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General Information |
Areas of Emphasis |
This major offers students advanced knowledge of the specialized educational practices appropriate to students with special needs. The program emphasizes in-depth study of developmentally oriented theory and research in the areas of cognitive and social/emotional development, which enables educators to provide individualized and appropriate educational services within a variety of educational settings.
The program of study recognizes the rapidly changing dimensions of special education and promotes the philosophy of integrated learning experiences for all children and youth, including those with special needs.
The goals of the special education major are to cultivate graduates who are:
- knowledgeable of the history of special education, characteristics of students with disabilities, and principles and foundations underlying best practices;
- proficient in designing, adapting, and modifying effective assessment plans, instructional strategies and curricula, and/or intervention plans based on current research regarding cognitive, social, and emotional development in students with disabilities;
- reflective about their roles as educators to improve learning outcomes, and who collaborate with families and other members of the community in order to advocate for inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for persons with disabilities; and
- capable of recognizing, valuing, and responding to the unique individual abilities and differences of students with special needs.
After completing 9 credit hours within an MAT major and before twenty-one hours, all MAT degree-seeking students are required to be advanced to candidacy. Special education majors are required to have successfully completed, with a grade of B or better, a three-credit course in the Psychology of Exceptional Students, or its equivalent, in order to be advanced to candidacy. Please refer to the Advancement to Candidacy section in this catalog for specific guidelines.
Special education majors are required to complete 33 credit hours, 21 of which must be in special education. The following courses are required, with a minimum grade of B- in each course, for all special education majors:
- EDUC 5460 Curriculum Design, or EDUC 5800 Applied Research 3 hours
- SPED 5500 Socioemotional Development: Child with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5660 Cognitive Development: Child with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5880 Integrating Resources: Community, School, and Family 3 hours
In addition, special education majors are required to complete 9 credit hours of special education courses. Field experience and impact on pupil learning, as documented through coursework, is required for graduation.
Emphasis in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
The emphasis area in emotional and behavioral disorders offers an advanced program of study in the identification, assessment and evaluation, treatment, and instruction of children and youth with, or at risk for, disruptive and disturbing emotional and behavioral disorders. The program is designed to develop a specialized knowledge base of effective psychoeducational practices for teachers, behavior specialists, and educational consultants who are responsible for the education of students with challenging or disturbed behavior.
In addition to the 12 hours of required coursework for an MAT in special education, the emphasis in emotional and behavioral disorders consists of the following coursework:
- SPED 5315 Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 3 hours
One of the following:
- SPED 5314 Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 3 hours
- SPED 5280 Attention Deficit Disorder 2-3 hours
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SPED 5220 Topics in Special Education: 2-3 hours
- Teaching Students with Autism
- Issues in Juvenile Delinquency
- Working with Students with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Disorders
- Teaching Students with Emotional Problems
- Traumatic Brain Disorders in Children and Youth Students At-Risk for Failure
One of the following:
- SPED 5316 Instructional Methods for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 3 hours
- SPED 5290 Collaboration and Cooperative Teaching 3 hours
- SPED 5340 Planning Transition 3 hours
One of the following:
- SPED 5250 Behavior Management for Children with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5317 Therapeutic Interventions for Disturbed Students 3 hours
- SPED 5350 Enhancing Social Competency in Children with Special Needs 3 hours
One of the following:
- SPED 5270 Advocating for Students with Disabilities 3 hours
- SPED 5330 Legal Issues in Special Education 3 hours
Emphasis in Inclusive Education
The emphasis in inclusive education is designed to provide classroom teachers, regular, and special educators at the preschool, elementary, and secondary levels with the knowledge base, practical applications, and strategies necessary for implementing a successful inclusive education program appropriate to the diverse needs of students in today's regular classroom.
This emphasis will enable practicing teachers to investigate issues and examine strategies that relate to the education of all students, regardless of ability, in their local school. In addition to the 12 required credit hours in special education, students must complete at least 9 credit hours of appropriate coursework related to inclusive education.
