Master of Education Degree Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8) and Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities (All Levels)

This program has been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for Initial Teaching Licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8) and Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities (All Levels) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This Master's program leading to Initial Licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8) and Severe Disabilities (All Levels) prepares teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities in the least restrictive environments in public and private schools, clinical settings, and collaborative programs. Included are field-based assignments and a closely-supervised practicum.

Prerequisite: EEDUC 5122 Development and Learning: Psycho-Social Perspectives in Education (or equivalent)

Courses may be waived based on previous coursework; courses waived may reduce the total number of program credits.

*Must be completed prior to the practicum.
**Must be completed prior to the practicum and include field-based assignments
** As early in the program as possible, and prior to the practicum, students must complete a 75-hour Early Field Experience in a classroom appropriate to the license sought. In some cases, recent appropriate classroom experience may be used to document this requirement. (This is not a credit-bearing course, and there are no fees required.)
***For current information on state testing requirements for initial licensure programs, Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure test administration dates, and the Lesley University MTEL policy, see the Certification web page at www.lesley.edu/certification.html.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ESPED 5100 Contemporary Perspectives in Special Education
This course provides an introduction to the profession of Special Education. From an inclusive perspective, the course examines the characteristics of disabling conditions, as well as the effects of societal attitudes, the historical context of special education, and state and federal law. The range of service delivery provided by schools and agencies will be addressed.

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EEDUC 6102 Language and Literacy: Development and Diversity
This course examines diverse aspects of language acquisition and literacy development with emphasis on educational implications.  The major theories and current research in first and second language acquisition are reviewed with particular attention to linguistic and cultural diversity and bilingualism.  Educational topics in language and literacy are addressed, including concerns for reading, writing, oral language, phonics, spelling, academic English, language assessments, and language-based learning disabilities.

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ESPED 6134 Designing Effective Individualized Educational Programs
This course will focus on the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) process from referral to eligibility determination and placement, including legal rights and responsibilities. Based upon interpretation of case study assessment results, students will develop legally and educationally appropriate IEPs to meet identified needs and recommend appropriate accommodations, modifications, and specialized instruction. The roles and responsibilities of various education professionals and family members with regard to implementation, collaboration, documentation, and progress reporting will be explored. Specialized programs for students with disabilities will be investigated.

ESPED 6132 Collaboration with Professionals, Families, and Community
This course focuses on models and strategies for collaboration among general and special educators, families, outside evaluators, and the community to support students with and without disabilities and to help create positive educational change. Development of effective interpersonal communication skills in working with teachers, outside agencies, and families of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will be emphasized. The teacher’s roles and responsibilities as a professional and as a collaborative consultant will be explored.  Use of outside agencies, services and community resources will be addressed.

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ESPED 5113 Functional Curriculum and Educational Planning: Severe Special Needs
This course reviews curriculum content areas for students with intensive special needs, techniques to develop skills in functional domains, and also covers intervention in the motor, emotional, applied academics, and transition areas. Introduces IEPs and Individualized Transition Plans. Covers theories of active learning and supporting learners of all ages (3–22) in integrated settings.

ESPED 5116 Curriculum Frameworks and Inclusive Strategies
This course is designed for students in the Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities program. It will introduce and review the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in the content areas so students are familiar with the frameworks. Students will work with the frameworks in developing adaptations and modifications for children with significant disabilities. Technology—both high-tech and low-tech—adaptations will be introduced. A focus on collaboration with classroom teachers to support included students in the general education curriculum is emphasized, as well as adapting the frameworks for students in highly specialized schools for students with severe disabilities.

ESPED 6107 Assessment and Educational Planning: Severe Special Needs
A graduate-level seminar that examines a variety of assessment tools and strategies for use with individuals with intensive special needs. This course will explore formal and informal assessment procedures used with children and adults who manifest various low-incidence disabilities. Emphasis will be placed on informal and environmental assessment procedures that translate into functional curriculum. The course will also explore whole-life planning and how it relates to the planning and transitioning of students from school to the adult system of service delivery.

ESPED 6127 Literacy and Numeracy for Children with Significant Special Needs
This course is designed to help teachers develop, adapt, and implement literacy and numeracy curriculum and assessment for students with intensive special needs. Students will learn methods and procedures of effectively teaching the core concepts of comprehensive literacy and numeracy instruction.

