy. An introduction to instructional strategies and organization of activities, including curriculum, media, materials and physical environment for children in grades K-12; studies of students with high-incidence disabilities in inclusive classroom environments are included. Candidates will develop skills to plan and deliver instruction in a variety of educational settings such as inclusive classrooms, resource rooms, self-contained classes and residential programs.
SEDP 202. Preparing Diverse Learners From Multicultural and Global Perspectives. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered in hybrid format). 3 credits. This course is designed to enhance cultural competence of students through exploration of diversities from multicultural aspects and global perspectives. Students enrolled in the course will have multiple opportunities to increase their cultural awareness individually, reciprocally and socially. Throughout the course, students will explore diverse cultures and contexts within and outside of the U.S. Students will learn to view the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world as a dynamic and reciprocal interconnected unit instead of separate units. Topical areas centering on the main theme of multicultural and global perspectives include race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, linguistic, gender, abilities, urban youth and sexual orientation differences. Key concepts include cultural beliefs, values, equity, diversity and inclusion. Personal and theoretical constructs of these key concepts are explored. Through lectures, readings, group projects, community activities, videos and class discussions, students will identify factors that have an impact on diverse learners and explore innovative approaches leading to the success of all learners.
SEDP 203. Special Education Law. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides an overview of historical and current federal and state litigation and legislation, including those pertaining to special education and related services. Throughout this course, students will have various opportunities to learn federal and state statutes that address the educational rights of children/students with disabilities and their parents. Students will gain a deep understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Specifically, students will become familiar with federal statutes and regulations concerning assessment and evaluation procedures, due process and mediation, discipline, individualized education program, free appropriate public education, and least restrictive environment. Additional federal laws that are discussed include the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students are also expected to read and discuss selected issues in Virginia special education law and selected passages from the state statutes and the relevant administrative and case laws.
SEDP 204. Trends in Special Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides an understanding of the historical, philosophical and sociological foundations of public education in the United States, as well as standards for Virginia education and teaching professionals and ethical and accepted professional standards. The course will cover general knowledge of the foundations of educating students with disabilities, including a general overview of legislation and case law pertaining to special education; characteristics of individuals with and without exceptionalities, including growth and development from birth through adolescence; medical aspects of disabilities; family systems and culture; collaboration; integration/inclusion; transition; and classroom adaptations for educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environments.
SEDP 216. Families and Professional Partnerships. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is designed to increase the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are important for collaborating and communicating effectively with families of young children with special needs. This course will also emphasize understanding the role and responsibilities of community agencies and providers, and how understanding the role of members of the collaborative team can impact families in the education and transition of their children with disabilities to include education, training, employment, self-determination and other skills. During this course, students will explore the dimensions of family-centered services and person-centered planning, as well as the familial, ecological and cultural factors affecting young children with disabilities and their caregivers. Students will learn about theory, general principles and procedures for fostering collaborative partnerships among families, professionals and other stakeholders that lead to outcomes of individual and mutual empowerment.
SEDP 250. Special Education Elementary Supervision. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Corequisite: SEDP/EDUS 401. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. The purpose of this field experience is to provide teacher candidates with practical experiences within the classroom. The teacher candidate will be observed and evaluated based on demonstration of their knowledge and ability to meet performance standards measured by the Virginia Standards of Learning in any of the following areas: curriculum and instruction, assessment, classroom and behavior management, collaboration, professional and ethical behavior, characteristics, IEP development and implementation, instruction for reading, writing and mathematics, and transition.
SEDP 282. Multicultural Perspectives in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is designed to enhance cultural competence in diverse classrooms and schools. Major considerations include race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, linguistic abilities, and gender and sexual orientation differences. Key concepts include structural, curricular and instructional facets of working successfully in diverse educational settings. Personal and theoretical constructs of race, ethnicity, culture, disability and other related concepts are explored. Through lectures, readings, group projects, class activities, videos and class discussions students will explore the impact of institutional "isms" on both Anglo students and students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
SEDP 311. Secondary Education and Transition Planning. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course explores the literature, research, issues and trends that are relevant to children and youth with high-incidence disabilities (learning disabilities, emotional disabilities and/or mild intellectual disabilities) as they prepare for their transition to life after high school. Focus is on providing candidates with the ability to prepare their students and work with their families to promote successful transitions throughout the educational experience, including post-secondary training, employment and independent living, which address an understanding of long-term planning, transition assessments, career development, life skills, community experiences and resources, self-advocacy and self-determination, guardianship, and legal considerations. The full range of functioning is addressed in the areas of education, employment, social/emotional functioning and development, and personal and daily living issues. The overriding goal of this course is to provide candidates with the wherewithal for critical reflection in their professional practice to help individuals with disabilities develop, implement and achieve self-determined transition goals for their post-school years.