The following two courses are required for the area of emphasis in inclusive education:
- EDUC 5080 Planning for the Inclusive Classroom 3 hours
- EDUC 5090 Curricular and Instructional Adaptations 3 hours
In addition, students select one course from the following courses:
- SPED 5250 Behavior Management for Children with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5260 Career Preparation for Students with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5270 Advocating for Persons with Disabilities* 3 hours
- SPED 5290 Collaboration and Cooperative Teaching* 3 hours
- SPED 5300 Communicating with Families and Disabled Persons 3 hours
- SPED 5330 Legal Issues in Special Education 3 hours
- SPED 5370 Educating Students with Physical and Health Impairments* 3 hours
- SPED 5480 Learning and Behavior Problems in the Classroom 3 hours
* These courses are also offered as ECED 5830 Topics in Early Learning.
Emphasis/Certification Endorsement in Severe Developmental Disabilities
The emphasis in severe developmental disabilities offers a concentrated program of study in the assessment and instruction of children and youth with severe developmental disabilities. The program builds on the knowledge base of special educators who are qualified to teach students with mild and moderate disabilities, and extends the capacity of special education to provide individualized and appropriate educational opportunities to all children.
In order to apply for the intensive certification endorsement program in severe developmental disabilities, the applicant must hold a valid Missouri Teacher's Certificate in Mild/Moderate: Learning Disabilities, Mental Retardation, Behavior Disorders, Physical and Other Health Impairments, or Cross-Categorical Disabilities.
In addition to the 12 credit hours of required coursework for an MAT in special education, the emphasis in severe developmental disabilities consists of the following four courses:
- SPED 5311 Assessment of Functional Skills for Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities 3 hours
- SPED 5312 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities 3 hours
- SPED 5313 Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Students with SDD 3 hours
- SPED 5090 Special Education Practicum: Severe Developmental Disabilities 3 hours
Emphasis in Learning and Academic Disorders
The emphasis area in learning and academic disorders offers an advanced program of study in the identification, assessment and evaluation, programming, and instruction of children and youth with or at risk for academic disorders. The program is designed to develop a specialized knowledge base of effective psychoeducational practices for teachers (in both general and special education classrooms) and educational consultants who are responsible for the education of students with academic challenges.
In addition to the 12 credit hours of required coursework for an MAT in special education, the emphasis in learning and academic disorders consists of the following coursework:
- SPED 5413 Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis of Learning and Academic Disorders 3 hours
- SPED 5414 Children and Youth with Learning and Academic Disorders 3 hours
One of the following:
- SPED 5411 Instructional Methods for Students with Mental Retardation 3 hours
- SPED 5412 Instructional Methods for Students with Learning Disabilities 3 hours
One of the following:
- EDUC 5080 Planning for the Inclusive Classroom 3 hours
- EDUC 5090 Curricular and Instructional Adaptations 3 hours
- SPED 5250 Behavior Management for Students with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5260 Career Preparation for Students with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5290 Collaboration and Cooperative Teaching 3 hours
- SPED 5310 Education for Adolescents with Special Needs 3 hours
- SPED 5320 Learning Strategies: A Cognitive Approach to Exceptional Learners 3 hours
- SPED 5340 Planning Transition 3 hours
One of the following:
- SPED 5270 Advocating for Students with Disabilities 3 hours
- SPED 5330 Legal Issues in Special Education 3 hours
Special Education and Initial Teacher Certification (Missouri)
Special education majors may enroll concurrently in coursework required for a Missouri initial teaching certificate in special education. Students should contact their faculty advisor for a program of study in special education designed especially for certification seeking students. For more information on the requirements for Missouri teacher certification, please contact the Webster University Office of Teacher Certification. Please note: Teacher certification programs are only available at the Webster University main campus (St. Louis, Missouri).
