Exceptional Needs Education - B.S.
The Exceptional Needs program is designed to train teachers to serve persons who require mild interventions (a Severe and Profound program is also available for students who wish to add this certification to their teaching license). It is consistent with new state standards that call for a major (rather than minor) in exceptional needs. The focus is also on a non-categorical approach. Graduates of the program have a(n):
- Understanding of the provision of special education in the regular classroom environment.
- Effective use of state-of-the-art methods in special education.
- Knowledge of effective service delivery models for learners with disabilities.
- Awareness of alternative resources for serving learners with disabilities.
- Skill in working with families of learners with disabilities.
- Skill in working with other professionals and agencies to assure quality programs.
- Attitude of lifelong learning as a special education professional.
Four guiding principles are foundational to the exceptional needs program:
- God created all persons, including persons with disabilities, and each is valuable (Psalm 139:13-16).
- When included as part of society, persons with disabilities have something to offer (I Corinthians 12:12-26).
- The task of the educator is to teach persons with or without disabilities to fulfill their role in society (I Thessalonians 5:14).
- Acceptance of these individuals, as they are, is a primary and essential part of teaching (John 4:5-27).
Two versions of the Exceptional Needs major are available. Each consists of general education requirements, a Professional Core common to each major, Exceptional Needs courses specific to each major, and elective courses. In addition, a Severe and Profound program may be added to any Exceptional Needs major.
General Education (45-51 credits)
Required Courses
| LDR-150 | Introduction to Life Calling | 3 |
Humanities Core (12 credits)
Biblical Literature (6 credits)
Advanced Writing or Literature (3 credits)
-
| Advanced Writing | |
-
| or | |
-
| Literature > 200 | 3 |
Health and Wellness (2 credits)
| PHE-101 | Concepts of Health and Wellness | 1 |
PHE-
| Activity Elective | 1 |
Social Sciences and Psychology (9 credits)
| PSY-150 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOC-150 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
-
| or | |
| SOC-210 | Minority Group Relations | 3 |
Elective-
| Taken from ECO, HST, or POL | 3 |
SOC-150: Does not meet Intercultural Competency
SOC-210: Meets Intercultural Competency
Science/Mathematics (7 credits)
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| Lab Science | 4 |
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| Math/CIS elective | 3 |
Competencies and Proficiencies (3-9 credits)
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| Writing Competency | 0-3 |
-
| Speech Competency | 3 |
-
| Intercultural Competency | 0-3 |
Professional Core (42 credits)
| EDU-130 | American Education | 3 |
EDU-200
| Educational Technology | 1 |
| EDS-215 | Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Settings | 3 |
| PSY-276 | Psychology of the Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| EDS-350 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| EDS-350P | Assessment in Special Education Practicum | 1 |
| EDS-361 | Behavior Management in Special Education | 3 |
| EDS-370 | Public Policy and Special Education | 3 |
| EDS-385 | Special Education Practicum I | 2 |
| EDS-386 | Special Education Practicum II | 1 |
| EDS-496 | Supervised Student Teaching in Special Education | 15 |
| EDS-494 | Student Teaching Seminar | 1 |
K-6 Exceptional Needs Major (14 credits)
Add the following courses to the Professional Core:
| EDU-290 | Elementary Education in a Pluralistic Society | 3 |
| PSY-251 | Child Development | 3 |
| EDS-381 | Methods for Teaching Children With Exceptional Needs | 3 |
| EDS-354 | Language Arts Methods | 2 |
| EDS-388 | Developmental Reading | 3 |
P-12 Exceptional Needs Major (20 credits)
Add the following courses to the Professional Core:
| EDU-240 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU-250 | Principles of Teaching | 3 |
| EDS-324 | Literacy for the Adolescent With Exceptional Needs | 3 |
| EDS-354 | Language Arts Methods | 2 |
| EDS-381 | Methods for Teaching Children With Exceptional Needs | 3 |
| EDS-382 | Methods for Teaching Adolescents With Exceptional Needs | 3 |
| EDS-388 | Developmental Reading | 3 |
Severe and Profound (9 credits)
Severe and Profound certification may be added to any Exceptional Needs major by taking the following courses:
| EDS-331 | Critical Issues in Severe Disabilities | 3 |
| EDS-332 | Community-Based Instruction, Supports, And Services | 3 |
| EDS-333 | Interdisciplinary Collaboration | 3 |