SEDP 315. Classroom Management and Behavior Support for Students With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course will provide an in-depth analysis of theoretical models, research and strategies for supporting positive behavior of students with disabilities. Emphasis is on developing, implementing and evaluating behavior management programs in special education, including applied behavior analysis, functional assessment, positive behavioral supports and related classroom strategies. This course will help develop a candidate’s ideas about examining the behaviors of students with special needs in school settings, including an understanding and application of school crisis management and safety plans, classroom and behavior management techniques, and individualized behavioral interventions. Techniques and approaches taught will promote skills that are consistent with norms, standards and rules of the educational environment and will be culturally diverse and responsive based upon developmental (e.g., students’ ages and classroom management), cognitive, behavioral, social and ecological theory and practice. Students will learn to evaluate students’ behavior and environments, as well as reflect on their own role in contributing to mitigating behavior problems. Candidates will also learn strategies to prevent and/or intervene in those factors to students’ problematic behavior and facilitate their positive behavior.
SEDP 320. Development and Implementation of Positive Behavior Support Plans. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is designed to provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to acquire advanced skills for effective planning, implementing and evaluating behavior strategies and supports. It will also present strategies available for management, communication and discipline at the introductory level. Students will examine a cross section of theories, models and legal and ethical variables relevant to orchestrating learning across school settings where individuals with disabilities are receiving instructional, social, behavioral and transition life-skill services. The use of positive behavioral interventions and functional behavior analysis will be discussed and students will demonstrate appropriate skills using these strategies. Students will also learn the process used to develop and monitor behavior support plans.
SEDP 330. Survey of Special Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Presents an overview of the historical basis and regulatory requirements related to special education, including the individual education program as a legal document and the rights and responsibilities of parents, teachers and schools. The characteristics of learners with disabilities and their educational and medical implications are also examined, as well as the cultural, familial and ethical issues involved.
SEDP 350. Special Education Middle School Supervision. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: SEDP 250. Corequisite: SEDP 460. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. The purpose of this field experience is to provide teacher candidates with practical experiences within the classroom. The teacher candidate will be observed and evaluated based on demonstration of their knowledge and ability to meet performance standards measured by the Virginia Standards of Learning in any of the following areas: curriculum and instruction, assessment, classroom and behavior management, collaboration, professional and ethical behavior, characteristics, IEP development and implementation, instruction for reading, writing and mathematics, and transition.
SEDP 378. Teaching Math to Students With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is designed for prospective teachers in the special education program and addresses mathematics pedagogy for students with disabilities. The course will focus on selecting appropriate mathematics curricula and instructional methodologies; learning how to assess students and develop appropriate goals, including Virginia Standards of Learning across grades K-12; understanding of application of mathematics service delivery, curriculum and instruction of students with disabilities, including alternate ways to teach and adapt math content to students accessing the general curriculum across K-12 environments; and planning and integrating appropriate and evidence‐based math strategies into students’ programming based on assessment data.
SEDP 379. Assessment Practices in Autism and Developmental Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SEDP/EDUS 401 or permission of instructor. This course creates a structure for understanding and designing effective social interactions and communication strategies, social-emotional development, and behavior interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. The course focuses on the application of empirically validated social interaction/communication and behavioral interventions that are consistent with principles of ABA in designing the interventions.
SEDP 380. Teaching Reading to Students With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides empirically validated instructional procedures to address reading for students with disabilities. The focus will be on understanding state and national reading curriculum, pedagogy and assessments of students’ reading skills; planning and implementing appropriate instructional procedures; and monitoring students’ progress. Development of age-appropriate language acquisition, reading and writing is included. Curriculum development that includes scope and sequence, lesson plans, instructional methods based on access to the general curriculum and Virginia standards, including alternate ways to teach reading and writing content, is applied.
