Eastern
Michigan
University
Department of Special Education
CEC
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS 2001
FOUNDATIONS
The introductory
course (Education of Exceptional Children) in the Special Education core provides
all future teachers with experiences that foster awareness and appreciation
of changing issues in special education. Students exit the course with basic
knowledge of the evolution of special education, legislative mandates, overview
of the field, and characteristics of the various disability groups. Within
the Teacher Education program, department majors participate in coursework
in social foundations where the impact of education on American society, and
society on education, are investigated from historical and contemporary perspectives.
The rights and
responsibilities of children, adolescents, and young adults with exceptional
learning needs, their families, and the professionals who serve them, are
initially addressed through department core courses. These concepts are further
developed through experiences in department core and program area-specific
courses, as well as through activities conducted in field and clinical placements.
It is in these placements that department majors experience the critical nature
of appropriate assessment, eligibility, and placement decisions in the life
of a child, adolescent, or young adult with exceptional learning needs.
While the role
of the family in the educational process is addressed in many core and program
area courses, all department majors enroll in the Family, School, Community
course. In this course, activities and experiences focus on identifying and
developing the communication and collaboration skills critical to building
positive partnerships with families.
The contributions
of cultural groups and their impact on education is presented and discussed
in introductory coursework in teacher education and special education. However,
department majors are able to operationalize the information presented in
the university classroom through observations and interactions in their field
and clinical experience sites. Southeastern Michigan
is a hub of cultural diversity, and, as a result, department majors have multiple
opportunities to experience the impact that differences in values, customs,
and language have on the child, adolescent, or young adult with exceptional
learning needs.
Department majors
demonstrate mastery of knowledge in the Foundations area in a variety of ways.
Course examinations, course projects, and course presentations are involved
in each student’s demonstration of competencies and skills. Summative evaluation
of the university student’s participation in field experience or clinical
settings, along with the student's completion of specific activities and assignments
within the field setting, are another vehicle for assessment of student knowledge.
The main product
in the Foundations area is accomplished during the introductory course in
each of the department’s program areas. As the culminating experience in
these introductory courses, students are required to develop and submit their
personal philosophy statement regarding education and special education for
children, adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning needs.
This document is reviewed with the course instructor and the student is asked
to continue to reflect on his/her personal/professional philosophy and beliefs
as they progress through their program of study. Students must retain a copy
of their philosophy statement developed in the introductory course as a working
document, and they are encouraged to continually update, refine, and enhance
the document. Students submit an updated version of their personal/professional
philosophy statement at the time they complete the application for their initial
student teaching placement.
DEVELOPMENT
AND CHARACTERISTICS
For many students
the department's introductory core course, Education of the Exceptional Child,
is their initial exposure to children, adolescents, and young adults with
exceptional learning needs. This introductory course, required of all prospective
teachers, emphasizes respect for all people regardless of developmental uniqueness
and/or level or type of disability. Through course activities, students develop
an understanding of the unique nature of every human being.
Knowledge in
the area of development and characteristics of learners, in the broadest sense,
are covered in the core courses within the department of special education
as well as courses offered Teacher Education. Students demonstrate mastery
of development and the characteristics of learners, typical and exceptional,
in numerous ways. In most classes, examinations are associated with stated
course outcomes and are used to measure student mastery. Students are also
required to design and develop adaptive teaching materials that are developmentally
and age appropriate for specifically described children, adolescents, and
young adults with exceptional learning needs. Prestudent teaching experiences
are planned and supervised across a variety of field settings and age groups.
These include experiences with typical learners at the appropriate teacher
certification level, as well as full-spectrum grade level experiences in settings
for children, adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning needs.
Likewise, department majors are provided with numerous opportunities to have
direct experiences with students who are diagnosed with both primary and secondary,
or accompanying disabilities, such as Visual Impairment, and Physical Disabilities,
or Emotional Impairment, and Mental Retardation. Such experiences are available
through supervised prestudent teaching experiences, as well as during regular
and special education student teaching experiences.
