Teachers of Students with

Moderate Disabilities Program

Initial License

Pre-K – 8

5 – 12

Professional License

Pre-K – 8

5 – 12

Respectfully Submitted

Mary L. Garrity, Ed.D

Program Chair

Program Handbook

Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities

(PreK -8/ 5 – 12)

Initial and Professional Licensure and Non-Licensure

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Masters. Certificate and MA Licensure

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approves the Initial and Professional licensure program of the Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities program, both licensure and non-licensure. Completion of courses and requirements earns a Master of Education degree.

While the Master of Education degree, Initial Licensure program, is 45 credits, the Professional program is 36. Both are available as non-licensure.

The Cambridge College School of Education Licensure Office maintains copies of all program handbooks, and the Research and Evaluation Office archives them. Cambridge College reserves the right to alter the program to prepare students to meet changing requirements for Massachusetts’ licensure.

In collaboration with Evergreen Center and Beacon Management, Cambridge College offers master’s and certificate programs for those aspiring to be behavior analysts.

Students access the electronic version of licensure program handbooks at the Student Services12 webpage < and click on the Handbooks link.

Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities

Table of Contents

Mission Statement: School of Education …………………………………………………………… 5

Teachers of Students with Moderate Disabilities -- Philosophy …...…………...……….. 6

National and State Goals and Initiatives ……………………………………………………………. 8

General Guidelines and Overview …………………………………………………………………….. 8

Assessment …………...…………………………………………………………………………………………. 9

Academic Content Guidelines ……………………………………………………………… …………. 9

CEC Standards For All Beginning Special Education Teachers ………………….9

State ……………………………………………………………………………………….....………… 12

Diverse Learning Structures ……………………………………………………………………………. 12

Rationale and Objectives ………………………………………………………………………………… 12

What Special Education Teachers Do ……………………………………………………………… 12

Duties …………………………………………………….……………………………………...……. 12

Job Outlook …………………………………………....……………………………………...... 14

Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers ………………………………………… 15

Admission to the Program ………………………………………………………………………….……. 17

Advisement and Retention ……………………………………………………………………………….19

Licensure ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20

Completion Criteria ………………………………………….……………………………………………… 21

Master of Education Degree: Initial License ……………………………………………………… 22

Special Education Course Requirements ……………………………………………………………23

Prerequisites to Practicum …………………………………………………………………………… 23

Suggestions for Course Completions ……………………………………………………………...25

Suggested ProgramSequence Leading to an Initial License ……………………………. 26

Professional License…………………………………………………………………………………… 28

Admission to the Program ……. ………………………………………………………..………...….. 29

Program Chart – Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities Professional License…………………………………………………………………………………………….……………. 32

Course Descriptions………………………………………………………………………….…………… 33

Mission Statement: School of Education

The School of Education provides educators with the knowledge, skills, and values to excel academically and professionally. Each program offers students a blend of theory and practice. Experienced faculty model what they teach. Consequently, educators become agents of change in their schools, as well as local and global communities.

The Core Values of the School of Education are:

  • Academic Excellence
  • Innovation in Curriculum and Teaching Strategies
  • Diversity
  • Social Justice
  • Honesty and Integrity
  • Building Community

Cambridge College fosters diversity, meaning students from different backgrounds support each other through collaborative learning that respects their needs, values, prior learning, and life experiences. The College's innovative, adult-­‐centered learning model links theory to practice so that students acquire the academic credentials to become competent, caring, and qualified educators.

Teachers of Students with Moderate Disabilities

The Special Education programs at Cambridge College prepare students to meet the challenges of working with students with disabilities in schools or community. Our graduates demonstrate professionalism and proficiency in the standards established for teachers in the Commonwealth as well as those standards for special educators outlined by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). They understand and practice these standards incorporated in the following CEC standards:

  1. Foundations of philosophy and knowledge
  2. Development and Characteristics of Learners
  3. Understanding of Individual Learning Differences
  4. Instructional Strategies
  5. Learning Environments and Social Interactions
  6. Language
  7. Instructional Planning
  8. Assessment
  9. Professional and Ethical practices
  10. Collaboration

Our students use the CEC Standards as the foundation of their professional lives. They learn to plan instruction develop assessments,and incorporate the curriculum as they learn the professional behaviors necessary for success in the field.

The teacher training standards that constitute the foundation for the Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities program are based on the Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers, the Massachusetts Regulations for licensure (603 CMR 7.06 (25) Regulations for Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval)as well as standards established by CEC.

Students demonstrate proficiency by

  • achieving a passing score in the Massachusetts Test for Educator License (MTEL) requirements;
  • demonstrating an understanding of License Specific Questions, and
  • using the CEC Standards and the Common Core and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks to
  • integrate curriculum,
  • planinstruction and
  • designassessment.

Students who complete the program earn a Master of Education Degree and are endorsed for licensure as a teacher of Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities in either Pre K – 8 or Grades 5 – 12.

