SPE 531 — Teaching and Assessing Students with Severe Disabilities
Education
3 Credits
Teachers of students with severe disabilities must be current in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks grade level curriculum, instructional methods, assessment strategies, service delivery models, skills curricula, interdisciplinary approaches to education and applied research findings in order to affect positive behavior change in their students and understand ways to prepare and maintain students in general education. This course has been designed to review definitions, etiologies, and characteristics of severely disabling conditions; theories of language development; preparing, implementing, and evaluating IEP’s; theories, concepts, and methods of assessing children and adolescents; current state-of-the art educational, service delivery, advocacy and techniques for developing skills designed to facilitate placement in least restrictive environments; working with parents and families, augmentative and assistive technologies; designing and modifying curriculum and instructional materials; and research issues that influence the quality of life of this most challenging population in the areas of curriculum and assessment, including vocational, work study, and transitioning options.
