Special Education
Special education has, as its primary objective, the education and training of professional educators to serve children and adolescents who have exceptional challenges and require specialized support through educational, social, cognitive, rehabilitative, and/or behavioral management approaches to attain their maximum learning potential. In line with this primary objective, special education sees its role as contributing leadership in the areas of theory; assessment; understanding differences among children and youth with disabilities; the development and implementation of curriculum and intervention strategies; and the improvement of teacher-teacher, teacher-child, and teacher-parent relationships.
Graduate candidates may choose one of several sequences of study leading to certification, including the Master of Arts degree and the Sixth Year Certificate of Advanced Study (SYC). Undergraduate candidates may enroll in the Five-Year Integrated BA/MA Special Education program to gain an initial certification in special education. Undergraduate candidates may also enroll in the Five-Year Integrated BA/MA dual certification program. This program provides students the opportunity to earn a BA/initial certification in Elementary (Pre-K-6), Special Education (Pre-K-12) or Secondary Education (4-12) and complete a 5th-year MA/cross endorsement in Elementary Education (Pre-K-6), Special Education (Pre-K-12), TESOL or Bilingual (Pre-K-12). These programs provide the preparation required by the Connecticut State Department of Higher Education, the Connecticut State Department of Education, and the Council for Exceptional Children. Candidates may pursue a program leading to a Connecticut Initial Educator Certificate in teaching individuals with exceptional learning needs in grades Pre-K-12 (Comprehensive Special Education) or to a Cross-Endorsement in comprehensive special education when certification in classroom teaching has already been earned.
In view of the essential responsibility of the program to assure the protection of the healthy development of children and adolescents served by special educators, the faculty reserve the right to discontinue the program of any candidate, at any time during their program, whose academic performance is marginal, whose comprehensive examination results are not rated as passing, or whose personal/dispositional qualities are deemed not appropriate to the field. Such a candidate may be denied recommendation for certification. In addition, the Disposition Statement presented in this catalog is applicable to the special education programs as it is to all programs offered by the School of Education and Human Development.
Admission
Admission to Special Education programs is rolling. Apply here.
A group or individual interview with faculty members is required for admission to the Special Education program. The interview is intended to clarify the applicant's understanding of the program and the profession, and to evaluate the applicant's potential success as a candidate. After admission, each candidate is required to meet with a faculty advisor to outline a planned program of study.
- Five-Year Integrated Bachelor and Master of Arts in Special Education
- Master of Arts in Special Education (MA Only)
- Master of Arts in Special Education with Cross-Endorsement
- Master of Arts and Sixth Year Certificate in Special Education with Initial Certification
- Sixth Year Certificate in Special Education (SYC Only)
- Cross-Endorsement in Special Education
SPED 5401 Augmentative Alternative Communications and Assistive Technologies 3 Credits
This course provides prospective teachers with an overview of a range of assistive devices that can be implemented in a classroom setting for individuals in grades K-12 with communication deficits, visual and/or hearing impairments, physical challenges, and mild learning impairments. In this course, emphasis is placed on evaluating the needs of individuals whose exceptional needs create barriers to learning and on selecting the appropriate technology that will bypass their disability. Candidates will be provided with resources on current devices and given opportunities to examine and operate actual devices that they may encounter in the classroom setting.
SPED 5403 Foundations in Research and Evaluation of Psychoeducational Issues in Special Education 3 Credits
This course is designed to introduce candidates to a range of children and adolescents with exceptional learning needs (ELN), to the intent of special education law and the process of identification and evaluation of exceptional learners, and to the foundational research on the complex issues and problems that affect these students. Topics include methods of identifying and working effectively with children and youth with special learning needs in the regular classroom; the roles and responsibility of counselors, psychologists, educators and ancillary personnel as members of a multidisciplinary team in planning educational services for exceptional learners; laws that impact on assessment, placement, parent and student rights, and support services. In this course, candidates are introduced to a range of quantitative and qualitative research designs and the methodological tools to analyze data. Through discussion of issues, candidates consider how research can be a valuable tool that helps teachers systematically reflect on learning and evidence-based practices. Using current scholarly research articles, each candidate investigates, writes, and presents on a psychoeducational issue that impacts a specific category of exceptional learners. This course requires a fieldwork component as part of the evaluation process. Crosslisted with SPED 4403.