Note: Other MAT courses with the EDUC prefix are listed under Multidisciplinary Studies. Undergraduate EDUC courses (those with a number below 5000) are listed in the Undergraduate Studies Catalog.
EDUC 5080 Planning for the Inclusive Classroom (3)
This course introduces the key factors underlying successful planning for the inclusive classroom. Following an examination of the philosophical and legal bases underlying inclusion, students explore issues related to change and educational reform, increasing disability awareness, team building, action planning, using natural supports, and problem-solving strategies.
EDUC 5090 Curricular and Instructional Adaptations (3)
This course offers a framework for adapting the regular classroom environment to meet the diverse needs of students, including those with disabilities. Curriculum adaptations, instructional modifications, and environmental accommodations are explored as strategies to support students with special needs in the regular classroom.
SPED 5010 Methods of Teaching Mathematics for Disabled Learners (3)
This course focuses on the development of mathematics instruction for students with special needs. Prerequisites: MATH 4310 and SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student.
SPED 5020 Assistive Technology for Students with Special Needs (2-3)
This course focuses on hardware and software designed for persons with disabilities. Students will carry out a hands-on project designed to provide educators with the tools needed to evaluate hardware and software in relation to a student's specific disability.
SPED 5030 Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities (3)
This course focuses on the identification and characteristics of students with mild/moderate disabilities, including learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disorders, and other heath impairments. Prerequisite: SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student.
SPED 5040 Analysis and Correction of Reading Disabilities (3)
This course focuses on the identification and characteristics of students with significant reading disabilities requiring special education services. The focus on the course in on informal and formal assessment procedures, diagnosis and intervention. Prerequisites: COMM 5820 Foundations in Reading Instruction or COMM 5830 Emergent Literacy and SPED 5240 Psychoeducational Assessment I.
SPED 5050 Language Development for Students with Special Needs (3)
This course focuses on language development in children and youth with special needs. Using case studies, students will examine informal and formal evaluation techniques, review language arts strategies, and develop interventions appropriate for students with language impairments. Prerequisite: SPED 5240 Psychoeducational Assessment I.
SPED 5090 Special Education Practicum (1-3)
All practicum assignments are to be made with prior approval from the instructor. Students should request a practicum application from their advisor at the time of registration. Location, field experience, and identity of the practicum supervisor will be decided upon in each practicum situation. Prerequisites: permission of the instructor; completion of coursework in the specific area of the practicum, including a minimum of 3 credit hours from the Webster University School of Education. May be repeated for credit if content differs.
- Practicum: Learning Disabled 1-3 hours
- Practicum: Behavior Disorders 1-3 hours
- Practicum: Mentally Handicapped 1-3 hours
- Practicum: Severe Developmental Disabilities 1-3 hours
- Practicum: Cross-Cat 1-3 hours
SPED 5200 Independent Study (1-3)
MAT students with special interests or needs not met by existing curricula may request that a faculty member supervise an independent study. Together the student and faculty member decide the content of the study and the criteria for evaluation. In no case can an independent study be set up when an existing course already treats the subject. Prerequisite: permission of the coordinator. May be repeated for credit if content differs.
SPED 5210 In-Service Education (1-4)
Webster offers various graduate in-service courses that are not part of the existing MAT curricula but provide experiences important to the academic and professional development of educators. Consult the semester course listings for specific topics. Prerequisite: prior approval of the MAT advisor. May be repeated for credit if content differs.
SPED 5220 Topics in Special Education (1-3)
Students in this course explore, in depth, specific topics in the education of children with special needs. Topics are selected that promote the integration of these children into the mainstream of education. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit if content differs.
SPED 5230 Program Models in Special Education (3)
This course focuses on programs developed for the population of students receiving special education services. The content explores philosophy, theoretical framework, curriculum, methodology, learning environment, teacher and student roles, and parent involvement. Students replicate portions of specific models and develop teaching strategies that would be characteristic of particular models. Special attention is given to mainstreaming approaches.
