School of Education

EDUS 202. Diversity, Democracy and Ethics. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course engages students in critical exploration of public education in the United States within sociocultural, historical and philosophical contexts. It examines the relationships between an increasingly diverse society and education in a democracy. Students will be taught the ethical obligations of educational professionals and how to become active agents for democratic, equity-oriented schools. In addition, the course will explore legal and policy aspects of education.

EDUS 301. Human Development and Learning. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. A study of human development through the life span with special emphasis on child and adolescent psychology, the nature of learning and basic concepts of learning theories.

UNIV 112. Focused Inquiry II. 3 Hours.Play course video for Focused Inquiry II

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 111 or equivalent. Builds on skills introduced in UNIV 111 by providing practice in expository essays, argument and contextual analysis. Focuses on practice in writing in a variety of genres, framing writing according to both purpose and audience and identifying academically valid sources. Students must earn a minimum grade of C to receive credit for this course.

ECSE 201. Infants and Young Children With Disabilities. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course focuses on the foundations for early intervention and education, with emphasis on inclusive environments, typical and atypical development, family and community contexts for development, professional standards and current policy issues.

SEDP 216. Family-Professional Partnerships. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course is designed to increase the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are important for collaborating and communicating effectively with families of children with disabilities from birth through age 22. During this course, students will explore the dimensions of family-centered services and person-centered planning, as well as the familial, ecological and cultural factors affecting children with disabilities and their caregivers. Students will learn about theory, general principles and procedures for fostering collaborative partnerships among families, professionals and other stakeholders that lead to outcomes of individual and mutual empowerment. This course will also emphasize understanding the role and responsibilities of community agencies and providers, as well as how understanding the role of members of the collaborative team can impact families.

UNIV 200. Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 112 or HONR 250 with a minimum grade of C. Asks students to consider real-world applications of writing and research. Students will develop critical analysis, inquiry-based research skills, communication of argument and research across media. Work represents the culmination of foundational ConnectED competencies developed in UNIV 111 and UNIV 112. Students must earn a minimum grade of C to receive credit for this course.

SEDP 203. Special Education and Disability Law. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course provides an overview of historical and current federal and state litigation and legislation related to children and students with disabilities (e.g., Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act). Students will gain understanding of the key provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. This course will include discussion of advocacy and ethical obligations of professionals working with individuals with disabilities.

ECSE 301. Developmental Assessment for Young Children. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The purpose of this course is to equip early childhood professionals with strong foundational knowledge and application skills in screening and assessment of young children birth through age 8 in inclusive settings. The focus of the course is to introduce formal and informal developmental assessment through a variety of formats and approaches. Students will also learn structured and unstructured observations of young children with or without disabilities in inclusive settings. Survey, review and critique of standardized and non-standardized tests as well as the use of test data in planning instruction will be covered. This course provides experiences to increase awareness of, and knowledge about, a variety of assessment procedures appropriate for use with children birth through age 8. Students completing the course will be prepared to make professional decisions regarding the screening, assessment and ongoing evaluation of typically developing children and children with or at risk for disabilities.

ECSE 304. Communication and Language Development in Early Childhood. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 30 hours (sophomore, junior or senior standing). This course emphasizes how children learn to communicate and how to facilitate communication development. The course includes examination of language development, language differences and disorders, language facilitation, and relationship of language to literacy. Course content and assignments include information about evidence-based practices and promote critical reflection and problem-solving skills.

ECSE 410. Play-based Instruction for Inclusive Settings. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Registration requires permission of the instructor. This course is designed to introduce students to the sources, concepts, theory and integrated approaches to play-based instruction for young children with or without disabilities from diverse backgrounds, and including school, home and community settings. Young children’s development and learning are viewed as integral components of play. Various approaches to formal and informal play will be addressed through a hybrid format of course delivery that includes face-to-face lectures, online discussions and reflections, onsite observations, and case-based inquiries. This course particularly values the critical role of families in child development, therefore emphasizing family involvement in play-based instructions across all settings.