SPED 5410 Autism Spectrum Disorders: Theories and Interventions 3 Credits
This course highlights current research on theories and etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Candidates examine characteristics and behaviors associated with ASD. Specific diagnostic assessment and screening tools are reviewed to examine how these tools are utilized to identify infants and children with ASD. The course also focuses on providing the candidates with understanding the role of families. The course helps create a framework for implementing effective pedagogical interventions, profiling the strengths and challenges of various interventions. Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4410.
SPED 5411 Introduction to Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities 3 Credits
This course is designed to advance candidates' understanding and knowledge of intellectual and developmental disabilities by critically examining theories and research regarding the psychological, sociological, and educational aspects of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Candidates are expected to display levels of competency and proficiency in all three aspects. Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4411.
SPED 5413 Theories of and Introduction to Learning Disabilities 3 Credits
This course introduces students to the area of learning disabilities, exploring various theoretical constructs pertaining to numerous facets of the disorder (e.g., cognition, executive function, attention deficits, etc.), by tracing the history of its development and discussing current issues about the definition and the types of learning disabilities. Educational and social emotional sequelae and implications of processing impairments on learning are examined in the context of the assessment-teaching process (includes a 10-hour field-based project). Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4413.
SPED 5417 Introduction to Children and Youth with Social and Emotional Disturbances 3 Credits
This core course introduces candidates to the area of emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) by examining symptoms, etiology, diagnostic criteria, and assessment techniques of students K-12 who exhibit social, emotional, and behavioral deficits. Emphasis is placed on social and emotional development, the process of identifying students with EBD, analysis of behavior (ABA) and functional behavioral assessment (FBA), development of individual educational plans (IEPs) and instructional strategies designed to address the social and academic needs of students with EBD. This course includes a 5-hour field component. All students must have criminal clearance prior to registration. Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4417.
SPED 5419 Special Learners in the Bilingual/ESL Classroom 3 Credits
Designed to familiarize special educators, bilingual educators, and ESL teachers with the developmental learning needs of children and adolescents who are exceptional, this course examines the special learning needs of linguistically and culturally diverse children, exploring methods of identifying and working effectively with exceptional children and adolescents in bilingual or ESL classrooms. Crosslisted with TSLA 5419. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4419.
SPED 5432 Management Techniques in Special Education 3 Credits
Designed to offer training in techniques for improving the academic and social behavior of students with behavior problems, this course teaches candidates how to effect positive behavioral change and includes such topics as behavioral observation and analysis, task analysis, intervention strategies, and behavior change measurement and recording. Candidates complete a functional behavior assessment using data from a fieldwork component for this course. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4432.
SPED 5486 Foundations of Language and Literacy: Principles and Practices of Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction 3 Credits
This course examines the foundational concepts, theories, and empirical research explaining how oral language supports the development of accurate and fluent word reading. Candidates analyze the relationships among phonological, orthographic, and morphological systems and their collective role in shaping word recognition, decoding, and spelling development. Key topics include phonological and phonemic awareness, the alphabetic principle, orthographic mapping, and reading fluency. Emphasis is placed on understanding how these skills interact during reading acquisition and how weaknesses in each area contribute to reading difficulties and dyslexia. Candidates learn to interpret data from state approved and research-based assessments and to select and implement evidence-based instructional routines that strengthen decoding, word recognition, and fluency for beginning and struggling readers. Cross-listed with RLDV 5486 Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4486.
SPED 5487 Developmental Literacy II: Essentials of Vocabulary and Text Comprehension 3 Credits
This course is the second in a set of two courses that address the foundational concepts, theories, empirical research, and developmental milestones associated with oral and written language. This course focuses on the development of essential comprehension strand reading skills (fluency, vocabulary, comprehension), as well as aspects of cognition and behavior that affect reading and writing. Candidates learn how to administer, score, and interpret universal screening and informal diagnostic measures in the areas of vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency for the purposes of determining the most appropriate starting point for instruction and planning differentiated instructional groups. Candidates also learn how to select and deliver varied research-based instructional strategies to develop students' reading skills in the areas of vocabulary and comprehension. Crosslisted with RLDV 5487. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4487.
