Special Education Courses

SPED 198. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-2 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 401. Research: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 405. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 406. Practicum: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable. Topics include Collaborative Team, Introduction to Talented and Gifted, Introduction to Developmental Disabilities.

SPED 408. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 409. Terminal Project. 1-12 Credits.

Recent topics include Special Education, Talented and Gifted. Repeatable.

SPED 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 411. Foundations of Disability I. 3 Credits.

Categorical and cross-categorical survey of information about exceptional children and youths. Topics include history, etiology, identification, classification, legislation, alternate program delivery systems.

SPED 415. Diversity and Special Education. 3 Credits.

Provides an overview of issues pertaining to diversity in special education. Topics include race, ethnicity, culture, and disability in a sociopolitical and historical context.

SPED 418. Disrupting the School to Prison Pipeline. 3 Credits.

Grounded in critical race theory and relying on research across different aspects of schooling and human development, students in this course will engage in rich discussions around practices that empower educators to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and bolster protective factors for youth, families, and communities.

SPED 420. Applied Experience in Special Education. 1-6 Credits.

This course is designed to provide practical experiences for students enrolled in the special education minor. Students engage with individuals with disabilities in early childhood settings, general or special education classrooms, or through community organizations. Repeatable 5 times for a maximum of 6 credits.

SPED 422. Special Education Mathematics Instruction. 4 Credits.

Systematic instruction of mathematics skills for students with disabilities: assessment, planning, curriculum modification, diagnosis and remediation of persistent error patterns, evaluation.

SPED 426. Behavior and Classroom Management. 4 Credits.

Provides behavior management procedures for a variety of educational environments. Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior support planning, classroom management, and principles of applied behavior analysis.

SPED 428. Special Education Law. 3 Credits.

This course provides students with knowledge of standards and ethics for professional practice, historical and current case law and legislation, and application of legal principles related to special education services in school settings.

SPED 431. Introduction to Learning Disabilities. 3 Credits.

Introduces major topics, issues, and trends in learning disabilities. Addresses the history, definitions, etiologies, theories, characteristics, instructional interventions, and service-delivery models.

SPED 432. Introduction to Behavioral Disorders. 3 Credits.

Introduces the characteristics and education of children and youth who have emotional and behavioral disorders.
Prereq: SPED 411.

SPED 436. Advanced Behavior and Classroom Management. 3 Credits.

Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior support planning, individual education plans (IEPs), and effective behavior support systems for a variety of educational environments.
Prereq: SPED 426.

SPED 440. Early Literacy for Diverse Learners. 4 Credits.

Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for preschool- to early elementary-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 441, SPED 442, SPED 443.

SPED 441. Intermediate Literacy for Diverse Learners. 4 Credits.

Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for late elementary- to middle school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 440, SPED 442, SPED 443.
Prereq: SPED 440.

SPED 442. Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners. 4 Credits.

Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for middle school- and high school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 440, SPED 441, SPED 443.
Prereq: SPED 441.

SPED 443. Supporting Students with Low-Incidence Disability. 4 Credits.

Provides skills on how to plan, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based instruction for students with low-incidence disabilities. Sequence with SPED 440, SPED 441, SPED 442.
Prereq: SPED 442.

SPED 470. Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. 5 Credits.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with opportunities to learn and master basic behavior principles as a foundation to subsequent advanced courses. Students will master and build fluency with the basic principles of applied behavior analysis.

SPED 471. Applied Behavior Analysis Assessment. 3 Credits.

This course provides opportunities to build fluency with the basic principles of applied behavior analysis and the application of these principles to conduct functional behavior assessments including experimental functional analyses to determine the maintaining reinforcers for behavior and to plan for behavior change interventions. Students may enroll in either SPSY 671 or SPED 471/SPED 571, but cannot take both for credit.

SPED 472. Behavior Change Group Settings. 3 Credits.

This course provides opportunities to build fluency with the basic principles of applied behavior analysis and the application of these principles to develop, implement, and evaluate programs of behavior change in educational settings with a focus on positive behavior interventions and supports.
Prereq: SPED 470.