ECSE 450. ECSE Consultation/Itinerant Fieldwork. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 1.5 lecture and 0.5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisites: ECSE 201 and ECSE 350. Corequisite: SEDP 405. Enrollment is restricted to students in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. The field-based course provides an in-depth experience in providing consultation or itinerant services for young children with disabilities. Students may be placed in school- or community-based settings.

SEDP 405. Collaborative Practices to Support Inclusion for Children and Youth with Disabilities. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course is designed to help prospective educators, early interventionists and clinicians develop an understanding of collaborative and communication strategies, models and techniques to meet needs of children with disabilities. Skills in consultation, case management and collaboration, including coordination of service delivery with related services providers, administrators, parents, students and other professionals (e.g., paraprofessionals, community agencies) in collaborative work environments will be emphasized. Students will learn essential teamwork skills, reflect on the application of those skills and practice a variety of instructional and organizational techniques for adapting inclusive environments to address the needs of children with disabilities.

ECSE 499. Student Teaching in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. 9 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 7 field experience hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 9 credits. Prerequisites: ECSE 250, ECSE 350 and ECSE 450. Enrollment is restricted to students in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program with a minimum of 90 credit hours (senior standing). The student teaching experience is designed to provide in-depth practical experience within a school, community-based program serving young children (birth to age 5) and their families, from a variety of cultural backgrounds, who are at risk for or have developmental disabilities. Through readings, community-based learning and face-to-face and online collaboration, the student will gain an understanding of the early intervention/early childhood special education requirements and practices. To demonstrate their abilities to critically reflect on their effectiveness, students will demonstrate problem-solving and critical-thinking skills as they apply the competencies gained through course work within the student teaching experience. These competencies are based on DEC-CEC standards and include participation in the assessment, planning and implementation of intervention programs; collaboration on an interdisciplinary team; use of family-centered principles; and development of professional relationships with families and other professionals in the student teaching setting.

TEDU 452. Teaching Multilingual Learners. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 2 credits. Prerequisite: TEDU 413 or SEDP 405. This course is designed to help teachers who plan to teach English and other content areas to PK-12 students who are speakers of other languages. The course includes attention to social and cultural contexts, the diversity of multilingual learners in the United States, legal and policy contexts, models of ESL programs and advocacy for students. Students will also develop skills in lesson preparation and delivery for multilingual learners within ESL classrooms as well as in other content area classrooms.

EDUS 202. Diversity, Democracy and Ethics. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course engages students in critical exploration of public education in the United States within sociocultural, historical and philosophical contexts. It examines the relationships between an increasingly diverse society and education in a democracy. Students will be taught the ethical obligations of educational professionals and how to become active agents for democratic, equity-oriented schools. In addition, the course will explore legal and policy aspects of education.

EDUS 301. Human Development and Learning. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. A study of human development through the life span with special emphasis on child and adolescent psychology, the nature of learning and basic concepts of learning theories.

UNIV 112. Focused Inquiry II. 3 Hours.Play course video for Focused Inquiry II

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 111 or equivalent. Builds on skills introduced in UNIV 111 by providing practice in expository essays, argument and contextual analysis. Focuses on practice in writing in a variety of genres, framing writing according to both purpose and audience and identifying academically valid sources. Students must earn a minimum grade of C to receive credit for this course.

ECSE 201. Infants and Young Children With Disabilities. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course focuses on the foundations for early intervention and education, with emphasis on inclusive environments, typical and atypical development, family and community contexts for development, professional standards and current policy issues.

SEDP 216. Family-Professional Partnerships. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course is designed to increase the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are important for collaborating and communicating effectively with families of children with disabilities from birth through age 22. During this course, students will explore the dimensions of family-centered services and person-centered planning, as well as the familial, ecological and cultural factors affecting children with disabilities and their caregivers. Students will learn about theory, general principles and procedures for fostering collaborative partnerships among families, professionals and other stakeholders that lead to outcomes of individual and mutual empowerment. This course will also emphasize understanding the role and responsibilities of community agencies and providers, as well as how understanding the role of members of the collaborative team can impact families.