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING
DIFFERENCES
The impact of
disability and related conditions on an individual's ability to develop skills
and abilities within related developmental areas, i.e. language, motor skills,
etc., is a major focus of coursework in the special education professional
preparation program. Students engage in discussions, and learn to design
and create adapted materials and aids, as well as modify and adapt curriculum
and the educational setting. Course discussion also focuses on the importance
of including the interests, values, attitudes, social abilities and academic
competence of the child, adolescent, or young adult with exceptional learning
needs when programming for basic instruction, career development, adult living,
as well as social and recreational activities.
The variation
in cultural beliefs, traditions, and values both across and within various
groups, and the effects on relationships among those with exceptional learning
needs, their family and their education is integrated throughout the department’s
program of study. These concepts are presented in the teacher education course
sequence, as well as in the department core and program area-specific courses.
The influences of cultural perspectives on the relationships among families,
schools, and communities, as related to instruction, is also integrated throughout
department core and program area-specific courses. Mastery of these outcomes
is demonstrated in several ways, including but not limited to, formal course
examination, class projects, lesson planning, and direct application of skills
during field experience and clinical placements, and during student teaching.
INSTRUCTIONAL
STRATEGIES
Skills in the
application of instructional strategies, more characteristic of learning in
general, are initially developed in the teacher education course sequence
where department majors study learning theory and curriculum development.
Instructional strategies for children, adolescents, and young adults with
exceptional learning needs are initially addressed in the special education
core courses and expanded and refined through program area-specific courses
and field experiences. In the department core course sequence, successful
integration and inclusion strategies are presented, along with appropriate
materials selection and adaptation. Students are engaged in discussions of
the critical nature of problem solving skills and self-assessment for children,
adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning needs. Issues of the
social-emotional needs of individuals with exceptional learning needs are
addressed throughout the student’s program of study and students learn to
develop techniques and strategies for increasing self-awareness, self-control,
and self-esteem in children, adolescents, and young adults with exceptional
learning needs.
During initial
coursework department majors are exposed to a variety of public school classroom
settings where they are able to, with supervision, observe, assist, and interact
with children, adolescents, and adults with exceptional learning needs. University
students become more actively involved during continued field-based experiences
as they begin to assist the teacher and participate in the lessons being taught.
Through these experiences, students are exposed to a variety of teaching approaches
and teaching materials both commercial and teacher-made, which address the
needs of children, adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning
needs. As students continue in the program, their field-based experiences
involve becoming responsible for planning, selecting, and creating materials
and utilizing appropriate instructional techniques to meet each individual
learner’s needs. Department majors are provided with multiple opportunities
to develop skills in several settings and across age and disability groups.
Refinement of these teaching skills is then continued during the student teaching
experience where a formal written evaluation is completed by both the university
supervisor and the cooperating teacher at midterm and at the close of the
student teaching experience.
To insure that
program majors develop the competencies necessary to deliver effective instructional
strategies for children, adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning
needs, department majors are required to take both an elementary and a secondary
methods course. Requirements for both of these courses necessitates that
students integrate the concepts and practices of typical and atypical development,
classroom management, and assessment, and to develop individual and group
instructional strategies and approaches to address the exceptional learning
needs of the individual.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
Students majoring
in special education acquire knowledge and skills in management of the learning
environment so as to predispose all students, typical and exceptional, to
success academically, socially, and vocationally. Throughout the professional
preparation program, special education majors gather information regarding
the classroom environment and the realistic demands of becoming a special
education teacher.
In the teacher
education course sequence, emphasis is placed on the learning environment
and appropriate social skills needed to successfully function in school.
