Student Handbook
Master of Science in
Education
Special Education
Instructional Specialists
Grades P-4
Department of Educational
Leadership, Curriculum and Special Education
Arkansas State University
Dennis J. Campbell, Ph.D
Program Director
Fall 2002
Credentials to Teach Special
Education are added to a General Education Teaching License, this is called
an endorsement. Persons seeking
credentials to teach special education in Arkansas must also be licensed to
teach in a regular education classroom, either Grades 1-6, Preschool-Grade 4,
Grades 4-8, or Grades 7-12. A teacher in grades 1-6 or P-4 may add a P-4
endorsement in special education to their existing grade 1-6 or P-4 teaching
license. A person licensed in teaching either grades 1-6, or 4-8 or
grades 7-12 may complete requirements for endorsement in special education
grades 4-12. Students seeking endorsement in special education P – 4 without a
current license should complete the MSE degree in Early Childhood Special
Education and develop with their advisor a preparation program for the Early
Childhood Praxis examinations. Licensure in Early Childhood Education and
endorsement in Special Education P-4 is contingent on successfully passing the
Praxis exams in both areas.
The licensure preparation program
at Arkansas State University is a performance-based program built to meet the
professional development standards of the Arkansas Department of Education and
the Council for Exceptional Children. As a performance-based program, the
student must demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions
in the standards before the Department
of Educational Leadership, Curriculum, and Special Education can
recommend the student for a licensure endorsement in special education.
Performance of these competencies may be accomplished by completion of a
program of study, successful completion of examinations covering course
content, or demonstration of performance in instructional situations. For further
information contact the Department
of Educational Leadership, Curriculum, and Special Education.
The Special
Education licensure endorsements available at ASU are:
Instructional
Specialist Grades P-4:
Instructional Specialist Grades 4-12
Gifted, Talented and Creative Education
Emotional Disturbance;
Students
seeking licensure endorsement in special education- Instructional Specialist
should seriously consider pursuing the Master of Science Degree in Education
due to the significant overlap of required courses.
The department has programs accredited by North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools, National Association of Colleges and
Schools, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR THE MASTER OF SCIENCE
SPECIAL EDUCATION - INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST
GRADES P-4
PURPOSE OF THE DEGREE
The purpose of the M.S.E. degree in Special Education - Instructional Specialist P-4 is to offer educators an advanced performance-based program of study based on the recommendations of professional organizations and accrediting associations such as the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and NCATE. Students completing this program gain expertise in teaching students exhibiting developmental, learning and behavioral disabilities, and in consulting with general education teachers who have students with disabilities in their classrooms.
Students seeking endorsement in special education, without pursing the M.S.E. degree, should see an advisor for an analysis of completed courses and the requirements of a program of study.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Students seeking admission into the M.S.E. program in Special Education must meet 1) the general admission requirements of the Graduate School, 2) submit three letters of recommendation which attests to the applicant's ability to complete graduate study and work with children with disabilities, and 3) submit a written statement of your professional goals and how this program would address those goals. If the applicant desires endorsement as Instructional Specialist P - 4 to teach Special Education in Arkansas, he/she must be eligible for general education licensure in either grades 1-6, Preschool-Grade 4, and complete 6 semester hours of undergraduate special education courses, as specified below.
Unconditional Admissions
In addition to Graduate School criteria, academic proficiency must be established through satisfaction of either of the following admissions selection criteria:
Conditional Admissions
In addition to Graduate School criteria for conditional admission, academic proficiency must be established through satisfaction of either of the following admission selection criteria:
PROGRAM ADMISSION PROCEDURES
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate prerequisites
ELSE
3023, Characteristics of Individuals
with Disabilities or
equivalent 3
ELSE
4/5033, Behavior Intervention and Consultation
3
ELSE 4/5633
Diag/Corr Reading Instruction for Mild Disabilities 3
I. Core
Courses required of
all candidates for
the Master of
Science in Education
degree.
EDFN 6763,
Philosophies of Education,
OR
PSY
6513, Advanced Educational
Psychology 3
EDFN 6773,
Introduction to Statistics
and Research 3
II. Courses
required of all
students majoring in Special
Education – Instructional
Specialist P-4:
ELSE
6723, Assessment of Young
Children with Exceptionalities
3
ELSE 6733, Methods for Working with Preschool Children with Exceptionalities 3
ELSE 6053, Educational Procedures for Individuals with Mild
Disabilities 3
ELSE 6073, Educational Procedures for Individuals with Severe Disabilities 3
ELSE
6093, Collaboration for Special
Education Service Delivery 3
ELSE
6103, Studies in Research 3
ELSE
6813, Introductory Laboratory Experiences
I in Special Education 3
ELSE
6823, Advanced Laboratory Experiences II in Special Education
3
________
Minimum hours required for
this program: 30
Continuation in the M.S.E. program is contingent upon maintaining the GPA required by the Graduate School; and before registering for more than 18 credit hours 1) receiving preliminary approval by the student's advisor and another member of the Special Education faculty of the student's professional portfolio, and 2) completion of the candidacy form.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy is a checkpoint in the program that allows you to continue the program if all admission to candidacy requirements are satisfied. Please consult the Graduate Bulletin for specific details.
