Introduction to Special Education

Catalog description

This course provides a basic understanding about the historical, legal, and social foundations of special education. Students explore strategies for working effectively with children and adolescents (K-12) by learning about the nature of mild/moderate disabilities (specific learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, and emotional and behavioral disturbances). The course examines legal issues and laws pertaining to special education, giving attention to school compliance and student and parent rights. Students observe a special education classroom for 10 hours. During fieldwork experience, students select several topics of interest to explore in depth, interview the fieldwork teacher to determine how he/she addresses those topics in the inclusive classroom, and make observations and recommendations for beneficial classroom practices.