SPE 101

Instructor: Dee Acklie

Phone:          399-2602 (office)
                    391-6061 (home)
Email:           dacklie@csm.edu

Office hours:

M 11-12
T 11-12 &1-3
W 11-12 &1-3
Th 11-12 &1-3
F By appointment only

Please note that practicum and student teacher visits at times conflict with office hours. Please make appointments when possible

Introduction to Special Education is a required course for all education majors. Students examine various areas of exceptionality, including learners who are gifted and talented, mentally handicapped, behaviorally disordered, visually impaired, hearing impaired, language disordered, autistic, physically handicapped and other health impaired. Legal definitions, litigation, characteristics, etiology, prevalence and educational adaptations for each exceptionality are investigated, as well as issues confronting individuals across the lifespan will be addressed. Pre-referral alternatives, referral systems, multi-disciplinary team responsibilities, the Individual Education Plan process, placement procedures, various service delivery systems and family issues will also be examined.

Upon successful completion of reading assignments, written assignments, periodic exams, classroom observation, and opportunities for discussion and demonstration, the student will be able to:

v Describe the historical development of special education and expected future trends.

v Identify state and federal laws and regulations, as well as significant litigation, which pertain to learners with exceptionalities.

v Describe the pre-referral process, referral systems, and multidisciplinary team process and the responsibilities of individual team members.

v Recognize and describe the steps in the IEP process, procedural safeguards and legal responsibilities of educators as they pertain to assessment, verification, placement and delivery of services.

v Describe the continuum of service delivery models which provide for the education of learners with exceptionalities in the least restrictive environment.

v Describe Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the way in which it provides opportunities for learners with exceptionalities to successfully access general curriculum.

v State the definition of each disability category covered by IDEA and characteristics of students with exceptionalities as they pertain to a school and community setting.

v Describe the needs of other “exceptional” children, such as gifted, at-risk and linguistically diverse learners, who also need accommodations to fully benefit from the general classroom program.

v Identify community resources which can be accessed to meet the needs of learners with exceptionalities and their families.

v Recognize the impact of linguistic and cultural differences upon learning in a traditional educational setting.

Lewis, R. and Doorlag, D. (2007). Teaching Special Students in General Education Classroom (7^th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.

1. Bring needed materials, including text, & all notes and handouts for current topic. Do not assume the instructor will provide extra copies if you lose yours. If you are absent, arrange for someone to collect copies of handouts, assignments, worksheets, etc. for you.

2. Actively participate in discussions and activities. The activity points allocated to each class are earned, not automatically given.

a. Demonstrate socially appropriate attention to lectures, speakers, and discussions

c. Respect the right of all to attend to class activities by NOT using cell phones or bringing young children to class.

4. Plan to spend time outside of class studying and working on assignments. The “rule of thumb” for college classes is to anticipate spending 3 hours of independent work for each hour in which you are in class.

5. Demonstrate professional characteristics when participating in discussions and collaboration activities, giving & accepting feedback and interacting with others, especially in the school setting.

6. Maintain confidentiality and respect student rights in reviewing and discussing student information.

CSM seeks to maintain a supportive academic environment for students with disabilities. If you have a disability and need accommodations to succeed in this course, please contact me to verify that the required documentation is filed with the Academic Affairs Office and that an accommodation plan is in place. Please remember that the law places the responsibility on you, the student, to notify the College of your disability and to request information.

If you have a certifiable learning or physical disability and require special accommodations, please call and make an appointment with Jennifer Yarns in the Achievement Center ADA office at 399-2366. Considerable lead-time is required for accommodations, so it is important that your request is received in the Achievement Center ADA office as early in the semester as possible. Please note: your request will be handled confidentially.

Academic Dishonesty Policy

All forms of dishonesty and misconduct including cheating, plagiarism, forgery, knowingly furnishing false information to the instructor, and intentional disruption or obstruction of learning or teaching will not be tolerated. At the instructor’s discretion, these acts will result in a failing grade for the course and an Academic Dishonesty Form regarding the behavior will be filed with the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs offices. All work should be your own and must represent new work prepared specifically for this class.

