Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Special Education is to create an exemplary educational environment to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skills and to encourage the intellectual curiosity and creativity of its students. Students will be prepared as professionals who deliver habilitative/rehabilitative service to persons with special needs and their families. Graduates of the Department of Special Education will provide leadership for the profession in the 21st century.
Belief Statement
We believe that:
- Teaching is our primary responsibility,
- Teaching should be enjoyable,
- Teaching should be conducted with dignity and respect for ourselves and others,
- Teaching should be responsive to real life needs,
- Teaching should be socially responsible, and,
- Teaching should contribute to the body of knowledge.
- We must strive for excellence and excellence is a goal, not an accomplishment.
- Communication is the essence of productive student-faculty relationships and is central to the teaching-learning process.
- Individual rights and mutual respect are necessary in the educational process.
- Learning is an ongoing, evolutionary process which is life long, and teaching provides direction, not a destination.
We further believe that it is our responsibility to:
- Prepare graduates who can be creative visionaries for the future,
- Prepare graduates to be responsive to real life needs,
- Prepare graduates to utilize state-of-the-art technical skills, and knowledge, and,
- Prepare graduates to engage in professional practices which are ethically and morally defensible
The Department of Special Education
Eastern Michigan University is the nation's largest producer of educational personnel and one of the largest producers of teachers. Founded in 1849 as Michigan Normal School, it was the first teacher training institution west of the Alleghenies. EMU teacher educators produce knowledgeable professionals who are caring, reflective, decision-makers in a culturally diverse and technological society.
The Department of Special Education is the largest and most comprehensive special education unit in the country. Graduates from the department at Eastern Michigan University have been recognized for their work in the field locally and nationally. They have distinguished themselves as program directors, school superintendents, and college instructors. Several of the department's graduates have been named Teacher of the Year in their respective communities.
As the first special education teacher training program west of the Allegheny Mountains, the Department of Special Education is renowned for the first-rate education it provides its students. It has the only Physical and Health (POHI)
teacher preparation program in the state and is one of the few such programs in the nation. The department's faculty and staff are involved in related professional and community endeavors at local, state and national levels. Its faculty and staff are involved in related community endeavors on the state and local levels.
EMU teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and approved by the Michigan Department of Education. All special education prograqms are approved by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Additionally, the Hearing Impairment program is accredited by the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) and the Speech/Language Pathology program is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Opportunities for Employment
Students completing the programs of the Department of Special Education are prepared to work with children and youth with special needs. They are employed as teachers in public and private schools, in community agencies, in residential institutions, and at hospitals. Their specialized skills are in demand, and there are numerous job openings for graduates willing to relocate.
One of the best things graduates from the Department of Special Education enjoy is its top-notch reputation. Employers often call the department to ask for names of candidates when vacancies open up within their organization.
Positions are available in all of special education. There are fewer jobs in what we refer to as low-incidence areas, simply because there are fewer students. Low-incidence areas are: visually impaired, hearing impaired, and physically and otherwise health impaired. There is a greater demand for teachers in the high-incidence areas: Emotional Impairment, Cognitive Impairment, Speech/Language Pathology, and Learning Disabilities.
Whether you want to work in Michigan or another state, if you are competent in your program of study, you will be highly competitive in the job market. Eastern Michigan University programs are respected nationwide.
Department Faculty
The Department of Special Education boasts an acclaimed faculty made up of teachers who have distinguished themselves in each specific program area. They are widely regarded as experts in teaching children and youths with special needs. They have received advanced degrees and have published extensively; in fact, 89 percent of the special education faculty hold doctoral degrees. Many have presented at state, national, and international conferences, and have won awards for their teaching.
All academic and practicum course work is taught by full-time professors or visiting lecturers. No teaching assistants are employed as instructors. Full-time faculty personally advise special education majors during their program of study. At EMU you will get to know your professors and they will know you by name. This is true, in part, because class size generally range from 15 to 25 students.
At EMU full-time faculty members work directly with the schools and other practicum settings in arranging appropriate learning opportunities for you. Faculty work in partnership with schools and other agencies while supervising your performance on site. In this way, faculty remain "in touch" with the practical side of issues and trends in education.
Faculty are involved in research and development activities in such areas as: "best practices" in education, augmentative and alternative communication systems, service-learning opportunities, programs and course development, learning through case-study management, interdisciplinary early intervention programming, transition from school to work, special education outcomes, collaborative learning, substance-exposed children, traumatic brain injury, occupational stress in special education, learning strategies, and higher education and K-12 partnerships.
Faculty (see also COE Faculty phone, office numbers and interest areas)
Dr. Camron, Steve Area of Emotional Impairment / Special Education Administration
Dr. Carney, Karen Area of Emotional Impairment
Dr. Cupples, Bill Area of Speech and Language Pathology
Dr. Ginsberg, Sarah Area of Speech and Language Pathology
Dr. Gorenflo, Carole Area of Speech and Language Pathology
Dr. Hric, Kathleen Area of Learning Disabilities
Dr. Hoodin, Ron Area of Speech and Language Pathology
Dr. Koh, Myung-Sook Area of Cognitive Impairment
Dr. Lee, Lidia Area of Speech and Language Pathology / Clinical Audiologist
Dr. Li, Tsai-Ping (Alicia) Area of Visual Impairment
Dr. McGinnis, Jackie Area of Cognitive Impairment
Dr. Orr, Ann Area of Assistive Technology/Cognitive Impairment
Dr. Palladino, John Area of Emotional Impairment / Special Education Administration
Dr. Parker, Kathlyn Area of Cognitive Impairment
Ms. Parks, Loreena Area of Learning Disabilities
Ms. Polter, Linda Area of Hearing Impairment
Dr. Rocklage, Lynne Area of Learning Disabilities, Department Head
Ms. Schulte, Karen Area of Learning Disabilities
Dr. Smith, Phil Area of Cognitive Impairment
Dr. Stevens, Lizbeth Area of Speech and Language Pathology
Dr. Stiefel, Gilbert Area of Assessment/ Emotional Impairment
Dr. Tonkovich, John Area of Speech and Language Pathology
Continuing Your Education
When you complete your bachelor's degree with a teaching certificate and a special education program endorsement, you will need to think about your next career planning step. All teachers are required to complete course work to maintain their teaching credentials so be prepared to continue your education. If you want to stay in the special education field, you may want to add new endorsements to improve your employment options. The master's degree in Learning Disabilities in one good choice. At EMU the learning disabilities program leads to a master's degree and second endorsement. Admission requires that the student hold a valid Teaching Certificate. You may also want to pursue a master's degree in another area within the department.
In looking ahead you may also consider graduate programs leading to credentials as a:
- teacher consultant
- curriculum resource consultant
- teacher of physical education for the handicapped
- director of special education
Want to Learn More?
For more information, contact:
