M.Ed. in Special Education

Exploring developmental and learning needs of children with exceptional learning abilities, the content will address the needs of the gifted, students with exceptional needs, and children with learning disabilities. Strategies will be established to support a variety of learning needs while working with families to foster a consistent learning environment.

Student traits impact learning, the environment, and classroom behavior. This course examines the legal definitions, characteristics, prevalence, and educational adaptations for each primary category of exceptionality. Emphasis is placed on the accommodation and selective modification of curricula, materials, and procedures to meet the needs of learners.

Data-driven instructional decision-making is critical to improve student outcomes for learners across the continuum of disability in special and general education settings. This course focuses on conducting and analyzing ongoing student assessment and utilization of current research and theory as the foundation for driving instructional decisions and professional practices.

Students examine federal legislation and state-specific requirements that shape identification and service provision for students with disabilities in the United States. Contemporary challenges in digital accessibility, discipline procedures, and accountability measures are addressed through the lens of current law and policy. Emphasis is placed on understanding the legal rights of students and families while developing the professional knowledge needed to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all learners with exceptionalities.

Collaboration between or among instructional personnel, students' home/family, and the community is increasingly important in meeting students' learning needs. This course addresses strategies and tools to build collaborative relationships between general and special education instructors, families, the community, advocacy, and other outside organizations to impact student outcomes positively.

Students investigate developmental issues experienced by individuals across transitional stages throughout the life span. Characteristics of individuals demonstrating patterns of thought or behavior potentially contributing to the identification of learning disabilities are examined. Neurological impairments, which change the functionality of the brain, are surveyed for factors creating unique risks across cognitive and sensory, social and emotional, and behavioral areas and conditions which impact academic learning.

This course examines formal and informal methods of diagnosing academic and socio-behavioral issues related to those potentially identified with special needs. Designed to model appropriate planning and program delivery, students explore methods and materials utilized in the diagnostic-prescriptive process to monitor progress, measure benchmarks and gather data for application, i.e., Individual Education Programs. This includes evaluating procedures used in schools to determine eligibility for special education services guided by testing measures. Attention is given to selecting and adapting tests for a variety of disorders and aligning appropriate instructional methods to measure student success.

The Capstone Experience is designed for candidates to demonstrate and document the impact of their knowledge and competencies gained throughout, and as a result of studies related to the Integrated Curriculum: Special Education program.

In this course students will be presented with an overview of current special education professional standards and guidelines. They will also learn the 12 Special Education Professional Ethical Principles outlined by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Students will discuss challenging ethical dilemmas in which they will have to practice professional ethics and sharpen their skills as advocates for students with disabilities and their families.

Grounded in current research and best practices, the course emphasizes building strong teacher-student relationships, embedding social-emotional learning (SEL) into instruction, and applying trauma-informed approaches. Participants will critically examine their practices and school contexts to identify strengths and gaps in supporting student safety, mental health, and belonging. Through interactive discussions, case analyses, and applied projects, educators will develop culturally responsive strategies to foster trust, respect, and accountability in their classrooms.

This course prepares PK–12 educators to teach and support student self-management skills across multiple learning contexts. Participants will study the developmental foundations of self-regulation, cultural and contextual factors influencing student behavior, and evidence-based strategies for fostering executive function, goal setting, self-monitoring, and emotional regulation. The course emphasizes planning instruction for varying levels of student need within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. Educators will learn to develop individualized intervention plans, promote transfer of self-management skills across settings, and collaborate effectively with families and school staff.

This course prepares educators to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in special education and inclusion classrooms. The evidenced-based PBIS components are designed to guide educators to teach preK-12 exceptional learners' competencies in social, emotional, and behavioral self-management for consistent application in classrooms and school common areas.

This course explores instructional coaching as a professional learning approach to enhance teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Participants will learn the principles and practices of instructional leadership and coaching, including supporting teachers in improving instructional practices, fostering reflective teaching, and implementing evidence-based strategies. Educators will use various instructional coaching models and methods, develop consistent conflict resolution and mediation strategies, and practice effective collaborative communication techniques.

