Special Education Fifth-Year Program

If you’ve completed your undergraduate degree in a teacher certification program and haven’t started your teaching career, you’ll benefit from this special education fifth-year program. This program is designed for you if you plan to pursue a career as an entry-level special education teacher or wish to diversify your education.

The curriculum allows you to apply coursework to the classroom, work with faculty who are professionals in the field, and collaborate within a cohort learning model. The cohort groups will be formed at the onset of the program and will be monitored by the coordinator of special education. Application materials must be received by April 15 of the admitting year, and courses will begin July 1 in the graduate summer term. Successful completion of an interview with the special education coordinator is required in addition to the graduate application process.

Previous college-level coursework or the equivalent is required in topics such as human development, diversity, general exceptionalities, classroom applications in special education, philosophy, and literacy.

General Special Education Component Courses – 33 credits
3

SE 5765 Working with Families and Children: Legal and Ethical Issues

Focuses on the ethics of special education laws, regulations and policies. Students will use case studies that pose ethical dilemmas in order to understand the complex issues underlying such issues as inclusion, labeling, IDEA, least restrictive environment (LSE) compliance, due process, parent involvement, awareness of ethical responsibilities, ethical decision making, confidentiality, record keeping, and informed consent. The spirit versus the letter and the morality of special education will also be explored. A special focus will be on transacting an ethic of care in school best practices that promote democratic decision making, advocacy, and the empowerment of parents.
3

SE 5600 Language and Learning Disabilities

This introductory course will cover the following areas: definition of LD, reading problems, language deficits both oral and written, mathematics underachievement, social skills deficits, attention and behavioral problems, academic achievement, and comorbidity with other disabilities, prevalence, environmental factors, standardized, criterion referenced, informal reading, curriculum-based measurement, and testing. Educational approaches such as explicit instruction, content enhancement, and placement alternatives will be explored. Current issues and future trends in the field of LD will be discussed.
3

SE 5300 Special Education Law

This three-credit course will give participants a greater understanding of both federal and New Hampshire special education law. Time will be spent on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This course is designed and intended for teachers and special education administrators. You do not need to be a law student to succeed in this class. There is a heavy emphasis in this course on theory to practice, "practical news you can use" the next day in your profession. Students will review the most current cases and trends in special education law, analyze cases, and learn how to research both statutory and case law.
3

SE 6040 Curriculum Development in Special Education

This course is designed to assist candidates in acquiring the skills, knowledge and competencies necessary for curriculum development as it relates to special education and the general education curricula. Each participant will have the opportunity to examine models of curriculum-based assessment designed to generate better educational programs for students with disabilities. Each student will demonstrate an understanding of the instructional process with emphasis on students with disabilities. Keys to this understanding will include management considerations, instructional practices and evaluative and collaborative activities.
3

SE 5770 Behavioral Disorders in School Aged Children

This course is designed to provide teachers with increased understanding of the needs of children who display maladaptive behaviors associated with conduct disorders in school settings. Students will investigate specific causes, diagnosis, assessment methods, interventions, etiology, co-morbidity, subtypes, pharmacotherapy, the role of the classroom teacher, and possible resources.
3

SE 5190 Educational Testing

This course will focus on administering, scoring, interpreting and reporting on achievement, special skill and diagnostic tests used in special education and school psychology. The emphasis will be on diagnosis and prescriptive writing. It is restricted to special education and school psychology students.
3

RL 5710 Advanced Diagnostic Testing and the Improvement of Reading and Writing

Diagnostic and instructional issues presented include: reading and writing development; factors related to reading and writing disabilities; varied approaches to individual diagnosis and proven emergent reading, corrective, standardized tests and authentic assessments currently used in reading and special education programs. Seminars in conjunction with the practicum emphasize peer coaching and the application of current literacy research. May be repeated with the permission of the instructor.
3

SE 5760 Collaboration, Consultation, and Leadership in Special Education

This course is designed to assist participants in examining the nature of collaboration in organizations, the consultation process and essential leadership skills in special education. Students will learn about the nature of collaboration and examine examples of effective collaboration skills, as well as participate in guided practice of those skills. Emphasis will be given to concepts of intervention, management models and an analysis of the variety of special education needs.
3

SE 5581 Technology for Diverse Learners

This course provides an in-depth look of the use of technology with diverse learners. An overview of two federal laws (IDEA and NCLB) and the examination of the research of learning technologies will be presented. Students will be engaged in hands-on experience with desktop software, online resources and specialized software designed to support diverse learners. Opportunities will be provided for students to develop classroom activities and curriculum planning guidelines for integrating technology tools into the content areas to accommodate a range of student learning differences.
3

SE 5570 Autism and Spectrum Disorders

This course will deal with the specifics of cognitive impairment focusing on mental retardation, autism, Asperger, PDD, communication disorders and all their subgroups. Specific definitions, special education rights and legislation will be discussed in terms of these special populations. Assessment of intellectual functioning, assessment procedures, classroom adaptations, behaviors, causes and prevention, developing curriculum and goals, independent life skills, transitions to career and functional life skills will be discussed in detail.
3

ED 5180 Collaborative Action Research

A course for teaching/administrative practitioners in which a local educational problem is examined from the standpoint of how it can best be studied and solved. A blueprint for solving the problem is prepared including: statement and purpose, scope, assumptions/hypotheses, limitations and essential definitions. Course culmination will include collection of data, analysis of that data, conclusions and recommendation preparation that follow appropriate form and style.

Capstone Experience – 1-9 credits
3

SE 5821 Internship Seminar

A supervised field experience in one of several cooperating institutions. The purpose is to gain meaningful work experience through applying knowledge learned in course work to the on-the-job situation. Commitment includes 12 hours per week within the school environment over 3 days, and one three hour seminar per month. Supervision is done by the cooperating school and overseen by Plymouth State University faculty.