ESPED 6119 Technology in Communication and Curriculum
This course reviews the field of communication (verbal and augmentative), language development, and literacy for students with moderate and severely handicapping conditions. Connections between reading, writing, and communications are explored. Computer-assisted communication and instruction, adaptive devices, software, and dedicated communication devices are introduced. Instructional methods, designs, planning, and adaptations for students with a wide range of abilities and needs are implemented. This is a literacy/communication skills/social skills-based instructional methods and materials course for children with intensive special needs. Prerequisite: ESPED 5113 or equivalent.

ESPED 6135 Prevention and Intervention: Severe and Challenging Behavior
This course will address prevention, assessment, and intervention of severe and challenging behavior. Major behavior change theories will be explored. Course focus will be on improving effective intervention, using appropriate and ethical practice for challenging behaviors, such as aggression, self-injurious behavior, tantrums, and environmental destruction prevalent in individuals with severe and multiple disabilities. Use of interdisciplinary models, positive behavior supports, functional communication, and crisis management will be primary. Strategies for support will be aligned to appropriate instructional and IEP goals and objectives. Required field component.

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ESPED 7719 Practicum and Seminar in Severe Disabilities
Full-semester, full-time practicum, 75 hours of which are in a general education classroom and the rest in a setting with students with severe disabilities in the role of teacher of children with severe disabilities. Practicum is under the supervision of a supervising practitioner and a University program supervisor and is accompanied by a seminar addressing issues in the field. Prerequisite: Completion of a 75-hour early field experience, required pre-practicum courses, and MTEL requirements.

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ESPED 6128 Instructional Accommodations in Math and Science PreK-8
Based on an understanding of the many ways of knowing and learning, this course will focus on the learning strengths and needs of students with disabilities in grades PreK–8. National, state, and local frameworks and standards will be used in unit and lesson planning. Class participants will learn to analyze math and science tasks, to design and modify classroom experiences using technology and other tools, and to support learning and address individual needs as specified in the IEP.

ESPED 6124 Assessment in Special Education
Assessment is a legal and professional responsibility of all special educators. This course will focus on eligibility determination from assessment to program planning, including re-evaluation for the purpose of continued eligibility. The process of interpretation of test results to meaningful curricular decision making and professional communication of this information to team members will be a primary outcome of the course.   Students will focus on assessment methods and procedures used in eligibility determination and program planning for students with disabilities as well as students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

ESPED 6122 Instructional Accommodations in English Language Arts and Social Studies (PreK–8)
This course emphasizes literacy, English language arts, history, and social science for learners in grades PreK–8. Students will work with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks to identify and develop a variety of teaching strategies and curricular adaptations to meet the needs of diverse learners with a range of disabilities as specified in the IEP.

ESPED 6014  Reading and Writing for Diverse Learners
This course examines content and teaching approaches focusing on reading and writing for PreK-12 students with a range of learning and other disabilities. Topics include approaches for promoting growth in word analysis, comprehension, vocabulary, and composition.  Class participants work with educational standards and have the opportunity to address all content areas in developing a variety of specific modifications and interventions based upon individual needs and designed to address and remediate learning problems as specified by the IEP.

ESPED 6121  Classroom Management and Behavior Support
This courses addresses the social and behavioral aspects of the classroom. Course participants analyze a range of classroom management approaches, with particular focus on preventing and proactively addressing student behavior problems in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.  Participants examine strategies for developing and maintaining appropriate standards of behavior and enhancing the emotional development of children. Central themes of the course include analyzing behavior, developing individualized strategies for addressing challenging behaviors, and creating opportunities for learning effective social skills.  A range of environmental, social, behavioral, psycho-educational and cognitive theories and interventions are reviewed and critiqued.  Effective strategies for collaborative problem-solving, conflict resolution, and family involvement are also addressed.

ESPED 7717 Practicum and Seminar in Moderate Disabilities (PreK–8)
Full-semester, full-time practicum in the role of teacher of students with moderate disabilities (PreK–8). The placement can either be full-time in an inclusive general education setting or 75 hours in an inclusive general education setting and a minimum of 225 hours in a setting for students with moderate disabilities. Practicum is under the supervision of a supervising practitioner and University program supervisor and is accompanied by a seminar addressing issues in the field. Prerequisite: Completion of a 75-hour early field experience, required pre-practicum courses, and MTEL requirements.

Lesley University reserves the right to unilaterally add, withdraw, or revise any course offering in the above-mentioned program of study, including policies, provisions, requirements, and fees.

Lesley University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, handicap or disability in its education programs, employment, or in admissions to, access to or treatment in its programs or activities.