Houston Independent School District Educational Diagnostician’s Alternative Certification Program SEMINAR IN LEARNING DISABILITIES Fall 2011 The mission of the Alternative Certification Program of the Houston Independent School District is to recruit, train, and support qualified degreed professionals so that critical shortage teaching (and diagnostician) vacancies in the Houston Independent School District are filled with high quality personnel. Instructor Dr. Michael Webb Office: 713.293.1000 mwebb3@houstonisd.org Course blog: Monitor and interact with the course blog via www.learnassessment.wordpress.com to fulfill program requirement requirements. Twitter Follow the course instructor and others relevant to the program @learnassessment Required Text Hehir, T. (2005). New Directions in Special Education Eliminating Ableism in Policy and Practice. Harvard Education Press. ISBN 9781891792618 Rose, D. H. & Meyer, A. (2006). A practical reader in universal design for learning. Harvard Education Press. ISBN 1891792296 COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course seeks to critically examine the field of special education from a legal and conceptual perspective. Course experiences are designed to promote study and inquiry into the procedural and theoretical aspects of Universal Design for Learning as it applies to all students, Response to Intervention (RtI), Standards-based IEPs, Specific Learning Disability (SLD) identification, and other assessment and legal issues. Issues and questions about the categories/label, eligibility decisions, and service delivery methods will be discussed and considered. Examination and analysis of research trends and directions will be emphasized. POLICY for Students with Disabilities Disabled students may request help with academically related problems stemming from individual disabilities from their instructor or by calling 713.293.1000 Course Objectives References for current or future employment will only be given for students who complete the course and earn an “A.” Course Objectives Course objectives are aligned with state and national standards in the following table. State standards are taken from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) - Twelve Knowledge and Skill Standards - for Special Education and are the basis for the ExCET/TExES Certification Examination (www.sbec.state.tx.us). For National Standards, The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) provides the following : “ CEC Knowledge and Skill Base for All Beginning Special Education Teachers of Students in Individualized General Curriculums”(www.cec.sped.org). Evaluation (1) One Exam (130 Points). The course textbooks, student presentations, blog responses, handouts, in-class sessions on Standards-based IEPs and SLD identification, etc. are all part of the exam content. Exam blueprints will be given out prior to the exam. The Format will be mainly short answer, brief discussion, project-based and objective type. (2) Journal submission for publication (130 points). Students are expected to actively engage a topic of interest within the field of special education. From this topic students are expected to write, professionally edit, and submit an article for publishing in an appropriate journal. Topic and journal expectations for publication should be submitted for approval prior to writing the article. It also expected students will schedule at least one editing session via Skype with the instructor prior to article submission. The need for additional editing sessions will be required based on the first meeting. Evidence of article submission to a journal is required. All first drafts must be reviewed by October 11, 2011. The Rubric for this project can be found at: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1850849& (3) e-participation (Debate/Discussion) (50 points). Some of the course issues may make you cheer, others may make you angry. Overall, we seek to engage in critical analysis and dialogue in looking at the alternative views of the field of special education which are presented in this class and text. We will create an online debate format via www.learnassessment.wordpress.com and Twitter as well as inclass discussion wherein the pros and cons of issues will be addressed. A rubric to guide your online participation is attached and can be found at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1845504&. (Rubric Score X 3.13) (4) Summary of Procedural Safeguards and A Guide to the Admission, Review and Dismissal Process (50). Summaries should be submitted in a digital format other than a narrative writing or PowerPoint. Options include but are not limited to process maps via webspiration, bubbl.us; animation via Glogster or GoAnimate; or video uploaded to TeacherTube or YouTube. Other formats can be found at http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/. (5) Adaptation & Presentation of a Content Chapter with UDL considerations. (30 Points) Application is the strongest form of learning. Adapt a textbook chapter based on the principles of universal design for learning and present the project to the class via YouTube Video or other Web 2.0 format. Rubric can be found at: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1850418& (Rubric Score X 2) (6) Online Modules (50 points per module: 250 total). Each online module requires blog participation and a final assignment. Final assignments should be emailed to the instructor by the module’s due date. UDL Module One: http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module1/l3/ UDL Module Two: http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module2/l3/ Transition Assessment the Big Picture: http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/module_home.php Response to Intervention (RtI) Module: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/rti01_overview/chalcycle.htm Accessing the General Education Curriculum (AGC): http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/agc/chalcycle.htm Grade Scale 588 – 640 = A 555 – 587 = B 512 – 554 = C Below 511 = F Course Outline Date Content 8/15 Orientation and Welcome 6:00 PM 8/23 Chapter 1 - 3. Hehir, T. (2005). 8/30 9/6 9/10 Standards-Based IEPs 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM 9/13 Chapter 4 – 5. Hehir, T. (2005). 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/11 10/12 Standards-Based IEPs: Aligning the IEP with the FIE 10/18 Chapter 1 -2 Rose, D. H. & 10/25 Meyer, A. (2006). 11/1 11/5 Identification of SLD 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM 11/8 Chapter 3 -5 Rose, D. H. & 11/15 Meyer, A. (2006). 11/22 Chapter 6 – 7 Rose, D. H. & 12/6 Meyer, A. (2006). 12/13 Final Exam 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM Application Ryan Professional Development Center 4001 Hardy St Houston, TX 77009 UDL Module One: http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module1/l3/ Holden Administrative Building UDL Module Two: http://udlonline.cast.org/page/module2/l3/ Journal Submission for Publication First Draft Due Region 4 Education Service Center 7145 West Tidwell Houston, TX 77092 Transition Assessment the Big Picture: http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/module_home.php Holden Administrative Building Response to Intervention (RtI) Module: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/rti01_overview/chalcycle.htm Accessing the General Education Curriculum (AGC): http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/agc/chalcycle.htm Holden Administrative Building