(EDS 619) Syllabus of Record: Programs for Mild Cognitive Impairment
Course Description: This course examines the principles and current trends related to the
education of students with mild cognitive impairments. Emphasis will be placed on curriculum
development, instructional design, appropriate placement, transition, and utilization of
environmental resources.
Unit Mission, Philosophy, Values:
Our Mission:
“Teaching, Leading and Learning in a Democratic Society”
The College of Education prepares candidates who enhance the individual growth of their
students while working to establish policies and practices that promote the principles of
democratic education. The College articulates this mission as Teaching, Leading, and Learning
in a Democratic Society.
Philosophy:
Student Potential, Ethical Implications
Believing that schools function as social and political entities as well as for the growth of
individuals, the College of Education prepares teachers and leaders
a) to enhance the academic and personal potential of their students
b) to evaluate the social and ethical implications of educational policies and practices.
Values:
“Expertise, Equity, Liberal Education, Social Responsibility”
The College of Education values expertise to guide our practice, equity to guide our interactions,
liberal education to guide our perspectives, and social responsibility to guide our commitment to
democratic education. We value these ideals in our preparation of candidates, our development
of faculty, and our relationships with the larger community we serve.
Standards and Assessments
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Unit Standards: Michigan Department of Education (MDE), National Council for the
Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Standards for Advanced Programs Preparing Teachers: National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards (NBPTS); Council for the Social Foundations of Education (CSFE);
College of Education Research Standards.
Specialty Program Standards: Council for Exceptional Children
4. Instructional Strategies
5. Learning Environments and Social Interactions
7. Instructional Planning
9. Professional and Ethical Practice
10. Collaboration
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Course Standards: National Board for Professional Teaching
2. Teachers Know the Subjects They Teach and How to Teach Those Subjects to Students
A. Teachers Appreciate How Knowledge in Their Subjects is Created, Organized and Linked
to Other Disciplines
B. Teachers Command Specialized Knowledge of How to Convey a Subject to Students
C. Teachers Generate Multiple Paths to Knowledge
5. Teachers are Members of Learning Communities
A. Teachers Contribute to School Effectiveness by Collaborating with Other Professionals
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Common Course Assessment: Inclusion Project
Major Topics
School participation, placement options, and supports
Adaptive Behavior Assessments
Family and professional partnerships
Creating positive learning environments and managing the classroom
Use of positive behavioral supports
Instructional strategies in the areas of oral language, read language, and written language,
mathematics, science, social studies, and study skills
Social and self-determination skills
Modifying curriculum and instruction in general education inclusive classrooms
Functional life skills
Transition and vocational preparation
Community resources
Course Knowledge Base
Anderson, P.L. (2005). Case studies for inclusive schools. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
Bates, P., Cuvo, T., Miner, C., & Korabek, C. (2001). Simulated and community-based
instruction involving persons with mild and moderate mental retardation. Research in
Developmental Disabilities, 22, 95-115.
Cawley, J.F., Foley, T.E., & Doan, T. (2003). Giving students with disabilities a voice in the
selection of arithmetical content Teaching Exceptional Children, 37, 8-16.
Cawley, J.F., Foley, T.E., & Miller, J. (2003). Science and students with mild disabilities:
Principles of universal design. Intervention in School and Clinic, 38, 160-171.
Cole, C., Waldron, N., & Majd, M. (2004). Academic progress of students across inclusion and
traditional settings. Mental Retardation, 42, 136-144.
Conroy, M.A., & Stichter, J.P. (2003). The application of antecedents in the functional
assessment process: Existing research, issues and recommendations. Journal of Special
Education, 37, 15- 25.
Edwards, W.J., & Reynolds, L.A. (1997). Defending and advocating on behalf of individuals
with “mild” mental retardation in the criminal justice system. Impact, 10, 12-13.
Fisher, D., Sax, C., & Pumpian, I. (1999). Inclusive high schools: Learning from
contemporaryclassrooms. Baltimore: Brookes.
Flexer, R.W., Simmons, T.J., Luft, P., & Baer, R.M. (2001). Transition planning for secondary
students with disabilities. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Forlin, C. (2001). Inclusion: Identifying potential stressors for regular class teachers.
Educational Research, 43, 235-245.
Freund, L., & Rich, R. (2005). Teaching students with learning problems in the inclusive
classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Gardner, J.E., Wissick, C.A., Schweder, W., & Canter, L.S. (2003. Enhancing interdisciplinary
instruction in general and special education. Thematic units and technology. Remedial
and Special Education, 24, 161-172.
Gillet, J.W., Temple, C., & Crawford, A.N. (2004). Understanding reading problems:
Assessment and instruction. Boston: Pearson.
Grissom, M. O., & Borkowski, J.G. (2002). Self-efficacy in adolescents who have siblings with
or without disabilities. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 107, 79-90.
Guralnick, M. (1998). Effectiveness of early intervention for vulnerable children: A
developmental perspective. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 102, 319-345.
Harry, B. (2002). Trends and issues in serving culturally diverse families of children with
disabilities. The Journal of Special Education, 36, 131-138.
Hughes, C., & Carter, E. (2000). The transition handbook: Strategies high school teachers use
that work. Baltimore: Brookes.
Janney, R., & Snell, M. (2000). Behavioral supports. Baltimore: Brookes.
Kauffman, J. (2005). Waving to Ray Charles: Missing the meaning of disabilities. Phi Delta
Kappan, 86(7), 520-523.
Mercer, C. & Mercer, A., (2005). Teaching students with learning problems. Columbus, OH:
Merrill.
Mastropieri, M.A., & Scruggs, T.E. (2000). The inclusive classroom: Strategies for effective
instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
McLeskey, J., & Waldron, N.L. ((2002). Inclusion and school change: Teacher perceptions
regarding curricular and instructional adaptations. Teacher Education and Special
Education, 25, 41-54.
Miller, S.P. (2002). Validated practices for teaching students with diverse needs and abilities.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Perske, R. (2000). Deception in the interrogation room: Sometimes tragic for persons with
mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Mental Retardation, 38, 532537.
Perske, R. (2001). A joint statement: Stop the execution of persons with mental retardation.
Mental Retardation, 39, 327-328.
Polloway, E.A., Patton, J.R., & Serna, L. (2001). Strategies for teaching learners with special
needs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Publishing Co.
Salend, S.J. (2005). Creating inclusive classrooms: Effective and reflective practices for all
students. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Tomlinson, C.A. (2003). Deciding to teach them all. Educational Leadership, 61, 6-11.
Tomlinson, C.A., & Eidson, C.C. (2003). Differentiate in practice: A resource guide for
differentiating curriculum. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Turnbull, A., Edmonson, H., Griggs, P., Wickham, D., Sailor, W., Freeman, R., Guess, D.,
Lassen, S., McCart, A., Park, J., Riffel, L., Turnbull, R., & Warren, J. (2002). A
blueprint for schoolwide positive behavior support: Implementation of three
components. Exceptional Children, 68, 377-402.
Turnbull, R., Turnbull, A., Shank, M., & Smith, S. (2004). Exceptional lives: Special education
in today’s schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Walker, B.J. (2000). Diagnostic teaching of reading. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Winebrenner, S. (1996). Teaching kids with learning difficulties in the regular classroom:
Strategies and techniques every teacher can use to challenge and motivate struggling
students. Minneapolis: Free Spirit.
Zhang, D. (2001). Self-determination and inclusion: Are students with mild mental retardation
more self-determined in regular classrooms. Education and Training in Mental
Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 36, 357-362.