Special Education (EDSP)

EDSP 370P | ASSESSMENT IDENTIFICATION TO TRANSITION SPECIAL EDUCATION

Units: 3

Candidates develop skills in using a wide variety of assessment instruments and techniques to inform identification, placement, planning, monitoring and transitioning of students academically, socially and/or behaviorally at-risk. Students will administer formal assessment tests, construct, administer and evaluate informal assessments appropriate from preschool to adulthood in home, school and community settings. Focus is on criteria for becoming competent assessors of at–risk individuals with mild to moderate disabilities. Legal procedures, nondiscriminatory practices (including analysis of CELDT proficiency levels of ELL) and engagement in a district multidisciplinary team provide the framework for making valid assessment decisions. Case studies provide a problem-based opportunity to collaboratively explore the case management role of an education specialist. Candidates will use emerging understanding of assessment as an instructional informant to design, use and analyze formal and informal assessments that help monitor and plan instruction based on response to intervention (RtI). Overarching outcome is to become reliable competent consumers of assessment information to analyze assessment results to inform the IFSP, IEP & ITP decision–making process and ongoing instruction.

EDSP 371P | POSITIVE BEHAVIOR AND INSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT IN SPED

Units: 3

Knowledge and strategies to provide skills to identify, manage and monitor our own behavior and the behavior of others across learning settings and social situations. A cross section of theories, models, legal and ethical variables relevant to orchestrating learning across K-22 settings where individuals with mild to moderate disabilities are receiving instructional, social, behavioral and transition life-skill services. This includes English Language Learners with concomitant special education needs, student exhibiting traits associated with autism spectrum disorder, other health impaired, traumatic brain injury, learning disabilities and mild to moderate retardation. The use of positive behavioral interventions and functional behavior analysis will be discussed and students will demonstrate appropriate skills using these strategies.

EDSP 373P | COLLABORATION WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS

Units: 3

This course is designed to provide students with the skills required to work effectively with the families of children and youth with disabilities and with the network of service providers and community agencies with which these families interact. Focus will be on understanding family coping processes, development of communication and problem solving skills, active listening, utilization of parent interview techniques in family assessment and methods for accessing educational and developmental service delivery systems. There will be a strong emphasis on the development of cultural competence as candidates learn to understand family systems and family life stages, transition challenges, the importance of collaborative parent-professional relationships, parent advocacy, and development of cooperative intervention programs.

EDSP 375P | EVIDENCED BASED INCLUSIVE PRACTICES MILD/MODERATE 5-22

Units: 1-3

Focus is on curriculum and instruction planning and delivery that addresses the individual needs of students with mild to moderate exceptionality that maintains the integrity of age appropriate state mandated content area standards. The course also focuses on the dual instructional planning and delivery needs for individuals with a primary disability of specific learning disabilities, mild/moderate mental retardation, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, and autism spectrum disorders within the disability area, in kindergarten, grades 1 through 12, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available. Planning and delivery of instruction concurrently attends to the need of English Language Learning and the diversity of student, parent and community norms. Theory, practice and research are integrated into activities designed to provide education specialists with a multiplicity of strategies and techniques for working with students, paraeducators, general educators and ancillary professionals across the spectrum of inclusive education options. This course stresses the development and implementation of individual educational plans (IEPs) and individual transition plans (ITPs) aligned with CA content standards. Fieldwork: a 25-hour fieldwork commitment in order to complete the assignments and meet the performance–based competencies for this course is required. The regular consistent field-experience must provide sufficient time to complete the pact project. Intern candidates must meet with the instructor to determine if their district contract special education placement meets all or some of the fieldwork requirements for this course.

EDSP 389P | HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY

Units: 3

This course provides candidates an overview of two critical areas relative to teaching school-age populations in contemporary schools: (1) creating supportive, healthy environments for student learning, and (2) teaching special populations in general education. A comparative international perspective of the foundations, pedagogy practices and service delivery options for individuals with disabilities and their families builds an understanding of cultural and personal considerations for service delivery within a classroom. Personal, family, school, community and environmental factors related to students’ academic, physical, emotional and social well being are addressed as well as the effects of student health and safety on learning. Candidates learn and apply skills for communicating and working constructively with students, their families and community members and how to access site-based and community resources and agencies in order to provide integrated support to meet the individual needs of each student. Characteristics and service delivery needs of individuals with disabilities from birth through adulthood are also investigated. Legally mandated categorical disabilities are discussed in terms of the individual, family, education, and ancillary service issues. There is a primary focus on how educational, behavioral, social, ecological, transitional, and vocational needs of exceptional students can be addressed in general education settings. Discussion covers a multiplicity of strategies and techniques recommended for integrated service delivery for individuals with special needs in general education and in local communities. Course requires site visitations to five different types of settings serving individuals with special needs.

