SPED 603 - Teaming, Collaborative Educational Processes and Transition Services

Units: 4
Prepares prospective Education Specialists and other professionals to provide well‑coordinated, collaborative, inclusive special education services through research-based trans-disciplinary team planning, effective management, consultative, cooperative teaching practices and innovative service delivery approaches with general education, specialists, community agencies and families.

Prerequisites: Admission to M.S. Special Education program.
Possible Instructional Methods: Entirely On-ground, or Entirely Online, or Hybrid.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Identify school, community, professional and advocacy organizations and resources available to diverse students with disabilities and their families; the rationale for a systems approach to families and to school innovation/change, and utilize related practices anchored in this perspective when assisting families in obtaining services.
Communicate effectively about students’ assessments and educational programs with team members, i.e.: families, related services personnel, school administration, general education faculty and students, paraprofessionals, community agency personnel and specialized health care staff on an ongoing formal and informal basis.
Provide and exchange information regarding students’ learning needs, performance characteristics, skill repertoires, modifications, adaptations, etc., with all constituencies noted above, especially general educators, using collaborative-consultative strategies.
Articulate and design professional learning (PL) according to evidence based practices for guiding and facilitating the work of others, especially paraprofessionals, as well as interpreters, peers and volunteers within the context of instructional settings.
Implement and evaluate PL strategies including ongoing coaching, which address and support the needs of team members/colleagues especially paraprofessionals, as well as parents, general and special education teachers, and volunteers.
Identify and apply collaborative and co-taught approaches appropriate for specific curricular and instructional situations, and plan for effective co-teaching and consultative services with general education colleagues across content areas.
Cite and summarize best practices for student transitions across age levels addressed by IDEA including: infant to preschool, preschool to elementary, elementary to middle, middle to high school, and high school to post secondary and adulthood.
Identify steps and processes for interagency meetings, such as in planning transitions, and, for the design of “wraparound” services that are grounded in self-determination and a futures planning orientation.
Assess own progress, accept professional advice and constructive criticism and engage in continuous professional growth.
Model respect for the diversity of cultures, religions, gender and lifestyles of students and their families.