Declaration of Open Discourse

In the spirit of intellectual inquiry, College of Saint Mary is committed to the exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints. In this environment, honest discourse is valued; demeaning remarks are not tolerated. Each member of the campus community is encouraged to:

It is necessary job skill that teachers develop the habit of consistent attendance. Call the instructor prior to missing class and practicum. Notification in this manner does not automatically mean the absence will be excused, however. Follow-up with peers and professor to obtain information missed. This course will include many hands-on experiences and attendance is necessary for learning and meeting the objectives. Missing class can jeopardize your grade. Each tardy or leaving early for any reason will lower your grade by 1%. Each absence for any reason will lower your grade by 2%. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the instructor.

Make up work is not accepted if prior arrangements were not made with the professor. All make-up work receives a 10% dock. Professor has the option not to accept late work.

Should weather conditions cause the cancellation of class, an announcement will be made on radio and by the instructor with e-mail. Telephone arrangements will be made for those who do not have access to e-mail in their homes. When on practicum listen for OPS closing. When OPS closes your practicum site will also be closed.

Laptop use in classrooms creates new and exciting possibilities for teachers and students when used appropriately. Please use your laptop ethically and for educational purposes and activities permitted by the instructor. Unacceptable uses include: instant messaging, e-mailing, unassigned Internet browsing, game-playing and completing homework for other classes. Violations of this request will result in withdrawal of permission to use the laptop in this class and may affect your grade in the course.

Assessment of the quality of your written and oral expression will be included in the evaluation of your work. All written work is to be typed, double spaced, and must include correct grammar, form, punctuation, and spelling. All sources must be cited with complete bibliographic references. (APA Format). You will use technology skills to explore resources and make lessons plans, class presentations, and a web page. All written papers should be turned in electronically and in paper copy formats. Work maybe checked through Turn It In Software.

1. Readings, activities and lectures concerning learners with exceptionalities will be assigned. Readings should be completed prior to the class for which they are assigned to facilitate discussion and participation in class activities. Not all content of reading assignments will be covered in class, and students are responsible for the information contained in these readings.

a. Two professional journal critiques, following the prescribed format. (50 pts.)

b. Classroom participation and Homework assignments: Quick Writes (QW), Reflections, Focus Questions, text summaries, and graphic organizers. (150 pts.)

c. Completion of project reviewing trade book(s) concerning learners with exceptionalities. (50 pts.)

a. The portfolio is a set of web site resources. These resources should be summarized using the website summary form. DO NOT COPY AN ENTIRE WEBSITE AND PLACE IT IN A NOTEBOOK. Note in your analysis important features of this website. This assignment should be saved to a jump drive so that you may load it to your website next semester in EDU 201.(100 pts)

a. Complete a minimum of ten (10) hours of classroom observation in a general or special education setting under the direct supervision of a certified teacher, and maintain hours log. (50 pts)

b. Complete a field observation form (minimum of 5) for each observation, and email this to the instructor within 48 hours. (50 pts)

c. Complete a summary case study reflecting on this overall experience, following the prescribed format. (100 pts)

Class Attendance and Participation                               150 pts
               Book Review(s)                                                              50 pts
               Journal Critiques                                                           50 pts
               Observation, Field Log, and Case Study                       200 pts
               Quizzes and Unit Tests                                                250 pts
               Midterm & Final                                                           200 pts
               Web site Portfolio                                                        100 pts

Grading Scale

A	930 – 1000 pts.
B	860 - 929 pts.
C	790 - 859 pts.
D	720 - 789 pts.
F	< 719 pts.

I have received and read the syllabus for Introduction to Special Education, SPE 101, Fall 2005. I understand its contents and the instructor’s policies for this class.

Is there anything you want to tell me about yourself that would help me in teaching you more effectively?