SPED 5489 Principles and Practices of Structured Literacy 3 Credits
This course introduces candidates to the principles and practices of Structured Literacy and prepares candidates to deliver reading and writing instruction from a systematic, explicit orientation. In this hands-on class, candidates are introduced to high-impact instructional routines, student-centered activities, and lesson planning and delivery conventions aligned with the essential components of reading. Crosslisted with RLDV 5489.
SPED 6534 Skill Development for Individualized Educational Plans 3 Credits
This course is designed to develop the skills necessary for creating comprehensive diagnostic educational plans for students with identified learning needs and utilizes comprehensive cognitive processing and academic achievement evaluations as a foundation. A non-categorical approach is utilized and topics of exploration include: the identification of patterns of strengths and weaknesses and resultant development of goals and objectives; determination of appropriate methodologies, programs, and strategies; selection and organizational sequence of materials; and consideration of various educational environments in which services may be provided. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4534.
SPED 6537 Curriculum and Methods for Diverse Learners 3 Credits
This course examines curriculum as the organized framework of standards, content, instructional methods, materials, and assessments that guide teaching and learning across academic domains, including Language Arts and Math. Candidates learn how to evaluate instructional programs and materials for alignment with research-based and High Leverage Practices, and to modify curriculum, as needed, to address students’ unique learning needs. Candidates are taught to develop systematic and explicit lessons that reflect the gradual release model, and how to select and implement accommodations and modifications that promote access and expression for diverse learners in remedial, inclusive, and special education settings. Cross-listed with RLDV 5585 Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4537.
SPED 6550 Collaboration and Consultation for the Special Educator 3 Credits
This course presents an overview of models that support the role of the consulting teacher as a facilitator and collaborator with school-based personnel and families of students with disabilities in the process of decision making and service delivery to children, youth, and young adults with special learning needs. Major topics include: the application of consultation models and family systems theories to systems change; psychosocial stages of family structure and systemic interaction; stages of group process, working with paraprofessionals, and co-teaching. This class may require a fieldwork component.
SPED 6561 Tests, Measurement, and Diagnostic Procedures for Educational and Instructional Decision-Making 3 Credits
This course introduces candidates to the principles and practices of tests and measurement as applied to comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations in general and special education. Candidates study the types and purposes of assessment, including universal screeners, progress-monitoring tools, standardized tests, curriculum-based measures, and diagnostic assessments of cognitive, academic, and behavioral functioning. Emphasis is placed on the foundations of test construction, administration, scoring, and interpretation, with attention to reliability, validity, standardization, scaling, and fairness. Through applied practice, candidates learn to administer, score, and interpret a wide range of assessments to support diagnostic decision-making, eligibility determinations, and instructional planning within multi-tiered systems of support (RTI/MTSS)and special education. Cross-listed with RLDV 5583 Undergraduate equivalent: SPED 4561.
SPED 6565 Evidence-Based Strategies in the Inclusive Classroom 3 Credits
This course builds on the foundational knowledge about exceptional learners examined during SE 0405, and shifts the focus to strategies that can be used to differentiate instruction for exceptional learners in the inclusive classroom. General education candidates will learn about their role in the pre-referral/referral process and how to develop IEP goals and objectives. Next, candidates will be introduced to a range of social and academic assessment devices that are used to drive instruction. Using videos and case studies, candidates will analyze patterns of behavior in order to design evidenced-based classroom behavior management plans. By the end of the course, candidates will be able to make modifications to their curriculum, and accommodations to their instructional delivery, to meet the needs of exceptional learners.
SPED 6575 Developmental Literacy Remediation for Students in Grades 3+ 1 Credit
This course examines reading research and the five essential components of reading in relation to students in Grade 3+ with persistent phonological coding deficits. Candidates will learn about the principles and practices of Structured Literacy and multi-sensory language instruction through study of the Wilson Reading System (WRS), including student identification and placement, program implementation, progress monitoring, scheduling, creating a successful classroom environment, principles of language structure, and how to teach language with direct, multi-sensory methods. Cross-listed with RLDV 6575.