SPED 473. Behavior Change Procedures 1. 3 Credits.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of applied behavior analysis based behavior change systems and procedures that will include designing and implementing interventions based on fundamental elements of behavior change.
Prereq: SPED 470, SPED 471.

SPED 488. Professional Practices: [Topic]. 1-3 Credits.

Helps students critically assess their fieldwork and integrate fieldwork and course work in the wider context of the school experience. Repeatable twice.
Coreq: SPED 406 or SPED 409.

SPED 503. Thesis. 1-9 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 507. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable. Topics include Collaborative Team, Introduction to Talented and Gifted, Introduction to Developmental Disabilities.

SPED 508. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 510. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 511. Foundations of Disability I. 3 Credits.

Categorical and cross-categorical survey of information about exceptional children and youths. Topics include history, etiology, identification, classification, legislation, alternate program delivery systems.

SPED 515. Diversity and Special Education. 3 Credits.

Provides an overview of issues pertaining to diversity in special education. Topics include race, ethnicity, culture, and disability in a sociopolitical and historical context.

SPED 518. Disrupting the School to Prison Pipeline. 3 Credits.

Grounded in critical race theory and relying on research across different aspects of schooling and human development, students in this course will engage in rich discussions around practices that empower educators to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and bolster protective factors for youth, families, and communities.

SPED 522. Special Education Mathematics Instruction. 4 Credits.

Systematic instruction of mathematics skills for students with disabilities: assessment, planning, curriculum modification, diagnosis and remediation of persistent error patterns, evaluation.

SPED 526. Behavior and Classroom Management. 4 Credits.

Provides behavior management procedures for a variety of educational environments. Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior support planning, classroom management, and principles of applied behavior analysis.

SPED 528. Special Education Law. 3 Credits.

This course provides students with knowledge of standards and ethics for professional practice, historical and current case law and legislation, and application of legal principles related to special education services in school settings.

SPED 531. Introduction to Learning Disabilities. 3 Credits.

Introduces major topics, issues, and trends in learning disabilities. Addresses the history, definitions, etiologies, theories, characteristics, instructional interventions, and service-delivery models.

SPED 532. Introduction to Behavioral Disorders. 3 Credits.

Introduces the characteristics and education of children and youth who have emotional and behavioral disorders.
Prereq: SPED 511.

SPED 536. Advanced Behavior and Classroom Management. 3 Credits.

Emphasizes functional assessment-based behavior support planning, individual education plans (IEPs), and effective behavior support systems for a variety of educational environments.
Prereq: SPED 526.

SPED 540. Early Literacy for Diverse Learners. 4 Credits.

Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for preschool- to early elementary-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 541, SPED 542, SPED 543.

SPED 541. Intermediate Literacy for Diverse Learners. 4 Credits.

Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for late elementary- to middle school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 540, SPED 542, SPED 543.
Prereq: SPED 540.

SPED 542. Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners. 4 Credits.

Focuses on designing and evaluating instruction in the areas of reading and writing for middle school- and high school-aged students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 540, SPED 541, SPED 543.
Prereq: SPED 541.

SPED 543. Supporting Students with Low-Incidence Disability. 4 Credits.

Provides skills on how to plan, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based instruction for students with low-incidence disabilities. Sequence with SPED 540, SPED 541, SPED 542.
Prereq: SPED 542.

SPED 570. Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. 5 Credits.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with opportunities to learn and master basic behavior principles as a foundation to subsequent advanced courses. Students will master and build fluency with the basic principles of applied behavior analysis.

SPED 571. Applied Behavior Analysis Assessment. 3 Credits.

This course provides opportunities to build fluency with the basic principles of applied behavior analysis and the application of these principles to conduct functional behavior assessments including experimental functional analyses to determine the maintaining reinforcers for behavior and to plan for behavior change interventions. Students may enroll in either SPSY 671 or SPED 471/SPED 571, but cannot take both for credit.

SPED 572. Behavior Change Group Settings. 3 Credits.