Sheltered English Instruction (SEI).

In addition, those students graduating after June, 2014 must have an endorsement verifying they have completed training in Sheltered English Instruction (SEI).

Beginning July 1, 2014, to qualify for an Initial License as a PreK-12 teacher of a core academic subject, you must also qualify for a new SEI (Sheltered English Instruction) Endorsement. (Core academic subjects are elementary, early childhood, reading, mathematics, science, and special education.)

Who must qualify for the SEI Endorsement?

Every core academic educator with even1 ELL must have the SEI Endorsement. This includes current teachers of ELLs, AND students who are candidates for licensure. (Note: The administrator who evaluates your performance also needs an SEI Endorsement.)

Am I affected? Yes. (This affectsall Massachusetts colleges and universities.)

3 Ways to Qualify for the SEI Endorsement!

  1. Hold an ESL or ELL license, or approved graduate courses in linguistics, teaching ESL, etc.
  2. Complete a state-approved SEI Endorsement Course (in your CC licensure program, or in a district.
  3. Pass a new SEI MTEL that is now being developed for Spring 2014.

What do I need to do?

You willpass the SEI Endorsement course at Cambridge College, as part of your program (elementary, early childhood, reading, mathematics, science, & special education).

If you are a candidate for ESL licensure…

…completing the ESL licensure program will make you automatically eligible for the SEI Endorsement. You will apply simultaneously for both the ESL License and the SEI Endorsement.

Philosophy

In 1975, Congress passed Public Law 94-142 (Education of All Handicapped Children Act), now codified as IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). In order to receive federal funds, states must develop and implement policies that assure a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all children with disabilities. ( Before the passage of this landmark legislation, students with disabilities were educated in a manner that was often custodial in nature, in halls, closets, anywhere but classrooms with their peers. In addition, students with disabilities were often institutionalized or were expected to stay home, not considered capable of benefiting from an education.

But with the passage of this and subsequent laws, the number of students identified as having a disability and thus eligible for special education services has grown exponentially. With the increase in numbers of students comes the increase in the types of disabilities. Students no longer have just academic needs, but may also have behavioral and physical diagnoses that make learning that much more difficult. As an example, in Massachusetts alone, there has been a 66% increase in the number of students diagnosed with autism since 2006, 59% with serious health problems, and 35% increase in neurological disorders. (Marcus, 2011) With that growth comes the need to have teachers prepared to educate these students to their maximum level.

To become teachers of students with moderate disabilities and effectively teach and support students with all kinds of disabilities, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in state and national standards, an understanding of how children and adolescents learn and know how to correctly assess that knowledge. They must be able to model best practices and support their students in inclusive models in a positive encouraging manner. In keeping with the most recent research, (Hehir, 2012) graduates of this program have learned through their courses that their students will learn best when educated with their non-disabled peers. They learn how to correctly identify disabilities, apply positive methods of discipline and effectively support all students in inclusive settings. They learn the best way to support students in inclusive classes is to work cooperatively with general education teachers.

Throughout their program at Cambridge College, graduate students learn from practitioners as to what really is effective in the classroom. They learn how to apply the best learning strategies they can then pass on to their own students.

National and State Goals and Initiatives

Massachusetts has always been in the forefront of legislation for special education. Chapter 766, the Massachusetts law governing special education was passed in 1973. Its regulations governing the preparation of special educators are consistent with CEC standards.

Thomas Hehir (2012) in his study found that students diagnosed with high incidence disabilities assigned to inclusion classes with their non-disabled peers did significantly better in state mandated tests than students in substantially separate classes. The study also noted thatthere was a disproportionate number of low-income African American and Latino students in substantially separate programs no matter what the socio-economic condition of the community. The professors at Cambridge College are practitioners who combine their experience with the skills necessary to prepare their students to be advocates for their own students and model examples of best practices. Our graduates have the skills to evaluate correctly and effectively instruct their own students in inclusive settings. Classes emphasize the need to work with parents, general education teachers other members of the school community. Cambridge College students learn early on, the importance of being members of a team who are all united with the same purpose and integrity. They are also very aware the need for effective transition services at all levels.

General Guidelines and Overview

Program Goals

The Teachers of Students with Moderate Disabilities program trains students to become proficient in the national standards of the Council for Exceptional Children and the Professional Standards for Teachers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and License Specific Evaluation Questions.

Students learn special education content, base assessment and instruction on student need, model effective practices, and design curriculum.

At the completion of the program, students are competent, caring special education professionals prepared to teach students with special needsof all levels, and abilities, including also those students who are English language learners, and those from diverse backgrounds.

Assessment

Since the Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities program is grounded in the national and state standards, each syllabus and corresponding assessments reflect them.

Various assessments for each course determine whether the student reached proficiency in those standards. Each course contains a Key Assessment that draws from the national and state standards. It is complex and scholarly.

Through the professional seminar, students plan, research, and develop a professionally written Independent Learning Project (ILP) that is relevant to the field and of high academic quality.