Culturally "safe" and respectful atmospheres and consequences of
negative stereotyping, as well as "coping" strategies used by diverse
populations who continue to deal with ongoing negativism are presented and
discussed. Students initially receive this information in a lecture/discussion
format and through readings, and then enhance this information with direct
observations and interactions within field-based settings and programs. The
information department majors gain through their prestudent teaching experiences
provides a rich foundation and context supporting a thorough understanding
of these concepts.
Both basic and
effective classroom and behavior management theories and practices are introduced
in the Classroom Management course, which is part of the departmental core
course sequence. Application of these concepts begins to occur during prestudent
teaching experiences, continue to be refined and consistently demonstrated
and evaluated during student teaching placements. Students become familiar
with the impact of teacher attitudes and behaviors on student behavior, performance,
social interaction, and emotional health. These concepts are addressed early
in the student’s program of study and are a frequently repeated theme throughout
department core courses as well as program area-specific courses. Students
have the opportunity to observe and interact with these constructs in prestudent
teaching situations and especially during student teaching placements. The
integration of social skills development within the curriculum for all children,
adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning needs is presented
and discussed in department core courses as well as program area specific
courses. Student teaching affords department majors with the opportunity
to incorporate this knowledge into the learning environment and demonstrate
competence in achieving this skill.
Cultural
tolerance, an understanding of issues related to such things as bigotry, racism,
prejudice, and other issues that prevent harmonious living are discussed in
the teacher education course sequence and in the department core and program
area-specific course sequences. Student understanding is further developed
throughout the program of study with specific course assignments and/or formal
examinations determining the student’s understanding of these issues. Emphasis
is placed on creating and maintaining a learning environment which demonstrates
and fosters respect for all individuals, the development of a unique identity
and tolerance for another's cultural heritage. Teacher attitude, demeanor,
and unconditional acceptance are key to the success of creating such an environment.
Several courses in the professional preparation program address issues that
negatively impact and foster stereotypes of individual differences. These
class presentations and discussions include coping strategies which might
be beneficial to individuals who are the victims of stereotyping, bigotry,
racism, and prejudice.
All student teaching
placements supported by the Department of Special Education embrace the interaction
of special education and general education students. Likewise, general education
and special education teachers work cooperatively and/or team-teach. Student
teachers are provided with opportunities to engage in these interactive experiences,
and are supported in their efforts to plan and implement lessons and activities
which maintain and further develop this cooperation.
LANGUAGE
Students majoring
in Special Education acquire knowledge of the effects of cultural and linguistic
differences on growth and development in introductory courses in the department
core and in the teacher education course sequence. Students are introduced
to multicultural and bilingual issues in special education, and the manner
in which the dominant culture and language may differ significantly from other
cultures and uses of language. Students are encouraged to develop an understanding
of the common misunderstandings and misperceptions which can occur when cultural
heritage and language are different.
Student learning
is expanded through field experiences where students practice using strategies
and techniques to support and enhance the communication skills of individuals
with exceptional learning needs. In these settings students are able to develop
appropriate communication strategies and techniques to facilitate understanding
of subject matter for students whose primary language is not English.
Strategies, techniques,
approaches, and systems which support augmentative and alternative communication
are presented, discussed, and demonstrated in department core courses as well
as program area-specific courses. Many children, adolescents, and adults
with exceptional learning needs are non-verbal, or have exceedingly limited
verbal abilities. Students majoring in special education must develop knowledge,
techniques, and strategies to support and facilitate the communication of
every individual in their classroom.
INSTRUCTIONAL
PLANNING
Theories and
research that form the bases for curriculum development and instructional
planning, as well as the scope and sequence of general and special education
curricula are initially presented in the teacher education course sequence
and department core. Students are provided with opportunities to become familiar
with national, state, and local curricular standards and benchmarks, and to
begin to discuss the types of adaptation and accommodation that would need
to be made to support and facilitate full access to the curriculum by children,
adolescents, and young adults with exceptional learning needs.