Students may apply for admission to candidacy at the end of the enrollment period in which the total number of graduate hours accumulated reaches twelve or more, provided they have a 3.00 grade point average, and they have made satisfactory progress on their portfolio. Application must be made no later than the end of the enrollment period in which the accumulated total of graduate hours reaches eighteen.
Students must submit three copies of the admission to candidacy form, with an approved program of courses and the adviser's signature, to the Graduate School. The program of courses must include a minimum of thirty semester hours of graduate coursework.
This form is available in two
different file formats at the Special Education web http://www.clt.astate.edu/dcampbell/.
ELIGIBILITY FOR GRADUATION
Upon completion of the required courses, candidates for the M. S.E. degree in Special Education-Instructional Specialist P-4- must 1) receive final approval of their professional portfolio, which documents proficiency in the knowledge and skill base of special education, as defined by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Students seeking licensure in special education in Arkansas must take and pass the appropriate Praxis B examinations for licensure and endorsement.
Additional Licensure Plan for Students with a P-4
General Education License for endorsement in Special
Education- Instructional Specialist Grades P-4
This option is
only open for individuals who have a current Arkansas teaching license.
Additional Licensure Plans are submitted to the Arkansas Department of
Education by a school district.
ELSE 3023 Characteristics of Individuals with
Disabilities (or Equivalent)
ELSE 5033 Behavior Intervention and Consultation
ELSE 5633 Diag/Corr Reading Instruction for Mild
Disabilities
ELSE 6723 Assessment of Young Children with
Exceptionalities
ELSE 6053 Educational Proc for Individuals with Mild
Disabilities
ELSE 6733 Meth for Working with Young Child with
Exceptionalities
ELSE 6073 Ed Pro for Ind with Moderate Profound
Disabilities
ELSE 6813 Intro Lab Exp I in Special Education
24 hours total program.
Developmental Therapist
Students who do not hold a valid teaching certificate may choose this option. The Developmental Therapist is certified to work with young children and their families in the First Connection Early Intervention Program. The program consists of 15 hours of coursework at the Masters level and a 6 hour internship in an early intervention program. In this way they will demonstrate their ability to: evaluate students, assess their strength and weaknesses, design instruction for them, implement their instruction through programming, monitor the program for its effectiveness, revise the program as needed, and instruct others in delivering the program and supervise those individuals in the implementation of the interventions they designed. Students pursuing this option are not eligible for a standard teaching certificate.
Prerequisite Bachelor Degree in Education, Communication Disorders Social Work, Psychology, or Related Social Service Field
ELSE 6023 Characteristics of Individuals with Disabilities 3
ELSE 6723 Assessment of Young Children with Exceptionalities 3
ELSE 6733 Meth for Working with Young Child with Disabilities 3
ELSE 6073 Ed Pro for Ind. with Moderate Profound Disabilities 3
ELSE 4683/5683 Methods of Working With Families 3
Graduate Internship Experience 6
___________
21
Special Education- Instructional Specialist Grades P - 4
Portfolio Contents
The portfolio is designed to be a reflection of your development as a special education teacher, therefore it contains documents created during completion of course requirements. These documents will be used to determine your continuation and completion of the special education program. Therefore, the portfolio will be evaluated twice.
The instructor for each course will grade each document using a numeric (%), letter grade (A-F), or satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U).
|
Course/s |
Description |
Grade |
Instructor |
|
6053 6093 |
Essay that articulates a personal philosophy of special education and its relationship with regular education. Including diversity in the classroom, LRE, ethical obligations, and pros and cons of current issues in special education. |
|
|
|
4/5033 6813 6823 |
Conduct an analysis of existing behavior data, prepare an intervention plan and a means for collecting target behavior data. |
|
|
|
6093 6813 6823 |
Develop a plan for including all children with disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment in your Lab site. Include who should be involved, timeline and management plan for the process. |
|
|
|
6723 |
Report of an evaluation, assessment, including program planning report, appropriate paperwork and instructional recommendations. |
|
|
|
6073 |
Case study of a student with severe disabilities |
|
|
|
6103 |
Research paper in your area of Special Education |
|
|
|
6733 6813 6823 |
Write a formal plan on guidance and responding to problem situations. |
|
|
|
Submit 10 Lesson plans, |
|
|
|
|
5 Intervention plans with supporting data, |
|
|
|
|
1 learning center, |
|
|
|
|
video record of teaching using these items. |
|
|
|
|
ALL |
Standards check sheet prior to candidacy. |
NA |
|
|
|
|||
|
ALL |
Portfolio mid-term review by 2 faculty members. |
NA |
|
|
|
|||
|
ALL |
Final standards check sheet submitted with portfolio. |
NA |
|
|
|
|||
|
ALL |
Portfolio review |
NA |
|
|
|