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EDSP 434: Community and Family Integration for the Transition of Students with Disabilities

Fall 2016

3 credits

Online- Webcampus

Instructor: Debbi Thiel, Masters of Science, Education

Email:Webcampus

Phone: 775-738-2911 (home)

Office hours: By appointment

Catalog Description

The purpose of the course is to provide students with the understanding of theory, principles, procedures, and legal requirements for working toward collaborative partnerships among families, professionals, students, and other stakeholders to meet the transitional needs of the individual student with a disability. The course also focuses on the importance of parent involvement with the individual student. Prerequisite: Must have taken EDSP 301.

Course Description

EDSP 434 is about working with families with children with disabilities and the transition of individuals with disabilities into adult life. This course is designed for special educators who are working on an endorsement in special education or on the options program. This course meets two of Nevada’s requirements for licensure: family involvement and transition. This course looks in depth on how to collaborate and communicate effectively with families who have children with disabilities. Strategies will be included on how practices reflect on real-life classrooms and situations. Secondly the class takes a practical view on how to transition students with disabilities into adult life. First we will look at the assessment to prepare for transition. This will include assessing what the student wants, what options are viable for the student, and what resources are available. Next we will work on developing transition plans and executing them. Finally we will discuss how to develop a transitioning program in your school.

By the time you complete this course, you will have developed strategies to effectively communicate and collaborate with families, understand the laws and guidelines that pertain to transitioning, be able to assess an individual and an environment for transitioning possibilities, be able to write a transition plan, and know how to implement the transition plan. We will conclude with different approaches to developing a transition program in your school.

Required Textbooks

Hughes, C. & Crater, E.W. (2012). The New transition handbook: Strategies high school teachers use that

work. Baltimore, MD: Brooks ISBN: 978-1-59857-199-8

Sileo, N.M. & Prater, M.A. (2012). Working with families of Children with Special Needs. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson ISBN: 978-0-13-71470-3

Recommended Textbook:

Wehman, P. (2011). Essentials of transition planning. Baltimore, MD: Brooks ISBN: 978-1-59857-098-4

Methods of Instruction

The student starts his or her study in this course from Webcampus, which is the course delivery platform that is accessed from the GBC Home Page at www.gbcnv.edu. All assignments, discussions, and assessments are due at midnight.

Assigned Readings

For each module, there are assigned readings posted in the agenda. These readings will come from the textbooks for the course, from articles obtained from the Web, or from outside readings.

Measurement of Learning Outcomes:

Discussions(30% of final grade)

For each module there will be discussions. In order to get proper credit for this part of the course, students must post their initial discussions by the given time and then respond to TWO people in your assigned group by the deadline. Response will be assessed for ability to extend thinking of students in the course. A posting such as, “I agree” does not create a learning, collaborative situation.

Written Assignments(30% of final grade)

The formal written assignments for the course are of varying types. Formal grammar and Standard English is expected at all times. Conventions of writing will be included on the rubrics.

Midterm (10% of final grade)

The midterm will be based upon the first module of working with families. This open bookexam will consist of multiple-choice, true/false, and short answer questions.

Summative Project- (10% of final grade due at end of midterm week)

The summative project will be a resource manual, which you will create, for parents of children with disabilities. This manual will be useful for your current teaching situation OR future teaching plans as well as benefit the student and his/her family as they prepare for transition.

Final (10% of final grade)

The final will be based upon the second module, which will be an open book extended essay on transition.

Cumulative Project – (10% of final grade due at end of finals week)

The cumulative project will be a case study about a student and the community in which you live. You will develop the assessments to determine what is needed and what is available. You will also write an IEP with an individual transition plan.

Learning Outcomes

Module One: Working With FamiliesInTASC Standards 1, 2, 3, 9, 10

1. Explain the historical and legal foundations for family involvement in special education, including IDEA, FERPA, and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. InTASC Standard 1

2. Describe current perspectives and models of parental involvement and advocacy for their child.InTASC Standards 1, 2

3. Demonstrate understanding of the purposes and benefits of collaboration as well as strategies for effective communication and collaboration.InTASC Standards 9, 10

4. Understand how the demographics and personal values of the U.S. population are changing and how this impacts special education.InTASC Standard 2

5. Discuss multicultural considerations when working with families and strategies for working with diverse students and families. InTASC Standards 2, 9

6. Understand the IEP process and its role in communicating and collaborating with families and special education students. InTASC Standards 1, 2, 3

7. Discuss the components of an Individual Family Service Plan.InTASC Standard 1.

Summative Project: Resource ManualInTASC Standard 3,

1. Explore the resources in the state for families of children with disabilities.

2. Explore the resources in your community for families of children with disabilities.

Module Two: Transitioning Students with DisabilitiesInTASC Standards 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

1. Understand the importance of transition.InTASC Standards 2, 3, 9, 10

2. Develop a summary of performance.InTASC Standards 2, 3, 6,

3. Develop individual support plans.InTASC Standards 2, 3, 6, 7, 8,

4. Discuss how to actively involve the student and the family in the transition process. InTASC Standards 2, 9, 10

5. Discuss how to collaborate to promote opportunities for self-determination in daily life.InTASC Standards 1, 2, 10

6. Investigate how to teach social interaction skills, functional skills, and skills that promote employment success.InTASC Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 8

Cumulative Project: IEP with a transition planInTASC Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

1. How to initiate the transition plan

2. How to write an individualized education plan with an individualized transition plan

3. Write the PWNs, SCOPE, IEP, and a Transition Plan.

Course Expectations

  • Grades for written assignment are based on both content and mechanics.
  • Use proper grammar, mechanics, and conventions in ALL correspondence (including informal emails and discussion board postings).
  • All assignments are due at midnight on the due date. Late assignments will not be accepted except by special prior arrangements.

Grading

Assignments / % of total grade
Assignments / 30 %
Discussions / 30 %
Mod 1 Exam 10%, Mod 2 Exam 10%, IEP with ITP Case Study 10%, Resource Manual 10% / 40 %
TOTAL / 100%

Letter Grades

A = 93-100%

A- = 90-92%

B+ = 88-89%

B = 83-87%

B- = 80-82%

C+ = 78-79%

C = 73-77%

C- = 70-72%

D+ = 68-69%

D = 63-67%

D- = 60-62%

Policy of Academic Integrity

GBC subscribes to the traditional policy of academic integrity: students are expected to be honest. Students are expected to do their own work. Students who plagiarize or commit academic dishonesty are violating the standards of academic integrity and are subject to consequences ranging from failing the assignment or course to dismissal from the institution.

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s word, ideas or data as one’s own. When a student submits work that includes the words, ideas, or data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific references; and if verbatim statements are included, through quotation marks as well. In academically honest writing or speaking, the students will acknowledge the source whenever:

  • Another person’s actual words are quoted
  • Another person’s idea, opinion or theory is used, even if it is completely paraphrased in the student’s own words
  • Facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials are borrowed, unless the information is common knowledge.

Accommodations

Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Julie G. Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services. For more information or further assistance, please call 775.753.2271.