Technologies
used to plan and manage teaching and learning, as well as those that can be
integrated and infused to provide access to the curriculum, are presented
and demonstrated in both teacher education and special education core courses.
Students are encouraged to view technologies as tools for productive teaching
and learning in special education.
Students majoring
in special education participate in activities where they learn to prioritize
the components of the general education curriculum and develop accommodations
for individuals with exceptional learning needs. As special education majors
progress through their program of study, their skills are further developed
as they learn to modify and make appropriate adjustments in the general education
curriculum so that the individual with exceptional learning needs can effectively
access the general education curriculum.
Department majors
continually use task analysis to determine and develop functional skills,
academic learning, content presentation, and social skill competence. These
activities assist the student in developing sequencing, implementing, and
evaluation the individualized learning objectives for children, adolescents,
and young adults with exceptional learning needs. These skills support the
student in developing individual lessons, instructional and functional units
of study, and IEP’s.
While studying
in both teacher education and special education students are afforded many
opportunities to develop, select, review and evaluate instructional content,
assessment procedures, resources and strategies that are responsive to cultural,
linguistic and gender differences. Nearly all methodology courses contain
assignments which address these issues, with the culminating student teaching
experience requiring and reinforcing the application of this knowledge.
During student
teaching, students demonstrate the skills and abilities of competent beginning
level teachers in both general education and in the student’s chosen area
of special education. These skills include, but are not limited to, (a) using
task analysis; (b) sequencing, implementing, and evaluating individualized
learning objectives; (c) integrating affective, social and life skills with
academic curricula; (d) developing and selecting instructional content, resources,
and strategies that respond to cultural, linguistic, and gender differences;
(e) incorporating and implementing instructional and assistive technology
into the educational program; (f) preparing lesson plans; (g) preparing and
organizing materials to implement daily lesson plans; (h) using instructional
time effectively; and, (I) making responsive adjustment to instruction based
on continual observation.
ASSESSMENT
Basic knowledge,
concepts, and constructs of assessment are addressed in an Assessment course,
which is a part of the department core. Students develop a comprehensive knowledge
base in assessment which includes terminology, legal and ethical principles,
screening, pre-referral, referral, and classification procedures. Strengths
and limitations of assessment instruments and procedures are discussed and
state and local accommodations and modifications of assessment devices and
procedures are presented. Special attention is given to the MEAP and MI ACCESS
evaluations required by the State of Michigan
for K-12 students.
Through specific
course activities, special education majors learn to gather pertinent background
information to insure that formal and informal assessment of children, adolescents,
and young adults with exceptional learning needs is appropriate and non-biased.
In considering
how a child, adolescent, or young adult with exceptional learning needs can
best be evaluated, special education majors must not only determine and prioritize
the goal/objective/outcome of the evaluation, but develop modifications which
do not compromise the evaluation itself. Students additionally develop knowledge
regarding the provision of “reasonable accommodation” so that children, adolescents,
or young adults with exceptional learning needs are able to demonstrate their
strengths and knowledge. Special education majors learn to interpret and
clarify data from formal and informal assessments and to use this information
to support the development of the IEP and to assist in determining an appropriate
placement for the child, adolescent, and young adult with exceptional learning
needs. Students are provided opportunities to develop and refine their assessment
skills through specific field-based ad clinic experiences. During student
teaching placements, department majors demonstrate assessment skills through
the administration of formal and informal assessments.
PROFESSIONAL
AND ETHICAL PRACTICE
In all courses
taught in the special education core, specific program areas, and teacher
education, professional conduct is modeled and expected. The concepts, attitudes,
values, and the modeling of professional and ethical behaviors and practices
begins with entry level coursework and continues across the continuum of study
in both teacher education and special education course sequences.