SPED 6576 Intensive Instruction I for the Non-Responsive Reader Using the Wilson Reading System 3 Credits
This course presents in detail how the principles and practices of multi-sensory, structured language instruction are applied to support the remedial reading needs of students with word-level deficits in Grades 3+ who have not adequately responded to intervention. This course features practical application of reading research, with particular emphasis on phonological awareness, phonics and spelling at the beginning levels of decoding and encoding. It also provided specific procedures to teach the following syllable types: closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, and consonant-le. The course includes additional topics on diagnostic teaching and differentiating instruction, program pacing, high frequency word instruction, vocabulary instruction, fluency instruction, dyslexia, listening and reading comprehension strategies, use of differentiated texts, and handwriting. Candidates explore the above in relation to Steps 1-6 of the Wilson Reading System (WRS). Cross-listed with RLDV 6576.
SPED 6577 Clinical Intensive Instruction I for the Non-Responsive Reader in Grades 3+ 1.5-3 Credits
This supervised practicum experience prepares candidates to effectively implement a multi-sensory structured language reading program with students in Grades 3-12 that present with significant word-level reading and spelling deficits, including those diagnosed with a language-based learning disability or dyslexia. Candidates will acquire a sophisticated working knowledge of the sound-symbol system of English (phonology) and its structure (morphology) as well as the use of specific diagnostic methods in teaching reading and spelling. This Wilson Reading System Steps 1-6 web-based practicum is supervised by a Wilson Credentialed Trainer. Cross-listed with RLD 6577.
SPED 6578 Intensive Instruction II for the Non-Responsive Reader Using the Wilson Reading System 3 Credits
This course is a continuation of SPED 6576 and presents in detail how the principles and practices of multi-sensory structured language instruction are applied to support the remedial reading needs of students with word-level deficits in Grades 3+ who have not adequately responded to intervention. This course features practical application of reading research, and expands upon the topics of phonological awareness, phonics and spelling at the beginning levels of decoding and encoding. It also provides additional opportunities to refine procedural skill associated with teaching the following syllable types: closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, and consonant-le. The course includes additional topics on diagnostic teaching and differentiating instruction, program pacing, high frequency word instruction, vocabulary instruction, fluency instruction, dyslexia, listening and reading comprehension strategies, use of differentiated texts, and handwriting. Candidates explore the above in relation to Steps 1-6 of the Wilson Reading System (WRS). Cross-listed with RLDV 6578.
SPED 6579 Clinical Intensive Instruction II for the Non-Responsive Reader in Grades 3+ 1.5-3 Credits
This supervised practicum experience is a continuation of SPED 6577 and prepares candidates to effectively implement a multi-sensory structured language reading program with students in Grades 3-12 that present with significant word-level reading and spelling deficits, including those diagnosed with a language-based learning disability or dyslexia. Candidates will acquire a sophisticated working knowledge of the sound-symbol system of English (phonology) and its structure (morphology) as well as the use of specific diagnostic methods in teaching reading and spelling. This Wilson Reading System Steps 1-6 web-based practicum is supervised by a Wilson Credentialed Trainer. Cross-listed with RLDV 6579.
SPED 6599 Seminar in Special Education 3 Credits
This advanced synthesizing seminar directs the candidate toward an in-depth study of special topics in the field, using a research-oriented approach. Open only to matriculated students in the Special Education program with permission from the candidate's university advisor and the Director of Special Education.
SPED 6900 Special Topics (Shell) 3 Credits
This course explores advanced topics in the field of special education. Topics may vary each semester and are determined by the special education faculty as a reflection of pertinent themes of interest in the field.
SPED 6951 Supervised Practica/DSAP in Structured Literacy and Dyslexia Intervention 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Permission of Instructor.
