Special Education Courses (SPE)
Collaborative Teacher
SPE 3301 - Advanced Topics in Disabilities (3)
The course provides special education teacher candidates with a deeper understanding of the process in referring, testing, and identifying students with disabilities. Teacher candidates will learn and demonstrate how to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for qualifying students. Special Education teacher candidates will demonstrate data-based decision making concerning Least Restrictive Environments, minutes of service, appropriate accommodations, modifications, and curricular adjustments
SPE 3302 - Introduction to Moderate/Severe Disabilities (3)
This course presents an overview of the social, emotional, physical, and learning characteristics of children and youth with moderate and severe disabilities. Emphasis is placed on information regarding the definition, prevalence, and etiology of moderate and severe disabilities as well as information pertaining to the classification, assessment, placement, instruction, and programming needs and services for individuals with moderate and severe disabilities. Prerequisite: admission to TEP.
SPE 3303 - Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities (6-12) (3)
This methods course for prospective special-ed 6-12 collaborative teachers emphasizes methods and materials for adolescents with mild disabilities and provides a cross-category focus. Moreover, methods such as cognitive learning strategies are examined in depth. Prerequisites: SPE 3349 and admission to TEP.
SPE 3304 - Teaching Students with Moderate/Severe Disabilities (6-12) (3)
This course emphasizes a variety of educational strategies for secondary students with moderate and severe disabilities. Special emphasis is placed on the post-secondary adjustment of students with complex needs. Prerequisites: SPE 3302 and admission to TEP.
SPE 3305 - Vocation and Transition Planning for Secondary Students with Disabilities (3)
This course emphasizes authentic, evidence鈥揵ased practices related to vocation and transitional services a student with special education services will receive in the secondary school setting. Special education teacher candidates will learn to understand and explain the laws surrounding the requirements of transition planning within the IEP, along with writing vocation and transitional goals. Teacher candidates will demonstrate how to work with state vocational rehabilitation services, families, appropriate additional personnel, and the community. Prerequisites: SPE 3303, 3304, 3340, and admission to TEP.
SPE 3306 - Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities (3)
The course requires special education teacher candidates to learn about and demonstrate proficiency with specifically designed instruction for students with high incidence disabilities. Teacher candidates will demonstrate skills in writing specifically designed instruction specific to supporting IEP goals. The teacher candidates will then identify and develop key components of a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) to support behavior struggles with identified students. The course must be completed with a special education field experience. Prerequisite: Admission into TEP
SPE 3307 - Strategies Instruction (3)
This course bridges the gap between research and practice and extends knowledge of specific methods for teaching students K-6 with mild disabilities. The premise of this course is that strategic learning is critical for many students with mild disabilities in order that they may achieve academic success and function at the level of their potential. Prerequisite: admission to TEP.
SPE 3309 - Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities (3)
The course requires special education teacher candidates to demonstrate competence in the understanding and application of evidence-based, specifically designed instruction (SDI) for students with low incidence disabilities. Teacher candidates will engage with and demonstrate the use of augmentative communication devices to support communication and academic language skills. Special education teacher candidates will learn to teach and support socially-normed social behavior. The class also focuses on community-based instruction, which promotes generalization. Many students with Low Incidence Disabilities require medication support and teacher candidates will learn to identify and support medically fragile students. Teacher candidates will also acquire skills in planning and learning supports for paraprofessionals. Prerequisite: admission to TEP.
SPE 3340 - Diverse Learners (3)
The course provides general and special education teacher candidates with an overview of exceptional students found within current general and special education classrooms. Examples of exceptional students are 1) receiving services through IDEA, 2) identified as at-risk for academic and/or behavioral failure, 3) outside of the social majority, or 4) struggling with social and emotional risk factors. The class introduces teacher candidates to key terminology and procedures in IDEA and Civil Rights Laws.
SPE 3362 - Policies and Procedures in Special Education (3)
This course is an advanced undergraduate course for prospective special education collaborative teachers K-6. This course outlines the legal responsibilities and role of the special education teacher in the procedures and services of special education. The assessment/program planning program is emphasized. Prerequisite: admission to TEP.
SPE 4407 - Inclusive Strategies (3)
The course teaches skills required for the creation of lessons using universal design, differentiated instruction, and specifically designed instruction. Teacher candidates also take an in-depth look into collaborative, co-teaching practices between special and general education teacher candidates. Teacher candidates will demonstrate their understanding of writing co-taught lesson plans based on their field experience. To support collaborative success, teacher candidates will learn and practice conflict resolution skills. Prerequisite: Admission to TEP.
SPE 4445 - Educational Evaluation of Exceptional Children (3)
This course is designed to provide the pre-service teacher with knowledge and skills in the selections, evaluation, administration, scoring and interpretation of standardized instruments in the areas of academic achievement , diagnostic tests, adaptive behavior, and behavior rating scales. Students will demonstrate the utilization of test results for the development of an individualized education plan, individualized family service plan, and learning outcomes for the general education classroom. Prerequisite: admission to TEP.
SPE 4454 - Internship Seminar (3)
The course supports teacher candidates (K-6 and 6-12) as they engage in teacher preparation assessment, which can be evaluated either at the national or state level. Teacher candidates also, participate in interview readiness, job searches, and application for an Alabama Teaching License. Classroom management, internship, and other beginning teacher topics will be discussed in the class. Co-requisite: SPE 4465 or SPE 4474
SPE 4465 - Collaborative Teacher (6-12) Internship (9)
The Professional Internship Program is the culminating clinical field-based experience for students seeking certification in grades 6-12 Special Education/Collaborative teaching field. The Professional Internship Program provides the teacher candidate with the opportunity to leader large and/or small group instruction while assuming the role of the lead teacher. Teacher candidates, while leading, receive coaching and supervision from the mentor teacher and university supervisor. The period of supervision lasts for one full semester. The teacher candidate must demonstrate skills in relationship to national, state, and local standards. Prerequisite: Completion of all TEP required classes Co-requisite: SPE 4454
SPE 4474 - Collaborative Teacher K-6 Internship (9)
The Professional Internship Program is the culminating clinical field-based experience for students seeking certification in the K-6 Special Education/Collaborative teaching field. The Professional Internship Program provides the teacher candidate with the opportunity to leader large and/or small group instruction while assuming the role of the lead teacher. Teacher candidates, while leading, receive coaching and supervision from the mentor teacher and university supervisor. The period of supervision lasts for one full semester. The teacher candidate must demonstrate skills in relationship to national, state, and local standards. Prerequisite: Completion of all TEP required classes Co-requisite: SPE 4454
SPE 4491-92 - Guided Independent Research (1 to 3 credit hours)
Undergraduate research with attention to critical evaluation of research techniques, methods and procedures. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, permission of guiding professor, approval of department chair or dean. A written request is to be submitted to the department chair at least two weeks in advance of the term in which study is to be undertaken. May not be used to repeat a course for which a grade of D or below has been earned. Application forms are available in the Office of University Records. Guided independent research may be taken only in the applicant's major or minor field. Also see index for 鈥淚ndependent Study and Research.鈥�.
SPE 4493-94 - Guided Independent Study (1 to 3 credit hours)
Supervised study through field or laboratory projects, guided readings, creative endeavors or achievement of specific skills. Prerequisites: Junior or senior status, permission of guiding professor, approval of department chair and the dean. A written request is to be submitted to the department chair at least two weeks in advance of the term in which study is to be undertaken. May not be used to repeat a course for which a grade of D or below has been earned. Also see index for 鈥淚ndependent Study and Research.鈥�.