Ongoing discussions
of the negative impact of cultural bias, teacher attitude, and behavior on
the social-emotional and academic lives of children, adolescents, and young
adults with exceptional learning needs, occur in all department core and program
area courses. Specific course assignments and discussion of teacher behaviors
observed during various field experiences are tools used to assess the university
student’s growing understanding of these concepts. Students operationalize
these concepts during their student teaching placements and assessment and
evaluation of skill levels is conducted in these settings.
Special Education
majors are expected to adopt the CEC Standards of Ethics as their rubric of
professional and ethical behavior. Special Education majors may additionally
hold membership in other learned societies and the expectancy is that the
professional and ethical standards of those societies will be a part of the
student’s behavioral repertoire. The professional/ethical behavior of special
education majors is monitored throughout their coursework in the Department
as well as in Teacher Education, and is evaluated in many of the student’s
field experience placements.
On-site cooperating
teachers, administrators and university supervisors provide feedback from
regularly scheduled observations of the student’s progress and professional
behavior in field-based settings. The department's evaluation instrument
requires assessment of the professional and ethical behavior and skills of
each student majoring in special education.
The need for
lifelong learning, the need to be current in the field, and professional development
opportunities are addressed throughout the student’s program. Students are
provided with a variety of strategies and methods for pursuing professional
development opportunities and experiences. Students are encouraged to attend
professional development workshops and seminars outside the university, and
to experience professional development activities at local, state, and national
professional meetings and conferences. Many students actively participate
in such activities through their membership in the Student Council for Exceptional
Children (SCEC) chapter at EMU. Topics regarding professional development
and lifelong learning are infused within the special education student teaching
Seminar.
The skills needed
to be a professional, competent, effective, and committed special educator
are also measured in part, during student teaching but are more accurately
measured by performance in the field. These skills include, the ability and
commitment to develop the highest education and quality of life potential
for the individuals with special needs for whom they are responsible, and
demonstrated sensitivity to individual differences such as culture, language,
religion, gender, disability, socio-economic status and sexual orientation.
Further, it is paramount that the teacher recognize his/her limitations, engage
in self-evaluation of his/her overall performance as a teacher, instructional
abilities, and seek appropriate assistance when needed.
COLLABORATION
Collaboration
requires that special education teachers be responsive to factors that promote
effective communication and partnership with children, adolescents, and young
adults with exceptional learning needs, their families, school personnel and
community members. The concept of collaboration, and discussions regarding
the multiple ways in which collaboration manifests itself in special education
practice, are presented throughout the special education teacher preparation
program.
Collaboration
is introduced in the department's initial course, required of all education
majors, where students become aware of the requirements for inter- and intradisciplinary
teaming and collaboration and the significant importance of ongoing collaboration
and teaming with families of children, adolescents, and young adults with
exceptional learning needs. The concept of collaboration between general
and special education professionals and related services personnel, is also
presented and modeled throughout the introductory course as university students
meet and work with peers from other education areas such as elementary education,
music education, physical education, etc.
Special Education
majors continue discussions of collaboration in department core courses where
students are presented with collaborative strategies and models which may
be utilized in special education settings. Collaboration is practiced and
refined throughout additional activities in teacher education, department
core, and program area courses. Through role-playing and collaboration on
small group assignments or tasks, students practice various collaboration
strategies and approaches. Additional hands-on experiences occur during the
student teaching placements where the student is able to demonstrate and refine
collaborative skills on a daily basis with students with exceptional learning
needs, their families, paraeducators, and allied professionals.
During student
teaching, students are expected to take an active part in IEP’s with family
members of students with exceptional learning needs, as well as with related
services personnel, i.e., social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, OT’s
and PT’s, Speech/Language Pathologists, etc., who are members of the IEP team.
Collaboration continues with IEP implementation where special education majors
engage in transition and inclusion planning and implementation activities
for students with exceptional learning needs. Evaluation of special education
majors is conducted by the cooperating teacher and university supervisor throughout
the semester, making appropriate adjustments and refinements as the semester
proceeds..
Index
| Coversheet | Introduction
| Standards | Assessment