Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities
In this course, K-12 educators will learn research-based instructional strategies for teaching students with mild intellectual disabilities. Students will acquire various academic and behavioral interventions that are appropriate for K-12 students in various classroom settings. Students will also learn about identification, placement, transitional planning for adolescent students, and teaching methodologies across the grade levels.
|
Course Name: Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities |
|
|
Course Number: EDUC 715A |
Semester Credits: 3 |
Course Description
Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities is designed to help teachers instruct students with mild, moderate, and severe intellectual disabilities. It will introduce teachers to educational practices that influence the identification, placement, and teaching of students with mild disabilities. It also presents teachers with specific strategies and knowledge of materials essential to meeting the needs of students with intellectual disabilities in a variety of classroom settings. Another focus of this course is education across the lifespan, from preschool through transition years. Topics covered include how to address and teach a broad spectrum of students with intellectual disabilities, the use of assistive technology to support students with intellectual disabilities, understanding legislation and policies concerning students with intellectual disabilities, the inclusive classroom, classroom management, teaching social skills, and building family partnerships.
Goals
- Identify types of learning problems that characterize students with mild, moderate, and severe intellectual disabilities.
- Facilitate understanding of specific instruction strategies across the school years.
- Identify differing learning styles of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Be able to prepare appropriate lesson plans.
- Implement effective teaching practices for students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities.
- Involve the individual and family in setting instructional goals and charting progress from preschool age through transition years.
- Describe basic classroom management theories, methods, and techniques for individuals with exceptional learning needs
- Identify factors that promote effective communication and collaboration with individuals, parents, and school and community personnel.
Course Contents
- Perspectives and causes of intellectual disability
- Classification of individuals with intellectual disabilities
- Etiology of intellectual disability and characteristics of students with intellectual disability
- Educational issues affecting students with intellectual disabilities
- Assessing and evaluating students with intellectual disabilities
- Behavioral interventions for students with intellectual disabilities
- Assistive technology for students with intellectual disabilities
- Understanding legislation and policies affecting students with intellectual disabilities
- Teaching academic skills and life skills to preschool students, elementary-age students, and adolescents and young adults.
- Transition planning for secondary students with intellectual disabilities.
Evidence of Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course, the student will have developed strategies for teaching students with mild disabilities.
How to Register
Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities is completed in either an online or via emailed PDF format. It is open for anyone to register at any time during an open semester. After completion, students receive graduate, non-degree semester credit on official transcripts from the University of La Verne.
Registration is fast and simple and can be done online or over the phone. Courses are offered on a rolling basis during three standard semesters, and you can begin whenever you are ready! Students may enroll in up to 15 credits each semester. The registration dates are:
- Fall: September 1 - January 31
- Spring: February 1 - May 31
- Summer: June 1 - August 31