SEDP 389. IEP and Due Process in Special Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SEDP 203. This course is designed to provide educational personnel with knowledge of the eligibility process and legal regulatory requirements for IEP development. Participants will apply knowledge of content standards, assessment and evaluations throughout the K-12 grades to construct IEPs; make decisions about student progress, instruction, program, accommodations, placement, teaching methods and transition; and complete hands-on IEP writing experiences that will address academic and functional needs of students with disabilities. Participants will engage in debate regarding due process and other regulatory requirements and measures, including the least restrictive setting for students with special needs, timelines and team member responsibilities.
SEDP 401. Assessment in Diverse Settings. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: TEDU 413 or SEDP 201. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in a B.S.Ed. program. This course explores all aspects of assessment that a teacher encounters in preK-12 educational settings. The course will cover current assessment theories, approaches and instruments used to measure the performance of the children and students representing the diverse learners in today’s classrooms -- including students with and without disabilities, English language learners and students representing a range of cultural backgrounds. Assessments at all stages of instruction (before, during and after), including formal and informal assessments and their applications in an inclusive educational setting, will be addressed. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which teachers can gather and use assessments to make data-informed decisions for effective instruction and intervention leading to optimal child development and student achievement. Specifically, the course will explore the relationships among content standards, instruction and assessment as well as ways to use a variety of assessments to monitor student progress. The course emphasizes making valid inferences from assessments in a variety of formats; understanding the legal and policy context of assessment; and the implications for appropriate grading practices and decision-making. Course content and assignments will promote critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Crosslisted as: EDUS 401.
SEDP 402. Exceptionality and Technology: Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. This course will provide students with foundational ideas and concepts regarding the selection and use of assistive technology and augmentative and alternative communication for students with disabilities. Students will recognize and plan for the uses of technology that will aid the student in their education, work and independent living. This course emphasizes the selection and use of AT and AAC in general and special education settings (K-12) for students across the continuum of disability.
SEDP 404. Methods in Teaching Science and Social Studies for Students With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. This course combines a process approach of science programs drawn from biological, earth and physical sciences with the study of social studies curriculum, materials and selected instructional strategies for teaching students with disabilities. An understanding of vocabulary development and comprehension skills in science and history will cultivate strategies for students to ask effective questions, summarize and retell both verbally and in writing strategies to impart an understanding of science and history standards of learning. The first half of this course will be dedicated to encouraging effective science instruction for diverse students, with the second half dedicated to encouraging effective social studies/science instruction.
SEDP 405. Collaborative Practices and Co-teaching in Inclusive Schools. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to juniors or seniors with a minimum of 60 credits. This course is designed to help prospective general and special educators develop an understanding of collaborative and communication strategies, models and techniques to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities. Skills in consultation, case management and collaboration, including coordination of service delivery with related services providers, general educators, administrators, parents, students and other professions (e.g., paraprofessionals, community agencies) in collaborative work environments will be understood. Class activities, discussions and projects will concentrate on appropriately meeting the needs of children with disabilities within the context of the general education setting. Students will also study and practice a variety of instructional and organizational techniques for adapting the general classroom environments in order to address the needs of children with disabilities in the general education classroom.
SEDP 410. Building a Community of Learners: Classroom Management. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 301, PSYC 301 or PSYC 304 with a minimum grade of C. The course is designed to encompass pre-K through grade 12 classroom management theory and application, motivation theory and application, diversity, socio-emotional development, trauma-informed care, and restorative justice for regular education and special education students. Crosslisted as: TEDU 410.
SEDP 415. Action Research in Education and Special Education: Capstone Project. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to seniors with a minimum of 90 credits. This course will prepare students to be reflective practitioners by connecting theory, research and practice through the exploration of action research. The course will consist of three components that promote students’ capacity for putting research into action related to their direct work with children and youth with disabilities and their families. Students will first be guided to investigate a research-based instruction/intervention strategy or approach to teaching children and youth with disabilities or developmental delays through a structured literature review. Students will then develop a research plan to be implemented during one of their externships based on the results of the literature review. Finally, students will present their literature review summary and research plan via an online and/or face-to-face poster presentation format. Ongoing, interactive reflections from students are essential components throughout the course.