SPED 5240 Psychoeducational Assessment I (3)
This course examines assessment of students with learning difficulties. A review of the statistical properties of standardized instruments and the social and legal issues in testing is presented to provide a framework from which students examine instruments of intelligence, language, perception, motor skills, academics, and behavior. The information derived from these instruments is used to determine specific strengths and weaknesses in individual students using a case-study approach.
SPED 5250 Behavior Management for Children with Special Needs (2-3)
Students are introduced to the principles and techniques of behavior management appropriate to the needs of individual students with disabilities. Content includes identifying problem behaviors, functional behavior assessment, direct and indirect observational techniques, preventative and pre-correction techniques, methods to strengthen, replace or weaken behavior, measurement techniques, and program evaluation. Students develop a case study and behavior intervention plan.
SPED 5260 Career Preparation for Students with Special Needs (3)
This course presents teachers with career development concepts and techniques for preparing students with special needs to make the successful transition from school to working and living in the community. Career education models and programming strategies are presented for elementary through secondary educational levels, with emphasis on adolescents. Prerequisite: SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student.
SPED 5270 Advocating for Persons with Disabilities (3)
Students examine the role of teachers, parents, and professionals in advocating for appropriate services for persons with disabilities. Special emphasis is on the parent-professional relationship, civil rights, due process, participation in educational planning, and advocating for fuller inclusion.
SPED 5280 Attention Deficit Disorder (2-3)
Students examine in depth the characteristics of attention deficit disorder and review educational strategies and interventions that can be implemented within educational settings.
SPED 5290 Collaboration and Cooperative Teaching (3)
This course focuses on professional collaboration, including teachers working together (collaborative consultation, cooperative teaching, or class within a class, teacher teams, and peer coaching) as well as students working together (classwide peer tutoring and cooperative learning). Participants will learn to use various collaborative structures, effective cooperative teaching techniques, problem-solving methods, and content enhancement devices.
SPED 5300 Communicating with Families and Disabled Persons (3)
The course focuses on counseling and communication techniques appropriate to the needs of the exceptional individuals and their families.
SPED 5310 Education for Adolescents with Special Needs (3)
Participants explore the needs of adolescents with special needs. Emphasis is on academic planning, social and emotional needs, career and vocational planning, and program models.
SPED 5311 Assessment of Functional Skills for Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities (3)
This course examines the use of standardized and ecologically based assessments in all areas of skill development. Coursework includes the opportunity to examine and use a number of different assessments.
SPED 5312 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Students with Severe Developmental Disabilities (3)
This course examines the development and implementation of chronologically age-appropriate functional curriculum for students with severe developmental disabilities in integrated settings. Curriculum and instructional strategies in the areas of domestic skills, vocational skills, leisure skills, and community access skills are covered as well as skills in the embedded areas of communication, social, motor, and functional academics.
SPED 5313 Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Students with SDD (3)
This course introduces strategies for enhancing the functional communication skills of students with severe developmental disabilities. The use of aided and non-aided augmentative strategies are addressed as well as alternative communication systems with an emphasis on using a multi-modality approach.
SPED 5314 Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (3)
This course examines current knowledge and theory of the educational, sociocultural, psychological, and biological factors that influence children and youth with, or at risk for, emotional and behavioral disorders. The course content focuses on current issues and practices regarding characteristics, identification, and assessment procedures specific to this population of students with disabilities.
SPED 5315 Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (3)
Students explore a variety of behavioral and psychoeducational assessment techniques that are relevant to the evaluation of children and youth with suspected emotional and behavioral disorders. Functional behavior assessment and analysis, behavior checklists and rating scales, questionnaires, and interviews will be examined in depth.
Content includes assessment procedures of externalizing and internalizing disorders, as well as social competency and socioemotional development. Interpretation of assessment findings is presented in a written evaluation report including a diagnostic formulation and recommendations for intervention. Students are expected to plan and conduct a functional behavior assessment and environmental inventory, administer a variety of child behavior questionnaires, conduct a structured interview, and develop and administer a sociogram.