This supervised clinical practicum provides candidates with an intensive opportunity to apply a diagnostic-prescriptive approach to planning, implementing, and evaluating the efficacy of intensive, individualized reading and writing interventions for students with profiles characteristic of, or diagnoses of, dyslexia. Candidates conduct a literacy screening assessment and collaborate with faculty to develop an individualized instructional plan and progress-monitoring framework aligned to each student’s strengths and areas of need, design an instructional scope and sequence, set measurable practicum goals, and implement a series of diagnostic-prescriptive lessons that explicitly address phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, fluency, comprehension, and written expression using evidence-based reading and writing practices, strategies, and routines. Candidates maintain detailed lesson records, monitor student progressing curriculum-based and diagnostic measures, and adjust instruction based on data trends. Faculty provide remote supervision and individualized feedback through scheduled video observations and conferencing sessions. The practicum culminates in a formal case presentation in which candidates synthesize assessment data, document student growth, and articulate recommendations and sample IEP goals and objectives for continued intervention. Cross-listed with RLDV 6951
SPED 6952 Practica/DSAP in Special Education 3 Credits
This course consists of an experiential opportunity for candidates pursuing a cross-endorsement or DSAP in special education. Each practicum is individually designed to meet the candidate's needs and fulfill the certification requirement of working with at least two different disabilities. Candidates fulfilling the cross-endorsement/DSAP in comprehensive special education confirm placements in conjunction with the candidate's University advisor and the Director of Student Teaching Placement. Enrollment requires successful completion of required courses, passing of the PRAXIS II in Special Education and the Foundations of Reading Test, and permission of the candidate's University advisor. Candidates must notify their University advisor and the Director of Field Experiences of their intent to start these courses in the semester prior to their anticipated practicum/DSAP placement. For cross-endorsement and DSAP candidates only. Pass/Fall.
SPED 6953 Student Teaching in Special Education 3-6 Credits
This course consists of a semester-long, full time placement in a public school or an approved setting working with a trained cooperating teacher who supervises the candidate pursuing an initial certificate in special education as he or she works with students identified with at least two different disabilities. Student teaching requirements include attendance in Student Teaching and Practicum/DSAP Seminar (SPED 6954) in conjunction with the on-site experience and supervision. Candidates fulfilling the initial certificate in special education coordinate their site placements with their academic advisor, University supervisor, and/or the director of Student Teaching Placement. Enrollment requires successful completion of required courses and permission of the candidate's University advisor. Candidates must notify their University advisor, and the Director of Field Experiences of their intent to start this course in the semester prior to their anticipated student teaching experience. For initial certification candidates only. Pass/Fail. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4953.
SPED 6954 Student Teaching/DSAP Seminar in Special Education 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPED 6953.
Participants take this weekly seminar concurrently with student teaching/DSAP. Although much of the seminar's subject matter flows from the ongoing student teaching/DSAP experience, it deliberately addresses areas such as understanding IEPs, goal writing, lesson planning, due process, mindfulness, communication with parents/caregivers, sensitivity to multicultural issues, and roles and responsibilities as a case manager. It also provides opportunities to collaborate with regular education certification candidates in ways authentic to the work of both categories of teachers and special education. The course stresses continued reflective practice and professional development, including development of a professional portfolio, continued study and research, and establishing a supportive collegial network. The job application process, including resume writing, interviewing skills, and developing a teaching philosophy, are also addressed. Candidates also receive information on the certification process. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4954.
SPED 6990 Independent Study 3-6 Credits
The course provides opportunities for advanced candidates to pursue their interests in diverse aspects of special education under the guidance of a faculty member. Enrollment by permission of the instructor and the Director of Special Education only.
SPED 6999 Comprehensive Examination in Special Education 0 Credits
The comprehensive examination is required of all candidates earning an MA degree in Special Education. The comprehensive exam is taken after successful completion of at least 18 credits in the program in special education and is designed to assess a candidate's understanding, skills and knowledge base in the four areas associated with the State of Connecticut certification law: a) Psycho-educational theory and development of children with disabilities, b) Diagnosis of children and youth with disabilities, c) Program planning and education of children and youth with disabilities, and d) Curriculum and methods of teaching children and youth with disabilities. If the candidate fails one or more sections of the comprehensive examination, he/she will have one additional opportunity to re-take and pass the section(s) during the scheduled administration of the examination. Grading method: Pass with distinction/Pass/Fail. Undergraduate Equivalent: SPED 4999.