Special Education Courses

SPED 407 Special Education Minor Seminar
1 Credit
Repeatable. Topics include Collaborative Team, Introduction to Talented and Gifted, Introduction to Developmental Disabilities.

SPED 411 Foundations of Disability I
3 Credits
Categorical and cross-categorical survey of information about exceptional children and youths. Topics include history, etiology, identification, classification, legislation, alternate program delivery systems.

SPED 420 Applied Experience in Special Education
1-6 Credits  ​​​SPED 420 can be taken 1 credit (30 hours) at a time, up to 6 credits (3 required, 3 elective)
This course is designed to provide practical experiences for students enrolled in the special education minor. Students engage with individuals with disabilities in early childhood settings, general or special education classrooms, or through community organizations.

SPED 422 Special Education Mathematics Instruction
4 Credits
Systematic instruction of mathematics skills for students with disabilities: assessment, planning, curriculum modification, diagnosis and remediation of persistent error patterns, evaluation.

SPED 426 Behavior and Classroom Management
4 Credits
Provides behavior management procedures for a variety of educational environments. Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior support planning, classroom management, and principles of applied behavior analysis.

SPED 431 Introduction to Learning Disabilities
3 Credits
Introduces major topics, issues, and trends in learning disabilities. Addresses the history, definitions, etiologies, theories, characteristics, instructional interventions, and service-delivery models.

SPED 432 Introduction to Behavioral Disorders
3 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 411
Introduces the characteristics and education of children and youth who have emotional and behavioral disorders.

SPED 436 Advanced Behavior and Classroom Management
3 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 426
Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior support planning, individual education plans (IEPs), and effective behavior support systems for a variety of educational environments.

SPED 440 Early Literacy for Diverse Learners
4 Credits
Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for preschool- to early elementary-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 441, 442, 443.

SPED 441 Intermediate Literacy for Diverse Learners
4 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 440
Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for late elementary- to middle school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 440, 442, 443.

SPED 442 Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners
4 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 441
Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for middle school- and high school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 440, 441, 443.

SPED 443 Supporting Students with Low-Incidence Disability
4 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 442
Provides skills on how to plan, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based instruction for students with low-incidence disabilities. Sequence with SPED 440, 441, 442.

SPED 488 Professional Practices: [Topic]
13 Credits – Corequisite: SPED 406 Prac. I or SPED 409
Helps students critically assess their fieldwork and integrate fieldwork and coursework in the wider context of the school experience. Repeatable twice.

SPED 507 Seminar: [Topic]
15 Credits
Repeatable. Topics include collaborative team, introduction to talented and gifted, introduction to developmental disabilities.

SPED 508 Workshop: [Topic]
121 Credits
Repeatable.

SPED 511 Foundations of Disability I
3 Credits
Categorical and cross-categorical survey of information about exceptional children and youths. Topics include history, etiology, identification, classification, legislation, alternate program delivery systems.

SPED 522 Special Education Mathematics Instruction
4 Credits
Systematic instruction of mathematics skills for students with disabilities: assessment, planning, curriculum modification, diagnosis and remediation of persistent error patterns, evaluation.

SPED 526 Behavior and Classroom Management
4 Credits
Provides behavior management procedures for a variety of educational environments. Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior, support planning, classroom management, and principles of applied behavior analysis.

SPED 531 Introduction to Learning Disabilities
3 Credits
Introduces major topics, issues, and trends in learning disabilities. Addresses the history, definitions, etiologies, theories, characteristics, instructional interventions, and service-delivery models.

SPED 532 Introduction to Behavioral Disorders
3 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 411/511
Introduces the characteristics and education of children and youth who have emotional and behavioral disorders.

SPED 536 Advanced Behavior and Classroom Management
3 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 426/526
Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior, support planning, individual education plans (IEPs), and effective behavior support systems for a variety of educational environments.

SPED 540 Early Literacy for Diverse Learners
4 Credits – Sequence with SPED 541, 542, 543
Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for preschool- to early elementary-aged students with disabilities.

SPED 541 Intermediate Literacy for Diverse Learners
4 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 540; Sequence with SPED 540, 542, 543
Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for late elementary- to middle school-aged students with disabilities.

SPED 542 Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners
4 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 541; Sequence with SPED 540, 541, 543
Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for middle school- and high school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 540, 541, 543.