SPED 5316 Instructional Methods for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (3)
Focuses on educational programming of students with emotional and behavioral disorders including IEP development, instructional techniques, curricular modifications, scheduling, classroom management tactics, individual behavior management plans, and psychoeducational strategies. Students are expected to register in a concurrent practicum of 1-3 credit hours. Prerequisite: SPED 5240 Psychoeducational Assessment I.
SPED 5317 Therapeutic Interventions for Disturbed Students (3)
This course examines a variety of psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral interventions applicable to students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Intervention strategies include life space intervention, group meetings, bibliotherapy and mutual storytelling, self-management, rational emotive therapy and education, stress inoculation, anger control, and self-instructional training. Students are expected to design and implement a selected intervention.
SPED 5320 Learning Strategies: A Cognitive Approach to Exceptional Learners (3)
This course focuses on the theoretical basis and the application of metacognitive approaches to the education of exceptional students.
SPED 5330 Legal Issues in Special Education (3)
Students review the laws governing special education at the federal and state levels. The course covers the interpretive framework encompassing recent judicial decisions that emphasize inclusion.
SPED 5340 Planning Transition (3)
Class members explore techniques and policies that enable children with special needs to make a successful transition into less restrictive educational or vocational environments.
SPED 5350 Enhancing Social Competency in Children with Special Needs (3)
Students examine a variety of strategies and curricula designed to promote social competency and self-regulation in children and youth. Examples of curricula that focus on social skills, problem solving, cooperation, friendship, and self-awareness are studied critically. Students are expected to select and instruct a specific curriculum with students with special needs.
SPED 5360 Psychoeducational Assessment II (2)
This course is designed to provide students with skills in administering, scoring, and interpreting individual assessment instruments. With the consent of the instructor, each student selects one or more assessment tools to administer and score. Interpretation focuses on the information provided by the instrument(s) administered and how this information fits into a total assessment battery. Prerequisite: SPED 5240.
SPED 5370 Educating Students with Physical and Health Impairments (3)
This course explores the academic, psychosocial, and physical needs of individuals with a variety of physical and health impairments, including chronic illnesses. Emphasis is on adaptations for the general education classroom.
SPED 5380 Methods for Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities I (3)
This course is designed to prepare the teachers of students with mild/moderate learning disabilities, behavior disorders, mental retardation, and physical and other health impairments to develop instructional strategies and curricula to provide an effective program in a range of placement settings, with an emphasis on inclusive placements. It emphasizes a metacognitive approach to instruction based on the functional analysis of the learning behaviors. It focuses on team model of planning and delivery, including the parents, regular education teachers and administrators, and support specialists. Prerequisite: SPED 5240.
SPED 5381 Methods for students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities II (3)
This course introduces pre-service special education teachers to the curriculum, organizational strategies, and instructional techniques appropriate to the needs of students with mild/moderate disabilities, with a focus in the content areas of physical education, health, art, music, science, child and adolescent literature and social studies (government, geography, and economics). It emphasizes the use of technology in adapting the general education curriculum based on a functional assessment of the curriculum and learner behavior. The course emphasizes team planning and delivery, including parents, regular education teachers, administrators, and support specialists. Prerequisite: SPED 5240.
SPED 5410 In-Service Topics (1-3)
In-service courses are designed to provide MAT degree-seeking students with practical applications of contemporary research and methodology to improve classroom effectiveness. These courses have been approved for the MAT with prior approval of the student's advisor. May be repeated for credit if content differs.
SPED 5411 Instructional Methods for Students with Mental Retardation (3)
Focuses on educational programming of students with mental retardation, including IEP development, instructional techniques, curricular adaptations and modifications, scheduling, classroom management tactics, and metacognitive strategies. Students are expected to register in a concurrent practicum of 1-3 credit hours. Prerequisite: SPED 5240 Psychoeducational Assessment I.