UNIV 200. Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 112 or HONR 250 with a minimum grade of C. Asks students to consider real-world applications of writing and research. Students will develop critical analysis, inquiry-based research skills, communication of argument and research across media. Work represents the culmination of foundational ConnectED competencies developed in UNIV 111 and UNIV 112. Students must earn a minimum grade of C to receive credit for this course.

SEDP 203. Special Education and Disability Law. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course provides an overview of historical and current federal and state litigation and legislation related to children and students with disabilities (e.g., Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act). Students will gain understanding of the key provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. This course will include discussion of advocacy and ethical obligations of professionals working with individuals with disabilities.

ECSE 301. Developmental Assessment for Young Children. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The purpose of this course is to equip early childhood professionals with strong foundational knowledge and application skills in screening and assessment of young children birth through age 8 in inclusive settings. The focus of the course is to introduce formal and informal developmental assessment through a variety of formats and approaches. Students will also learn structured and unstructured observations of young children with or without disabilities in inclusive settings. Survey, review and critique of standardized and non-standardized tests as well as the use of test data in planning instruction will be covered. This course provides experiences to increase awareness of, and knowledge about, a variety of assessment procedures appropriate for use with children birth through age 8. Students completing the course will be prepared to make professional decisions regarding the screening, assessment and ongoing evaluation of typically developing children and children with or at risk for disabilities.

ECSE 304. Communication and Language Development in Early Childhood. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 30 hours (sophomore, junior or senior standing). This course emphasizes how children learn to communicate and how to facilitate communication development. The course includes examination of language development, language differences and disorders, language facilitation, and relationship of language to literacy. Course content and assignments include information about evidence-based practices and promote critical reflection and problem-solving skills.

ECSE 350. Preschool Fieldwork. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 1.5 lecture and 0.5 field experience hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: ECSE 201. Corequisite: ECSE 410. Enrollment is restricted to students in the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching with a concentration in early childhood program who have been admitted to teacher preparation. The field-based course provides an in-depth experience in working with preschool-aged children with disabilities. Students may be placed in school- or community-based settings.

SEDP 402. Exceptionality and Technology: Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course will provide students with foundational ideas and concepts regarding the selection and use of assistive technology and augmentative and alternative communication for infants, toddlers, children and young adults with disabilities. Students will recognize and plan for the uses of technology that will aid children and young adults to access and navigate their environment. This course emphasizes the selection and use of AT and AAC in early intervention and general and special education settings for students across the continuum of disability.

ECSE 401. Medical Aspects of Early Childhood Special Education. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 60 credit hours (junior or senior standing). The course focuses on the nature and characteristics of major disabling and at-risk conditions for infants and young children. Emphasis is given to the medical aspects of young children with disabilities and the management of neurodevelopmental and motor disabilities. Specific strategies for positioning and handling, facilitating movement and developing self-care skills are provided. Review of adaptive equipment and its safe use, and selection and implementation of appropriate assistive technology will be covered.

ECSE 501. Principles of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students with a minimum of 60 credit hours (junior or senior standing) or graduate students. Non-degree seeking students may enroll in this course with permission of instructor. The course provides an introduction to issues related to infant and early childhood mental health. Parent-child attachment, risk, resilience, assessment and intervention strategies will be discussed through the lens of relationship-based practice.

SEDP 452. Supporting Multilingual Learners With Disabilities. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 1 credit. Corequisite: TEDU 452. This course focuses on instruction for multilingual learners who have disabilities. Teacher candidates will learn how these intersectional identities can impact students and will emphasize how to combine asset-based, culturally sustaining instruction for multilingual learners with evidence-based practice for children and youth with disabilities.