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.
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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