Special Education
SPED 2309 (3-3-0) Adapted Kinesiology (S-L)
(KNES 2309)
An overview of various disabling conditions, laws that apply to persons with disabilities, and methods of adapting physical activities and sports so that all individuals, regardless of ability or disability, may enjoy and benefit from them. Moreover, through community service and socialization with persons with disabilities, students will gain experience and sensitivity that textbooks/classrooms cannot provide. This course contains a field-based service-learning component.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Spring.
SPED 3311 (3-3-0) Behavior Management for the Inclusive Classroom
This course focuses on research-based strategies designed to create positive learning environments for students with special needs. Topics include creating positive interpersonal relationships in the classroom, increasing student motivation and learning, minimizing disruptive behavior, behavioral management strategies, crisis management and behavior management theories and strategies.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 3312 (3-3-0) Legal and Ethical Framework for Special Education
The purpose of this course is to interpret and apply current special education in policies and laws. Teacher candidates will develop skills to be professional and ethical leaders.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 3313 (3-3-0) Introduction to Special Education
This course will include the history of special education including federal and state legislation. Candidates will identify, describe, and define the characteristics of students with high and low incidence disabilities. The candidates will differentiate between accommodations and modifications for students, appropriate instructional settings, as well as strategies for instruction. The identification process for students with disabilities will be learned as well as the importance of IDEA and its significance in the education of students with disabilities. The candidates will gain an understanding of the components of the Individual Education Program and the function of the IEP in educating students with disabilities. The course will also introduce candidates to the continuum of educational placements for students with disabilities, mainstreaming, current issues and special topics.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 3314 (3-3-0) Math for Learners with Special Needs
This course will provide candidates with knowledge of instructional methods and strategies for teaching mathematics to students with special needs. Candidates will explore research, resources, and best practices in mathematics instruction to yield meaningful learning for students with special needs.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 3315 (3-3-0) Literacy for Learners with Special Needs
This course focuses on literacy instruction for students with special needs. Candidates will understand assessment and its role in identifying and improving reading difficulties in special needs learners.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 3320 (3-3-0) Classroom Assessment for Learners with Special Needs
This course will provide teacher candidates the knowledge needed to assess students with special needs. Practical applications of assessment results for students with disabilities will be addressed. Candidates will gain skills in designing, administering, scoring, interpreting, graphing, and tracking a variety of assessment.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4010 (0-3-0) TExES Content EC-12 Special Education
This required course is designed to help students prepare for the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES). The course will focus on content and sample questions from state authorized preparation manuals distributed by the National Evaluation Systems, Inc. Information will also be taken from the state competencies for this certification.
Requisites: Educator Preparation Program admission.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4310 (3-3-0) Introduction to Exceptional Learners
(EDUC/SPED 5310)
Learning styles and effective teaching strategies for exceptional learners using the application of research on identification, assessment, teaching, and technology for the full range of exceptional learners from learning different to gifted-and-talented learners.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer, Online.
SPED 4311 (3-3-0) Instructional Technology for Students with Special Needs
This course will integrate instructional and assistive technology into all content areas for students with disabilities to enhance teaching and learning. This course will utilize the International Society for Technology Standards.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4312 (3-3-0) The Inclusive Classroom
This course includes the identification of the principles and models of inclusion, best practices for inclusive settings, supports such as accommodations, differentiated instruction and universally designed learning to allow students with disabilities to be educated in the general education classroom. In addition, this course will address successful collaborative strategies for working with regular educators, special educators, staff, administration, parents, and community members.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4313 (3-3-0) Severe Behavioral Challenges
This course will focus on preparing teacher candidates best practices in addressing students with severe behavior challenges. In addition, teacher candidates will focus on research-based strategies designed to create positive learning environments for students with special needs. Topics include creating positive interpersonal relationships in the classroom, increasing student motivation and learning, and minimizing disruptive behavior. Behavioral management strategies, crisis management, and behavior management. Theories and strategies for students with special needs will be addressed.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4314 (3-3-0) Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities
This course will address the characteristics of students with severe disabilities. Teacher candidates will acquire the skills to adapt, modify, and deliver grade level instruction in the academic content and appropriate functional skills content for students with severe disabilities.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4316 (3-3-0) Teaching Students with High-Incidence Disabilities
This course will address the definition and characteristics of students with high-incidence disabilities. Teacher candidates will explore research, resources, and recommended practices across the content areas that yield high expectations and meaningful learning for students with disabilities.
Requisites: None.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 4320 (3-3-0) Teaching the Underachiever
(EDUC/SPED 5320)
This course addresses the most current research and activities that work effectively with the at-risk student, as well as provide participants with successful techniques to diagnose, prescribe, and communicate concerns and needs to parents. Requisites: None.
Offered: Periodically, Online.
SPED 4330 (3-3-0) Pedagogy of Special Education
(EDUC/SPED 5330)
The course examines the identification, assessment and instruction of students with special needs. Emphasis will be placed on the presentation of special education roles, placement alternatives, legal implications, current status and trends in special education. An analysis of the categories of exceptionality, characteristics, and terminology will also be presented.
Requisites: SPED 4310.
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer, Online.
SPED 4333 (3-3-0) Clinical Experience in Correcting Reading Difficulties
(READ 4333/5333; SPED 5333)
This is a course that gives teacher candidates the opportunity to work with public school students who have reading difficulties. The teacher candidate will, with the diagnostic tools learned in READ 4330 Recognizing and Instructing Struggling Readers, diagnose the reading problem and prescribe instructional strategies to improve the reading problems experienced by the public school student. In addition, the teacher candidate will meet regularly with the student for tutoring sessions. The teacher candidate will document the results of the tutoring sessions and write a final report on the student’s progress in reading. The teacher candidate will be required to travel to the public school during the hours that the students are in class.
Requisites: READ 4330.
Offered: Fall, Spring.