Faculty Contact Information:
| E-mail: cyork@faculty.ed.umuc.edu (and on the DoDDS global listing) Phone: DSN 338-7940 Commercial 0611-380-7940 Address: CMR 443 Box 118 APO, AE 09096 | |
Consultation:
| I am available by appointment and after class. Please call or send e-mail if you would like to set up an appointment. | |
Required Texts and Readings:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC.
Smith, D.D. (2007). Introduction to Special Education: Teaching in an Age of Opportunity. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. | |
Supplementary Readings:
| All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students’ research and writing skills. | |
Recommended Journals:
| A variety of full-text, online, free-of-charge and pay-per-view academic journals are listed on the Counseling Webboard at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/graduate/webboards/ | |
Course Description:
| Students examine the historical development, the philosophies, research, legislation, and current difficulties that have emerged relative to the education of exceptional children. The characteristics of children with disabilities and the principles of effective instruction, management, and intervention are addressed as they apply to special education. Family empowerment concepts are explored relative to the diversity of our schools and communities. Professional, community, and parent organizations; local, state, and federal agencies dealing with exceptional children are also identified. | |
Course Goals:
| The course focuses on theory and the development of skills related to the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of special education. The class examines the characteristics of learners with exceptional learning needs, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; the implications of those individual differences; and the effects of the child’s cultural milieu. Information is provided on effective collaboration approaches among professionals, community and family members and particularly between general and special education professionals. | |
Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a knowledge of the models, theories and philosophies of special education practice;
- begin to formulate a personal philosophy of special education;
- identify and define individuals with disability, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, from developmental, psychological, social-emotional, and educational perspectives;
- describe examples of differing learning styles of diverse learners and appropriate strategies and learning environments for addressing these styles;
- identify basic research-based classroom management theories and practices used to establish and maintain a safe, equitable, positive, and supportive learning environment;
- apply knowledge of ethics, laws, policies and programs related to behavior management implementation to a variety of situations;
- identify roles and responsibilities of families, school and community personnel, and individual learners in the planning an individualized program;
- be familiar with local professional agencies and parent organizations, which serve mildly and moderately disabled children;
- demonstrate an enhanced self-awareness of personal strengths, interests, and abilities. | |
Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A 90 - 100%
B 80 – 89%
C 70 – 79%
F 69% and Below
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade "F" is used to designate academic failure. "FN" is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs. | |
Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in classroom discussions...........10%
Write graduate level papers or case studies....30%
Orally/visually present prepared material......20%
Complete one or more written examination(s)....40% | |
Description of Course Requirements:
|
Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the onsite classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an eight-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most fourteen-week graduate distance education courses require at least ten hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom.
Participate in classroom discussions:You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner.
Write graduate level papers or case studies:You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Resubmission of coursework from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment. APA style is mandatory for all graduate counseling course work. Plan on committing approximately 150 hours over the duration of this course to producing professional level work.
Orally/visually present prepared material:You are required to present your research in a professional manner. In an onsite course, this typically means an oral presentation accompanied by appropriate visual material. In an online class, this means creating a visual/textual presentation for your instructor and classmates.
Complete one or more written examination(s):The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary for successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used in this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam. | |
Course Schedule:
This schedule presents 16 units or modules, with each unit corresponding to a regular three-hour weekday meeting, a half-day on weekends, or a full week of DE.
Sat 20-Jan 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 1- Context of Special Education
Sat 20-Jan 11:00 to 1:00 Ch 2- Individualized Sped Progams
Sat 20-Jan 2:00 to 4:00 Ch 3- Cultural and Linguistic Diversity-
Guest Speaker, Peggy Mohr
Sun 21-Jan 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 5- Learning Disabilities
Sun 21-Jan 11:00 to 1:00 Ch 4- Speech or Lanugage Disabilites-
Guest Speaker Ruth Miller
Sun 21-Jan 2:00 to 4:00 Assistive Technology-
Guest Speaker Maureen Crouse
Sat 3-Feb ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE!
Sat 3-Feb 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 10- Deaf and Hard of Hearing-
Guest Speakers Janet Roos and
Towana Wilson
Sat 3-Feb 11:00 to 1:00 Ch 11- Low Vision and Blindness-
Guest Speaker Anneke Zeeff
Sat 3-Feb 2:00 to 4:00 Ch 13- Very Low Incidence Disabilites
Sun 4-Feb 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 12- Autism Spectrum Disorders- I
Sun 4-Feb 11:00 to 1:00 Mid-Term
Sun 4-Feb 2:00 to 4:00 Mid-Term
Sat 17-Feb ASSIGNMENT TWO DUE!
Sat 17-Feb 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 12- Autism Spectrum Disorders- II
Sat 17-Feb 11:00 to 1:00 Transition Services-
Guest Speaker Theresa Wright
Sat 17-Feb 2:00 to 4:00 Discussion
Sun 18-Feb 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 201- ADHD
Sun 18-Feb 11:00 to 1:00 504 Accommodation/Non-Discrimination Plans
Sun 18-Feb 2:00 to 4:00 Discussion
Sat 3-Mar 9:00 to 11:00 Ch 14- Gifted and Talented-
Guest Speaker Marjorie Rodman
Sat 3-Mar 11:00 to 1:00 Ch 7- Emotional or Behavioral Disorders-
Guest Speaker Melissa Krantz
Sat 3-Mar 2:00 to 4:00 Integrated Counseling as a Concept-
Guest Speaker Tricia Cassiday
Sun 4-Mar 9:00 to 11:00 Course Evaluation
Sun 4-Mar 11:00 to 1:00 Final
Sun 4-Mar 2:00 to 4:00 Final | |
Academic Policies:
Note: Any written assignment in this course may be submitted to TurnItIn.Com. This statement constitutes prior notice.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center. | |
Faculty Bio:
| Chuck York has his BS from DePaul University, Chicago and MS from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I am currently one of two Instructional Systems Specialist/ Autism Consultants serving the Europe Area for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools. Previous related professional experience includes working as a teacher for children with moderate to severe disabilities at Zama American High School at Camp Zama, Japan; with the Chicago Public Schools as a Rehabilitation Counselor and Team Leader; with the Jewish Vocational Service of Chicago (a rehabilitation facility) as a Program Supervisor for Community Based Services; and with Anderson County Schools in Tennessee as a teacher for children with emotional impairments. Unrelated experience includes hosting local portions of National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, being lost in the Smokey Mountains National Park overnight with just the glow of my Indi-Glo watch to keep me warm, and missing the last train out of Shinjuku station in Tokyo and sleeping on the stairs outside the station for six hours. | |