This course provides opportunities to build fluency with the basic principles of applied behavior analysis and the application of these principles to develop, implement, and evaluate programs of behavior change in educational settings with a focus on positive behavior interventions and supports.
Prereq: SPED 570.

SPED 573. Behavior Change Procedures 1. 3 Credits.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of applied behavior analysis based behavior change systems and procedures that will include designing and implementing interventions based on fundamental elements of behavior change.
Prereq: SPED 570, SPED 571.

SPED 588. Professional Practices: [Topic]. 1-3 Credits.

Helps students critically assess their fieldwork and integrate fieldwork and course work in the wider context of the school experience. Repeatable twice.
Coreq: SPED 606 or SPED 609.

SPED 601. Research: [Topic]. 1-6 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 603. Dissertation. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 605. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 606. Practicum: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 607. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable. Recent topics include Advanced Applied Behavioral Analysis, Doctoral Orientation, Program Evaluation, Project Aim.

SPED 608. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 609. Terminal Project. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 610. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 611. Early Intervention Practicum I. 3 Credits.

Supervised field experience activities provide the experiential counterpart to instructive coursework and are a special emphasis of the Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education training program.

SPED 612. Early Intervention Practicum II. 3 Credits.

Supervised field experience activities provide the experiential counterpart to instructive coursework and are a special emphasis of the Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) training program.
Prereq: SPED 611.

SPED 622. History of Special Education and Disability. 3 Credits.

Historical context for contemporary issues in understanding and supporting the lives of people with disabilities and their families.

SPED 625. Final Supervised Field Experience. 1-15 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 626. Grant Writing. 1-3 Credits.

Provides structure and guidance in developing a grant proposal.

SPED 633. Transition Planning and Instruction I. 3 Credits.

Focuses on preparing youth for postsecondary education and training. Development of skills for using assessment-planning and content-instruction strategies to assist students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 634.

SPED 634. Transition Planning and Instruction II. 3 Credits.

Focuses on strategies for improving employment and independent-living skills; using individualized assessment and planning strategies, curriculum and instructional strategies, and program delivery to assist students with disabilities. Sequence with SPED 633.

SPED 653. Student Teaching I K-12. 3 Credits.

This course provides teacher candidates opportunities to apply evidence-based practices in Special Education and reading instruction. This course meets the requirements outlined by Teacher Standards and Practices Commission for the Reading Intervention endorsement. SPED 588 is taken concurrently.

SPED 654. Student Teaching II K-12. 4 Credits.

This course provides teacher candidates opportunities to apply knowledge of evidence-based practices in Special Education while teaching children/adults with disabilities. Teacher candidates are expected to independently generalize and apply foundational skills practiced during Student Teaching I and incorporate new skills. SPED 588 is taken concurrently.
Prereq: SPED 653.

SPED 655. Student Teaching III K-12. 3-9 Credits.

Provides practical experience in teaching students with disabilities in a public-school setting under the direction of cooperating teachers and university supervisors. Repeatable up to seven times for a total of 24 credits.

SPED 656. Student Teaching K-12 Endorsement. 3 Credits.

This course provides field-based practice for licensed teachers adding a Special Education endorsement, giving them opportunities to apply knowledge of evidence-based practices in Special Education while teaching children/adults with disabilities. Students take SPED 588 concurrently.

SPED 657. Student Teaching Reading Endorsement. 3 Credits.

This course provides field-based practice in reading instruction for licensed teachers adding a Reading Intervention endorsement. It provides opportunities to apply evidence-based practices in reading to design, deliver, and improve reading instruction for all students, including English learners and those with reading difficulties and dyslexia.

SPED 660. Design of Instruction. 4 Credits.

Design, development, and evaluation of instructional materials for children with disabilities. Emphasis on analysis and construction of instructional sequences for various learning tasks.

SPED 670. Philosophy of Applied Behavior Analysis. 3 Credits.

Introduces students to the philosophical foundations of radical behaviorism, classic and contemporary readings in behavior analysis. Students will be prepared to understand theoretical approaches to understanding behavior, and to interpret behavior in terms of the concepts and principles of behavior analysis.

SPED 671. Experimental Research in Applied Behavior Analysis. 3 Credits.