During the final semester of the program, licensure students complete a practicum. The college utilizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Pre-Service Performance Assessment during the lesson observations. Satisfactory completion results in an endorsement for licensure. Graduating students who complete all courses and requirements earn a Master of Education Degree

Academic Content Guidelines

CEC Standards For All Beginning Special EducationTeachers

Standard 1: Foundations
Knowledge:

  1. Historical and philosophical foundations of services for young children both with and without exceptional learning needs.
  2. Trends and issues in early childhood education and early childhood special education.

Standard 2: Development and characteristics of learners
Knowledge:

  • Theories of typical and atypical early childhood development.
  • Effect of biological and environmental factors on pre-, peri-, and post-natal development.
  • Influence of stress and trauma, protective factors and resilience, and supportive relationships on the social and emotional development of young children.
  • Significance of sociocultural and political contexts for the development and learning of young children who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
  • Impact of medical conditions on family concerns, resources, and priorities.
  • Childhood illnesses and communicable diseases

Standard 3: Individual learning differences
Skills: Use intervention strategies with young children and their families that affirm and respect family, cultural, and linguistic diversity.

Standard 4: Instructional strategies
Knowledge: None in addition to Common Core
Skills:

  • Use instructional practices based on knowledge of the child, family, community, and the curriculum.
  • Use knowledge of future educational settings to develop learning experiences and select instructional strategies for young children.
  • Prepare young children for successful transitions.

Standard 5: Learning environments/social interactions
Knowledge:

  • Medical care considerations for premature, low-birth-weight, and other young children with medical and health conditions.

Skills:

  • Implement nutrition plans and feeding strategies.
  • Use health appraisal procedures and make referrals as needed.
  • Design, implement, and evaluate environments to assure developmental and functional appropriateness.
  • Provide a stimuli-rich indoor and outdoor environment that employs materials, media, and technology, including adaptive and assistive technology.
  • Maximize young children's progress in group and home settings through organization of the physical, temporal, and social environments.

Standard 6: Language
Knowledge: None in addition to Common Core
Skills:

  • Support and facilitate family and child interactions as primary contexts for learning and development.

Standard 7: Instructional planning
Knowledge: None in addition to Common Core
Skills:

  • Implement, monitor and evaluate individualized family service plans and individualized education plans.
  • Plan and implement developmentally and individually appropriate curriculum.
  • Design intervention strategies incorporating information from multiple disciplines.
  • Implement developmentally and functionally appropriate individual and group activities including play, environmental routines, parent-mediated activities, group projects, cooperative learning, inquiry experiences, and systematic instruction.

Standard 8: Assessment
Knowledge: None in addition to Common Core.

Skills:

  • Assess the development and learning of young children.
  • Select, adapt and use specialized formal and informal assessments for infants, young children and their families.
  • Participate as a team member to integrate assessment results in the development and implementation of individualized family service plans and individualized education plans.
  • Assist families in identifying their concerns, resources, and priorities.
  • Participate and collaborate as a team member with other professionals in conducting family-centered assessments.
  • Evaluate services with families.

Standard 9: Professional and ethical practice
Knowledge:

  • Organizations and publications relevant to the field of early childhood special education.

Skills:

  • Recognize signs of child abuse and neglect in young children and follow reporting procedures.
  • Use family theories and principles to guide professional practice.
  • Respect family choices and goals.
  • Apply models of team process in early childhood.
  • Advocate for enhanced professional status and working conditions for early childhood service providers.
  • Participate in activities of professional organizations relevant to the field of early childhood special education.
  • Apply research and effective practices critically in early childhood settings.
  • Develop, implement and evaluate a professional development plan relevant to one's work with young children.

Standard 10: Collaboration
Knowledge:

  • Dynamics of team-building, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.

Skills:

  • Assist the family in planning for transitions.
  • Communicate effectively with families about curriculum and their child's progress.
  • Apply models of team process in early childhood settings.
  • Apply various models of consultation in early childhood settings.
  • Establish and maintain positive collaborative relationships with families.
  • Provide consultation and instruction specific to services for children and families

State

Massachusetts Curriculum Framework Content Areas and the Common Core are the basis of your teaching. In addition you are guided by the Massachusetts Standards for Teachers.

Diverse Learning Structures

In each of the classes, students in the Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities will study not only how child’s disability may affect his or her learning, but also the socio-economic and ESL factors that may impact school performance. In addition, 75 hours of field experiences assigned within courses will add to the understanding of their students.

Rationale and Objectives

The Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities program at Cambridge College leads to a Massachusetts Initial or Professional License in either PreK – 8 or 5 - 12. (A non-license option is also available.) The college awards a Master of Education degree upon completion of all requirements.

Cambridge College operates on a trimester system, and students may enter in any one. Our flexible program meets the needs of part or full time students because we schedule all courses in the late afternoon, evening, or weekends to accommodate students working in the field or pursuing clinical training during the day.