This course is designed for educators who aspire to take on leadership roles in developing and facilitating professional learning experiences. Participants will explore the principles, instructional strategies, and best practices in guiding and supporting adult learners. They will plan and lead effective professional development initiatives that drive instructional improvement. Educators develop a toolkit of evidence-based resources to support others in their schools.

This course emphasizes the importance of understanding state, federal, and other accountability standards in relation to the needs of learners within schools, school districts, and organizational communities. The course focuses remains on identifying learners' academic strengths and areas needing improvement to eliminate achievement gaps, improve achievement levels, ensure progress, increase graduation rates, and promote post-secondary and college/career readiness.

This course examines evidence-based approaches to responsive teaching that address the varied needs of 21st-century learners. Participants will explore how neurological research, cognitive science principles, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) inform instructional decisions. The course emphasizes practical strategies for adapting content, process, and assessment based on learner variability, readiness levels, and individual differences.

This course prepares teachers to establish high expectations for all students and to effectively evaluate and implement theories of motivation and cognitive engagement in classroom learning. Emphasis will be placed on different theories of motivation and how classroom, school, work, and social environments shape and influence student motivation.

Supporting the needs of all students requires understanding the range of unique issues facing those with identified exceptionalities. This course investigates the causes and their impact on student learning in relation to effective research-based strategies.

This course prepares educators to implement evidence-based instructional methods and intervention techniques for children with special needs from infancy through grade 2. Candidates develop competencies in designing, adapting, and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum and instructional strategies that foster social, emotional, cognitive, communication, adaptive, and motor development across early childhood settings such as home, school, and community.

Language forms the foundation for the acquisition of reading skills. In this course, atypical language development is contrasted with normal progression of linguistic skills to identify the type and cause of potential problems, addressing the difficulties associated with instruction and promoting practical methods for enhancing the required language skills needed for effective communication. Assessment, diagnostic, and development techniques for intervention and remediation are examined, including the exploration of augmentative language and the use of alternative and assistive technologies to support individuals with exceptional needs.

Focused on early childhood developmental issues, this course includes formal and informal approaches to assessing young children while diagnosing potential concerns which lead to informed instructional and intervention choices. Choices in curriculum are aligned to needs to enhance student achievement.

By creating new dimensions of thought to establish meaning and relevance, the ability to conceptualize promotes transferability. This course builds foundational understanding of practical approaches to teach conceptualization while also developing personal and professional knowledge and skills in interrelations, multiple perspectives, concept map development, generalizations and terminology across disciplines. A focus on synergistic effects moves learning across domains into multiple contexts for use in novel situations.

Students in this course will apply learning theories and instructional design principles across face-to-face, blended, and online environments. They adapt instruction to each setting including collaboration and assessments. Learners create products, set expectations, encourage interactions, select strategies and materials, and design evaluations.

Students in this course will design effective curricula within their professional fields. They apply principles of curriculum alignment and backward design to develop comprehensive curriculum maps. Topics include how to conduct needs assessments, plan curricula, and develop learning activities or resources for in-person, blended, and online learning environments.

This course examines assessment approaches for diagnosing reading needs and methods for identifying, prescribing, and evaluating intervention plans based upon specific data. An embedded field experience targets developmental and age-appropriate instructional strategies to support struggling readers across populations.

Educators examine theoretical models framing literacy through cognitive and sociocultural lenses. They explore how background knowledge, oral language, writing, multiliteracies, and technology impact comprehension and communication across the curriculum. Topics include valuing students' diverse literacy backgrounds, increasing vocabulary, and inquiry-based learning. Educators analyze specific examples from secondary classrooms and propose strategies to engage adolescents. Assessment and feedback practices are addressed throughout.

This course empowers educators to integrate literacy skills across content areas, focusing on fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Participants will explore accommodations, scaffolding, formative assessment, and contextualized lesson plans to meet diverse learners’ needs. The course highlights strategies for leveraging school/community assets and forging global literacy connections to build a culture of literacy and target achievement gaps.

This course prepares educators to apply effective literacy practices through personalized learning experiences. They will examine context-specific literacy approaches linking language and communication skills to real-world applications. Emphasis is placed on the design of authentic assessments and the development of transferable literacy skills. Educators will also discover methods for creating literacy-rich environments that enhance content knowledge accessibility and relevance.