SPED 543 Supporting Students with Low-Incidence Disability
4 Credits – Prerequisite: SPED 542; Sequence with SPED 540, 541, 542
Provides skills on how to plan, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based instruction for students with low-incidence disabilities.

SPED 588 Professional Practices: [Topic]
13 Credits – Corequisite: SPED 606 or SPED 609
Helps students critically assess their fieldwork and integrate fieldwork and coursework in the wider context of the school experience. Repeatable.

SPED 622 History of Special Education and Disability
3 Credits
Historical context for contemporary issues in understanding and supporting the lives of people with disabilities and their families.

SPED 625 Final Supervised Field Experience
115 Credits

SPED 626 Grant Writing
13 Credits
Provides structure and guidance in developing a grant proposal.

SPED 628 Law and Special Education
3 Credits
Knowledge of current case law and legislation, sensitivity to legal issues, application to legal principles related to special education services in school settings.

SPED 633 Transition Planning and Instruction I
3 Credits – Sequence with SPED 634
Focuses on preparing youth for postsecondary education and training. Development of skills for using assessment-planning and content instruction strategies to assist students with disabilities.

SPED 634 Transition Planning & Instruction II
3 Credits – Sequence with SPED 633
Focuses on strategies for improving employment and independent-living skills; using individualized assessment and planning strategies, curriculum and instructional strategies, and program delivery to assist students with disabilities.

SPED 655 Supervised Field Experience
512 Credits
Repeatable. Provides practical experience in teaching students with disabilities in a public-school setting under the direction of cooperating teachers and university supervisors.

SPED 660 Design of Instruction
4 Credits
Design, development, and evaluation of instructional materials for children with disabilities. Emphasis on analysis and construction of instructional sequences for various learning tasks.

SPED 680 Foundations in Early Childhood and Early Intervention
3 Credits
Overview of the rationale for the fields of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education, including historical perspectives, legislative foundations, and theoretical basis of EI/ECSE. Information is provided regarding normal developmental sequences and atypical development, the effects of early interactions between the developing child and the environment, as well as the effects of disabling and at-risk conditions.

SPED 681 Diverse Families in Early Intervention
3 Credits
Provides the knowledge and skills necessary to implement family guided, relationship-based intervention for a diverse range of families with infants, toddlers, or preschool children with or at-risk for disabilities using strength-based and effective approaches. Topics covered include historical and current perspectives of family involvement; family systems and social system theories; intervention strategies and service delivery methods; communication skills; self-evaluation strategies.

SPED 682 Assessment and Evaluation in Early Intervention
3 Credits
Addresses different purposes and types of assessment in the field of EI/ECSE and provides direct and indirect experience with measures commonly used in EI/ECSE. Strategies for using measures with children who are linguistically and culturally diverse, including families in the assessment/evaluation process, and methods for communicating assessment and evaluation results with families are also addressed.

SPED 683 Curriculum in Early Childhood and Early Intervention
3 Credits
Presents an overview of curricular approaches, theories, philosophies, and products that are commonly used in early childhood educational settings (birth to six years). Students will explore these varied approaches to understand the role of both student and teacher across approaches and apply curricular modifications/adaptations to support the engagement and learning of students with special needs.

SPED 684 Applications of a Linked System I
2 Credits – Sequence with SPED 685
Provides opportunities for students to implement activities in a linked approach to early intervention services; foundation for an understanding of the components of a linked system.

SPED 685 Applications of a Linked System II
1 Credit – Prerequisite: SPED 684; Sequences with SPED 684
Examines the components of a linked system, how they influence one another, and how they are implemented within a best-practices model for early intervention–early childhood special education.

SPED 686 Autism in Early Intervention
23 Credits
An introduction to seminal research and practical tools to support children birth to 8 years of age with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Includes an introduction to core features of ASD and screening tools, developmental sequence and assessment of core early childhood skills, introduction to intervention practices and knowledge translation.

SPED 687 Early Intervention Methods I
13 Credits
Provides practical information for conducting program-relevant assessments using curriculum-based assessment tools and for developing individualized family service plans.

SPED 688 Early Intervention Methods II
13 Credits
Provides opportunity to develop effective intervention skills to use with young children who are at risk and disabled and with their families.

SPED 689 Early Intervention Methods III
12 Credits
Focuses on advanced methods in early intervention, including special handling and management techniques.

SPED 690 Early Intervention Methods IV
12 Credits
Develops advanced intervention skills to use with young children who are at risk and disabled and with their families.