13 Jan You are required to submit

SPD500 Survey of Special Education-Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Week 1 Assignment

IDEA Disability Category Comparison

Special education teachers are part of the assessment team that determines eligibility for special education services. There are 14 major eligibility categories defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Special educators must have general knowledge of the guidelines for eligibility, the characteristics, causes, and effects on learning, and how often the disabilities occur within a defined population in order to contribute to team collaboration and consult articulately with staff and parents.

Use the “IDEA Disability Category Comparison Template” to outline information for the categories of disability under IDEA. The first category, Autism, is completed for you.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

SPD500 Survey of Special Education-Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Week 2 Assignment

Developmental Milestones

Special education teachers often consult and train staff members. Consideration of typical development and achievement of developmental milestones can help staff determine if a student may need a referral for a special education evaluation. This information is often used to select assessments and the effects of a possible disability. When teachers understand the effect of a disability on learning, they are able to prepare the classroom environment and use selected strategies to support students with disabilities.

Use the “Developmental Milestones In-service” to create a 15-20 slide professional development digital presentation for staff members, which outlines the typical cognitive, linguistic, physical, social, and emotional developmental milestones of children pre-K to Grade 3.

Within your presentation, describe what developmental milestones are and why they are important. Include examples of how these milestones may present differently for students without and for students with the six types of disability categories. Include at least one academic strategy and one environmental strategy (how you would change the classroom environment) for each disability.

Include a title slide, reference slide, and presenter’s notes.

A minimum of 3-5 scholarly sources are required.

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

SPD500 Survey of Special Education-Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Week 3 Assignment

Early Intervention Strategies Digital Brochure

One priority for early intervention services is communication and support to families. Families are a young child’s first teacher and lifelong advocates. Parents of young children with a disability may have never had to advocate for services and are often new to navigating the system of supports in public school and other agency settings. Collaboration with parents of young children often involves informing parents of their roles, defining the role of the school, and helping parents understand and navigate the state agency supports available for young children.

Create a 250-500 word digital brochure for families of children in preschool-kindergarten that describes services and supports for individuals with disabilities. Choose one specific disability category from IDEA to complete your brochure.

Describe the following in your digital brochure, keeping in mind your chosen disability category:

Role of the family in accessing early intervention services.

Role of the state in providing early intervention services.

Role of service providers in providing early intervention programs in public schools.

Three early intervention strategies families can implement at home to promote communication skills, social skills, and literacy skills in their children affected by the chosen disability.

One local organization that families could contact to learn more about the disability and community services that might be available.

The brochure should be respectful and appropriate in tone and word choice for the family audience. Support your findings with 2-3 scholarly resources.

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success enter.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

SPD500 Survey of Special Education-Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Week 3 Assignment

Field Experience A: School Psychologist and Administrator Interviews

School psychologists play a critical role in evaluation and determination of eligibility for special education services. They often consult with teachers and families about characteristics of disabilities and types of services and supports available in the school system and community.

This is a Block 1 Field Experience. In this block, your field experience must be completed before or after school, or other designated time when students are not present.

You will interview a school psychologist and an administrator for the first field experience.

Allocate at least 3 hours in the field to support this field experience.

Interview a school psychologist and an administrator, from any K-12 educational setting, about the following:

What is your role in special education?

What responsibilities do you have specific to meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities?

Considering the students you have worked with, what disabilities have you encountered? Describe your experiences.

What are the developmental milestones associated with the disabilities you have worked with that teachers should pay attention to?

What is your role in the IEP process?

When should teachers consult with you regarding the needs of their students?

What is the role of the school in early intervention? How do you communicate that to the family, and how do you support the staff?

Additionally, ask the school psychologist the following:

What professional development opportunities related to special education do you feel would benefit staff in your school or district?

Ask the school administrator the following questions:

What are you doing for professional development in terms of implementing interventions before starting the special education process at your site?

In 500-750 words, identify the school setting, summarize, and reflect upon your interviews and explain how you will use your findings in your future professional practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

Document the locations and hours you spend in the field on your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form.

Submit the Clinical Field Experience Verification Form to the LMS in the last topic. Directions for submitting can be found on the College of Education site in the Student Success Center.

SPD500 Survey of Special Education-Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Week 4 Assignment

Field Experience B: Special Education Teacher and General Education Teacher Interviews

The role of the special education professional is a collaborative role and requires a specific skill set and understanding of the laws and regulations that prescribe the procedures and processes to ensure a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities.

This is a Block 1 Field Experience. In this block, your field experience must be completed before or after school, or other designated times when students are not present.

You will interview a special education teacher and a general education teacher for this assignment to gain a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of these service providers in the school setting.

Allocate at least 3 hours in the field to support this field experience.

Interview a certified special education teacher and a general education teacher from a K-12 setting about the following:

What is your role in the IEP process?

What steps need to be followed prior to an IEP being created for an individual with disabilities?

How do you involve parents in the special education process?

What support do you offer parents of individuals with disabilities?

How do you collaborate with the school psychologist and administration in the special education process?

What resources and training does the district provide teachers regarding special education?

How do you collect data for IEP progress monitoring?

Additionally, ask the special education teacher the following

How do you collaborate with general education teachers to meet the needs of your students?

Ask the general education teacher the following:

How do you collaborate with the special education teacher to meet the needs of your students?

In 500-750 words, identify the school setting, summarize, and reflect upon your interviews and explain how you will use your findings in your future professional practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

Document the locations and hours you spend in the field on your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form.

Submit the Clinical Field Experience Verification Form to the LMS in the last topic. Directions for submitting can be found on the College of Education site in the Student Success Center.

SPD500 Survey of Special Education-Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Week 4 Assignment

Flowchart/Graphic Organizer of Special Education Process

The process and timelines required for referral, evaluation, eligibility determination, placement, development of the IEP, and implementation of services is prescribed by law and all members of the IEP team are responsible for understanding the process.

Obtain information and materials for families of individuals with disabilities. Based on the materials provided to the families, create a flowchart/graphic organizer depicting the special education process and laws followed within a school. The flowchart/graphic should depict the processes of referral, evaluation, determination of eligibility, placement, development and implementation of the IEP, progress monitoring, and the reevaluation process. Timelines and required parental should be included.

In addition to your completed flowchart or graphic organizer, write a 500-750 word parent-friendly letter about the special education process. In the letter, explain the roles of the school, the parents, and the students.

Support your flowchart/graphic organizer with a minimum of two resources.

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.