EDSP 393S | PRACTICUM SEMINAR FOR INDIVIDUAL INDUCTION PLAN IIP

Units: 2

The purpose of the Practicum Seminar for Individual Induction Plan is support participants in sharing, discussing, analyzing and evaluating their current practice in creating positive classroom environments. Through sharing of personal student teaching experiences, participants will address current educational issues affecting children in our schools. Topics that may be discussed are effective classroom management, instructional methods for all children, parent involvement, professional development, education law, resume writing, interview strategies, and professional collaboration. (Pending Fall 2015 Approval.).

EDSP 399 | INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3)

Units: 1-3 Repeatability: Yes (Can be repeated for Credit)

Independent study designed for individual student needs. Students must complete the Application for Independent Study or Research form and obtain the signature of the faculty independent study supervisor, Coordinator of Special Education, Department Chair, and the Associate Dean prior to registration for the course.

EDSP 490P | STUDENT TEACHING MILD TO MODERATE DISABILITIES

Units: 9 Repeatability: No

Corequisites: EDSP 490S

Supervised full day semester long student teaching in settings serving individuals with mild to moderate disabilities. This includes individuals with a primary disability of specific learning disabilities, mild/moderate mental retardation, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, and autism spectrum disorders within the disability area, in kindergarten, grades 1 through 12, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available. Focus is on curriculum and instruction planning and delivery that addresses the individual needs of students while maintaining the integrity of age appropriate state mandated subject matter standards. Competency is demonstrated in relation to referral, assessment, IEP/ITP/BIP process, instruction, intervention, intervention, program, instructional and materials modification, consultation, coteaching, teacher inservice, behavior planning, and intervention. Theory, practice and research are integrated into activities designed to provide education specialists with a multiplicity of strategies and techniques for working with students, paraeducators, and general educators and ancillary professionals across the spectrum of inclusive education options. This course stresses the development and implementation of individual educational plans (IEPs) and individual transition plans (ITPs), and CalTPA. Planning and delivery of instruction concurrently attends to the need of English Language Learning and the diversity of student, parent and community norms. Student teaching is full semester as designated by school district. Candidate follows full day schedule of assigned master teacher. Candidates must attend mandatory seminar classes related to practicum experience and the development of their state required Transitional Individual Induction Plan.

EDSP 490S | EDUCATION SPECIALIST STUDENT TEACHING AND SEMINAR-MILD MODERATE

Units: 3 Repeatability: No

Corequisites: EDSP 490P

EDSP 490S is a field-based course with an in person seminar meeting to support the requirements of the Education Specialist student teaching. Other semester meetings will be based on modules to support the Education Specialist teacher candidates’ roles as future teachers. While Education Specialist teacher candidates are completing multiple or single subject (e.g., general education) student teaching, a multitude of necessary skills and steps are required for successful completion. In addition to daily field work in a student teaching setting, student teachers must utilize EdThena for formal observations from their university supervisor. They will write their Individual Development Plan (IDP) to bring with them into their future induction program as well as complete an Education Specialist Transition Plan from Pre-school, primary to middle, from middle to high school, and from highs school to postsecondary. They will also be introduced to the California Teacher Performance Assessment (CalTPA) as they transition to adding a General Multiple or Single Subject credential authorization while student teaching the following semester Candidates will use the "plan-teach-assess-reflect-apply" framework of CalTPA in their student teaching classrooms as a framework as CalTPA for Education Specialist is currently being designed. The purpose of the student teaching seminar is also to allow Education Specialist student teachers to share, discuss, and evaluate their current practice in creating positive classroom environments. Through readings, observations, reflections, and sharing of personal student teaching experiences, participants will address current inclusive education educational issues affecting children in our schools with an emphasis on diverse populations. Topics that may be discussed are classroom observation, classroom management, classroom environment, home-school connections, legal requirements and restrictions, continuing professional development, and professional collaboration within inclusive classrooms.

EDSP 499 | INDEPENDENT STUDY

Units: 1-3 Repeatability: Yes (Can be repeated for Credit)