BA Special Education

Bachelor of Arts in Education (BA)

Major in Special Education

130 Credits

Offered at the Metro Orlando, South Florida, and Tampa Bay Branch Campuses

Program Description:

The program is offered in Metro Orlando and South Florida Campuses. The program is designed to prepare students to become effective bilingual special education teachers who are capable of working with children and youth who have a variety of disabilities. Students in this program are prepared to play a vital role in developing their students’ capacities to lead lives that are productive and independent. They will be prepared to work at every grade and developmental level, and in a public school system.

The program includes instruction in the subject matter content standards specified by the Education Standards Commission and the Educator Accomplished Practices to meet Florida requirements. Program graduates are required to demonstrate the Educator Accomplished Practices and Subject Area Competencies by passing all state certification exams.

The program integrates a clinical field experience project in the main focus of each education course. Students are required to demonstrate mastery of the clinical experience in a school setting. The curriculum integrates instructional practices in understanding the reading process, beginning reading and instruction, assessment, problem identification, and prescription and teaching reading across the content areas for primary and intermediate grades. It also integrates instructional requirements in Florida in the areas of classroom management, school safety, professional ethics, and educational law.

The program Bachelor of Arts in Education: Major in Special Education, emphasizes communication and cooperation which are essential skills for special education because special education teachers spend ample time interacting with others, including students, parents, and school faculty and administrators.

The program also integrates instructional requirements in Florida in the areas of classroom management, school safety, professional ethics, and educational law. Students develop application skills to evaluate understanding of the content measured to meet state achievement tests, reading, data interpretation, and using data to improve student achievement.

All education programs integrate ESOL standards and performance indicators as required in the State of Florida.

The program supports the belief that as schools become more inclusive, special education teachers and general education teachers must work together in general education classrooms. Special education teachers also help general educators adapt curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with disabilities. They also assist to develop the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student and participate in Response to Intervention (RtI) meetings. They coordinate the work of teachers, teacher assistants, and related personnel, such as therapists and social workers, to meet the individualized needs of the student within inclusive special education programs.

In addition, special education teachers need to coordinate their work with parents, and often with medical and psychological consultants, to ensure that students receive proper support both inside and outside the classroom. Students must successfully complete an internship before completion of the program.

IThe practicum in teaching lasts 12 weeks providing students with field experiences to demonstrate mastery of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices in a school setting during the regular school year. Students must make arrangements to comply with the internship requirements during a regular school day schedule. The internship experience is in English only. Students must demonstrate English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The student must refer to the Internship Handbook available from the Academic Director for specific requirements and procedures.

In addition to the General Education courses, every student in the program must complete professional and major courses in the following areas:

1. Teacher preparation in Special Education
2. Assistive Technology and other Resources in Special Education
3. Learning Disabilities
4. Nature, needs, and behavior modification for the Special Ed Student with Attention Deficit Disorder
5. Nature, needs, and behavior modification in the Gifted Student Ed
6. Integration of the Fine Arts in Special Education
7. Methodology, adaptations, and accommodations for the Special Ed Student in Science and Mathematics Teaching at the Elementary Level
8. Methodology, adaptations, and accommodations for the Special Ed Student in Science and Mathematics Teaching at the Secondary Level
9. Language development and the reading-writing processes in the Special Ed Student I
10. Language development and the reading-writing processes in the Special Ed Student II
11. Curricular foundations for Special Education
12. Evaluation and assessment in students with Special Needs
13. Brain and learning
14. Teaching practicum in Special Education
15. Assessment requirements in Florida for Special Ed Students

Courses and experiences include instruction, observation, and practice and competency demonstration in the following state mandated areas:

1. Instructional strategies that address various learning styles, exceptionalities, and achievement levels.
2. Assessment of student learning
3. Appropriate use of technology in instruction and record keeping.
4. Teaching strategies for the instruction of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students which meet the requirements set forth in the ESOL Consent Decree of 1990 for instructional personnel who teach LEP students in Florida.

To be fully certified in the State of Florida, all education students must achieve a passing score on the professional knowledge and subject area tests, as appropriate. Students must also demonstrate proficiency of the Educator Accomplished Practices at the professional level.

Program Objectives:

1. To support the development of concepts and capacities necessary for pre-service teachers and incumbent teachers who are interested in professional development in special education.
2. To strengthen and broaden this program by making it available during the day, at night and on Saturdays.
3. To offer students professional and personal assistance orientations, support, and guidance, throughout their program.
4. To provide education, training, and retraining through high quality certification at different academic levels.
5. To increase program demand through mass media advertising.
6. To broaden students’ knowledge, basic skills, and necessary attitudes, so they may become competitive dual language professionals by providing them with access to quality training and retraining on different academic levels.
7. To integrate clinical field experience into the program by providing seminars, a pre-practicum, and a practicum that support special education and its related areas by developing values of citizenship and community service in Florida.
8. To ensure a high-quality academic offering to special education students through effective evaluation methods, self-evaluation tools, and ongoing assessment.
9. To keep teaching practices current through the latest advances in technology.
10. To provide students with varied instructional resources and professional development in a collaborative learning community.
11. To effectively and efficiently strengthen the structure, organization, and procedures necessary to assist active and prospective students.

Education Program Internship Requirements:

All students seeking an education degree must achieve a passing score on the Florida State Teacher Exam (Basic General Knowledge Test) before initiating the internship experience at a public school setting. The student must provide evidence of the passing score on the Florida State Teacher Exam as part of the course passing grade of the last internship seminar course. If a student does not pass the required Florida State Exam, he/she will have to repeat the course. Additionally, before seeking a teaching position, graduates must comply with all Florida State Certification requirements.