SPED 5412 Instructional Methods for Students with Learning Disabilities (3)
Focuses on educational programming of students with learning disabilities, including IEP development, instructional techniques, curricular adaptations and modifications, scheduling, classroom management tactics, and cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Students are expected to register in a concurrent practicum of 1-3 credit hours. Prerequisite: SPED 5240 Psychoeducational Assessment I.
SPED 5413 Assessment of Learning Problems (3)
Students explore a variety of academic and psychoeducational assessment techniques that are relevant to the evaluation of children and youth with suspected academic disorders. Functional behavior assessment and analysis of academics, task analysis, and ecobehavioral assessment will be examined in depth. Students are expected to work intensively. Interpretation of assessment findings is presented in a written evaluation report including a diagnostic formulation and recommendations for intervention. Students are expected to plan and conduct a functional assessment of cognitive and academic skills across the academic areas, integrated with formal assessment data.
SPED 5414 Children and Youth with Learning and Academic Disorders (3)
This course examines current knowledge and theory of the educational, sociocultural, psychological, and biological factors that influence children and youth with, or at risk for, academic disorders. The course content focuses on current issues and practices regarding characteristics, identification, and placements specific to this population of students with learning disabilities or mental retardation.
EDUC 5460 Curriculum Design (3)
This course is designed to help individuals plan learning experiences. Topics included are technology in the classroom, research regarding learning, models of curriculum design, and methods of evaluation. Each student develops a curriculum package that has direct application to his or her particular teaching situation.
SPED 5480 Learning and Behavior Problems in the Classroom (3)
This course updates classroom teachers on effective teaching practices and strategies designed specifically for students with learning and behavior problems. Focus is placed on strategies that enhance the success of all students in the regular education setting, including elementary, middle, and high school.
SPED 5500 Socioemotional Development: Child with Special Needs (3)
This course addresses the implications of theories and research in the areas of social and emotional development of children with special needs. Students explore the relationship between cognitive development and social and emotional development. Emphasis is placed on investigation of environments and interactions that foster trust, self-regulation, self-esteem, social competence, and interdependence.
SPED 5660 Cognitive Development: Child with Special Needs (3)
This course focuses on the implications of current research in the area of cognitive development and learning theory on the education of children with special learning characteristics. Students examine advances in research on metacognition, executive control strategies, and psycholinguistics, and explore applications to individualized education.
SPED 5800 Applied Research (3)
This course enables students, through action research projects, to develop strategies for problem solving within their classrooms and procedures for conducting self-study as it relates to, but is not limited to, teacher behaviors, learning outcomes, curriculum, policy development, and behavior management. Prerequisites: advancement to candidacy and permission of the instructor. This course may be substituted for EDUC 5460 Curriculum Design.
SPED 5830 Evaluation (3)
This course is designed for all educators who wish to explore the importance of formal and informal evaluation procedures as related to the instructor in the classroom. Evaluation will "review" the concepts of assessment and measurement, study curriculum-based evaluation, teaching and decision making, and explore issues such as national standards, functional curriculum and behavior assessments, and social/cultural transformations in education as related to the ethics of evaluations.
SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student (3)
This course focuses on students gaining an understanding of the abilities and disabilities of children who are commonly identified as exceptional or handicapped. Attention is given to the psychological and educational needs of these children and the instructional organization employed to meet such needs.
SPED 5880 Integrating Resources: Community, School, and Family (3)
This course is designed to help students identify changing family and community structures, patterns, and relationships. Students determine how these influence children and their educational needs. Methods of assessing family needs and interests, identifying and utilizing community resources, and responding to family needs through education and partnerships are addressed as well as models of consultation and case management in regard to children and families with special needs. They explore and simulate techniques for interacting with parents, and they examine collaboration strategies for interdisciplinary team efforts.
470 East Lockwood Avenue