This online graduate level course introduces students to the experimental analysis of behavior. This course will cover basic research with humans and non-human animals that explores behavior analytic principles and mechanisms of learning and behavior.

SPED 672. Experimental Research Behavior Analysis Lab. 2 Credits.

This online graduate level course provides students who have taken the experimental analysis of behavior course opportunities to apply knowledge and interpret the results of simulated experiments. This course will model and then have students engage in their own simulated experiments.
Prereq: SPED 570, SPED 670, SPED 671.

SPED 676. Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board Professional and Ethical Compliance Code. It provides a basic knowledge of the Ethical Code as well as different problem-solving frameworks to evaluate difficult situations that may arise during their practice.

SPED 677. Single Case Research Design. 5 Credits.

This course focuses on basic and complex single-case experimental design strategies and general procedures, as well as on issues related to clinician-researchers conducting and analyzing single-case research in applied settings.

SPED 678. Behavior Change Procedures II. 3 Credits.

This course provides students with an overview of applied behavior analysis based behavior change systems and procedures that will include designing and implementing interventions based on fundamental elements of behavior change. Emphasis is on decreasing, eliminating, and replacing behavior that is challenging to the context.
Prereq: SPED 570, SPED 571, SPED 572, SPED 573.

SPED 679. Personnel Management. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Professional and Ethical Compliance Code related to personnel management. Emphasis is consultation strategies that board certified behavior analysts use to liaison with medical professionals, parents and other family members, and trainees in applied behavior analysis.

SPED 680. Foundations in Early Childhood and Early Intervention. 3 Credits.

Conceptual underpinnings and practical application of an approach to early intervention that links assessment, intervention, and evaluation.

SPED 681. Early Intervention for Diverse Families. 3 Credits.

Covers procedures for family assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Addresses adult communication and management strategies.

SPED 682. Assessment and Evaluation. 3 Credits.

Presents assessment and evaluation materials used in early intervention programs and provides methods for using these materials.

SPED 683. Curriculum in Early Childhood and Early Intervention. 3 Credits.

Presents curricular materials covering development from birth to six years. Discusses procedures for use and modification.

SPED 686. Autism in Early Intervention. 2-3 Credits.

Information is given regarding the etiology of autism, diagnostic/evaluation procedures and current evidence-based strategies for supporting young children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.

SPED 687. Early Intervention Methods I. 3 Credits.

Provide a foundation for understanding the components of a linked system of intervention in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education, where practitioners conduct assessments, plan and implement intervention, assess their intervention, and monitor student progress. Sequence with SPED 688, SPED 689.

SPED 688. Early Intervention Methods II. 3 Credits.

The Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Individualized Family Service Plan, Individualized Education Program Methods II course is the second of three Methods courses to be taken by EI/ECSE students across the year. Sequence with SPED 687, SPED 689.
Prereq: SPED 687.

SPED 689. Early Intervention Methods III. 3 Credits.

Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) Methods III is the final course in the EI/ECSE Methods series. It is designed to address specific practices that students will use as professionals in EI/ECSE settings. Sequence with SPED 687, SPED 688.
Prereq: SPED 688.

SPED 691. Professional Practices in Early Intervention I. 1 Credit.

During this seminar students will focus on the structure and process of teaming within Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education systems. Additionally, students will participate in team meetings alongside their peers to reflect on and discuss issues related to their practicum experiences.
Prereq: Coreq: SPED 611.

SPED 692. Professional Practices in Early Intervention II. 1 Credit.

During this seminar students will focus on Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education practices related to transition, intervention planning, implementation of interventions, self-assessment and reflection of practices, and monitoring child progress.
Prereq: SPED 691; coreq: SPED 612.

SPED 693. Professional Practices in Early Intervention III. 1 Credit.

During this seminar students will focus on Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education practices related to student teaching. The purpose of Professional Practices III is to support students in having a positive and productive student teaching experience.
Prereq: SPED 692; coreq: SPED 625.

SPED 706. Practicum: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 707. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 708. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

SPED 709. Terminal Project. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.