SEDP 420. Special Education Leadership for Inclusive Schools. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 90 credits (senior standing). This course will introduce participants to issues involved in leadership for creating inclusive environments in schools. These systems are aimed to fully include students with disabilities and ensure positive outcomes for students both academically and in functional skills needed for participation in the education environment, community, employment and for post-secondary success. Students will be challenged with assessing their own leadership styles, professional and ethical standards, personal integrity, and how beliefs and values shape actions. Students will also explore strategies to promote the importance of inclusive education as well examine Virginia standards and CEC standards for inclusive schools. Students will have a chance to see the impact of teacher leadership on special education and understand how to promote self-advocacy in students.
SEDP 450. Special Education High School Supervision. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: SEDP 350. Corequisite: SEDP 405. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. The purpose of this field experience is to provide teacher candidates with practical experiences within the classroom. The teacher candidate will be observed and evaluated based on demonstration of their knowledge and ability to meet performance standards measured by the Virginia Standards of Learning in any of the following areas: curriculum and instruction, assessment, classroom and behavior management, collaboration, professional and ethical behavior, characteristics, IEP development and implementation, instruction for reading, writing and mathematics, and transition.
SEDP 460. Specialized Reading and Writing Interventions for Students With Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SEDP 380. This course will cover the complex nature of language and literacy to include assessment strategies and instructional procedures, curriculum and instruction alternatives, and program planning for the literacy development of students with reading and/or writing disabilities. Skills in the area of phonemic awareness, sound and symbol relationships, explicit phonics instruction, syllables, phonemes, morphemes, decoding skills, word attack skills, syntax and semantics will be developed. Students will learn teaching skills, remediating deficits, utilizing research/evidence-based interventions, providing explicit reading and writing instruction, implementing and evaluating individual and group management techniques and individual interventions that teach and maintain emotional, behavioral and social skills across ages and developmental levels. The course will focus on how, as a teacher, one participates in tiered support systems and facilitates/provides appropriately focused and intensive literacy instruction.
SEDP 461. Specialized Math Interventions for Students With High Incidence Disabilities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SEDP 378. This course focuses on interventions for students with high incidence disabilities who may need additional instruction beyond their core mathematics class. The course is designed to increase student understanding and achievement by increasing time and intensity on grade-level standards. Strategies used in the intervention course should be different than strategies used in the core math course and are inclusive of all student populations, including general education, special education or English language learners. When done appropriately, this course will both build student confidence and reduce the likelihood of them repeating their core mathematics course. In addition, students will explore research and evidence-based interventions. The class will be designed around the seven principles of effective intervention for students with mathematics disabilities.
SEDP 492. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Opportunities are provided for supervised independent study in selected areas. All work offered on an individual basis with the approval of instructor and department chair.
SEDP 495. Universal Design for Learning and Transition. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The purpose of this course is to provide students with evidence of each of the components of universal design for learning within access to the general academic curriculum -- multiple means of representation, expression and engagement. Students will engage in an understanding of theories of learning and development, including cognitive and learning processes, social-emotional development, practices for culturally and linguistically diverse learnings, such as English learners, gifted and talented students and students with disabilities, in individual and universal contexts. Additional focus is placed on UDL components linked to effective transition planning embedded within academic instruction targeting successful transitions to postsecondary educational settings. Emphasis is placed on beginning research on the use of this approach and its promising practice for addressing academic and transition goals as well as increasing student motivation and self-determination.
SEDP 499. Student Teaching. 6 Hours.
Semester course; 6 field experience hours. 6 credits. Corequisite: SEDP 415. The major goal of this course is to provide student teachers a challenging, relevant and rewarding experience, which will allow them to acquire professional competence. Student teachers will learn to respect and work effectively with students of varying backgrounds and disabilities; assume the various responsibilities of the classroom teacher; plan instruction and learning experiences that recognize the individual needs and differences of students; organize and manage the classroom environment to maximize learning; and practice being a reflective teacher.