Special Needs Education Course

Lesson 1 • Roles and Responsibilities of Educators

Defines the duties of general and special educators in inclusive settings. Clarifies professional boundaries and collaborative expectations.

Lesson 2 • Core Principles of Inclusive Education

Introduces equity, access, and participation as foundational values. Students apply these principles to evaluate classroom environments.

Lesson 3 • Defining Special Needs and Exceptionality

Examines the spectrum of disabilities, developmental differences, and giftedness. Grounds students in precise terminology used across the field.

Lesson 4 • Family and Community Perspectives

Explores how families experience disability and engage with schools. Builds empathy and communication skills essential for partnership.

Lesson 1 • Autism Spectrum Disorder in Education

Examines the heterogeneous nature of autism and its classroom manifestations. Prepares educators to recognize and respond to diverse presentations.

Lesson 2 • Physical, Sensory, and Communication Disorders

Covers mobility impairments, vision and hearing loss, and speech-language disorders. Students identify access and communication needs for each category.

Lesson 3 • Learning Disabilities and Processing Disorders

Identifies dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and related processing deficits. Students connect neurological profiles to reading and writing difficulties.

Lesson 4 • Twice-Exceptional and Gifted Learners

Addresses students who are both gifted and have a disability. Highlights the masking effect and the need for differentiated challenge and support.

Lesson 5 • Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Describes internalizing and externalizing behavioral profiles affecting learning. Connects emotional regulation deficits to academic and social outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Special Education Assessment

Establishes nondiscriminatory, multidimensional assessment as the standard. Frames assessment as an ongoing, collaborative process rather than a single event.

Lesson 2 • Formal and Standardized Assessment Tools

Introduces norm-referenced and criterion-referenced instruments used in eligibility determination. Students learn to read and interpret psychoeducational reports.

Lesson 3 • Informal and Classroom-Based Assessment

Covers curriculum-based measurement, observation, and portfolio methods. Connects informal data to instructional adjustments within the classroom.

Lesson 4 • Functional Behavioral Assessment

Teaches the process of identifying antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. Students use FBA data to design targeted behavioral interventions.

Lesson 1 • Transition Planning in the IEP

Addresses post-secondary transition goals for students approaching adulthood. Students integrate vocational, independent living, and education goals.

Lesson 2 • IEP Team Meetings and Family Participation

Prepares educators to facilitate productive, family-centered IEP meetings. Covers conflict resolution and strategies for meaningful family engagement.

Lesson 3 • IEP Structure and Legal Requirements

Outlines mandatory IEP components and the regulatory basis for each. Students distinguish compliant from noncompliant IEP documents.

Lesson 4 • Writing Measurable Goals and Objectives

Teaches goal-writing using observable, measurable, and time-bound criteria. Students practice converting assessment data into actionable IEP goals.

Lesson 1 • Universal Design for Learning in Practice

Translates UDL principles into concrete lesson design decisions. Students apply multiple means of representation, action, and engagement.

Lesson 2 • Tiered Instruction and Intervention Models

Introduces multi-tiered systems of support as a framework for layered instruction. Students distinguish Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions and their delivery.

Lesson 3 • Differentiated Assessment Practices

Covers alternative assessment formats that capture student learning equitably. Students design assessments aligned to IEP goals and grade-level expectations.

Lesson 4 • Adapting Curriculum Content and Materials

Teaches methods for modifying texts, tasks, and materials without reducing rigor unnecessarily. Students practice content scaffolding and task analysis.

Lesson 1 • Crisis Prevention and De-escalation

Teaches recognition of escalation cycles and safe de-escalation techniques. Students practice verbal and environmental strategies to prevent crisis.

Lesson 2 • Behavior Intervention Plan Development

Guides students from FBA findings to a written behavior intervention plan. Emphasizes replacement behaviors and proactive environmental strategies.

Lesson 3 • Foundations of Applied Behavior Analysis

Introduces ABA principles including reinforcement, punishment, and extinction. Students apply behavioral terminology to analyze classroom situations.

Lesson 4 • Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support

Describes PBIS as a tiered, preventive framework for all students. Students evaluate how schoolwide systems reduce problem behavior.

Lesson 1 • Family-Professional Partnerships

Develops skills for building trust-based, culturally responsive partnerships with families. Students practice communication strategies that empower family participation.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Effective Collaboration

Defines collaboration as a voluntary, parity-based relationship among professionals. Students identify conditions that enable or hinder collaborative practice.

Lesson 3 • Co-Teaching Models and Implementation

Introduces six co-teaching approaches and their appropriate applications. Students plan lessons using multiple models to maximize student access.

Lesson 4 • Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Teams

Distinguishes multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary team structures. Students coordinate roles across speech, OT, PT, and counseling services.

Lesson 1 • Evidence-Based Practice and Research Literacy

Builds capacity to evaluate research quality and select evidence-based interventions. Students distinguish levels of evidence and apply findings to practice.

Lesson 2 • Professional Identity and Reflective Practice

Cultivates a reflective, growth-oriented professional identity in special educators. Students use structured reflection to evaluate and improve their own practice.

Lesson 3 • Program Evaluation and Quality Indicators

Teaches frameworks for evaluating special education program effectiveness. Students apply quality indicators to identify strengths and gaps in services.

Lesson 4 • Disproportionality and Equity in Identification

Examines over- and under-representation of marginalized groups in special education. Students analyze root causes and design corrective action strategies.