We Develop Educational Leaders Who Create Tomorrow's Opportunities

College of Education

Vision Statement

We develop educational leaders who create tomorrow's opportunities.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to prepare competent and committed professionals who will make positive differences for children, young adults, and others in schools.

ESE 380

Introduction to Exceptional Children

Department of Educational Specialties

Fall 2009

General Information:

• Credit Hours: 3 credit hours
• Instructor’s name: Chris Lanterman
• Office address:College of Education, 202-M
• Office hours:M, W: 12:00-1:45; T: 4:00-5:00and by appointment
• Office Phone Number:928-523-3575

• Office E-Mail:
• Instructor’s Website:

• Course Evaluations:

“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.”

M. Forbes

Course Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to this class. Special education majors and non-majors are welcome.

Your Instructional Needs:

If you anticipate not being able to participate or effectively demonstrate learning in this class due to the instructional format or design of the class, please meet with me to discuss options or adjustments.

Course Description:

This course will provide you with the philosophy and psychology of teaching exceptional children along with an overview of educational practices. It is my hope that you will develop skills for recognizing and effectively teaching all students. This class is taught with the underlying belief that:

Content + Process + Product = Learning Experience

This course meets one of the Arizona Department of Education requirements for special education certification. It is a basic overview/survey of all areas and categories of special education. The purpose is to provide an introduction to students with exceptionalities for those who have little to no background in special education, and will help in preparing for the special education component of the Arizona Educators’ Proficiency Assessment (AEPA) and address CEC Initial Preparation Standards. Due to the scope of this course, the depth into which each category of disability is investigated will be limited. In addition, the pace of the course is rigorous, in order to discuss each of the disability categories covered under the IDEA. Classroom interventions are discussed in the text, but are covered in detail in ESE 450 (Methods in Special Education) and ESE 426 (Foundations/Methods in Secondary Special Education). Thus, the focus of this class will not be methodologies. Classroom Management will be covered in depth in ESE425.

I welcome you to class and look forward to our shared learning experience.

Student Learning Expectations/ Outcomes for this Course:

Arizona Professional Teacher Standards:

Standard 1: Designs and Plans Instruction

Standard 3: Implements and Manages Instruction

Standard 5: Collaborates with Colleagues, Parents, the Community, and other Agencies to Design, Implement, and Support Learning

Standard 8: Demonstrates Current Professional Knowledge

Standard 9: In collaboration with other professionals and parents, the special education teacher participates in the design, implementation, and assessment of individualized education programs

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards for Beginning Teachers:

(For more information,

Standard 1: Foundations

Standard 2: Development and Characteristics of Learners

Standard 3: Individual Learning Differences

Standard 7: Instructional Planning

Standard 10: Collaboration

College of Education Candidate Dispositions

Candidates demonstrate their role as self-confident professionals in a democratic enterprise.

Candidates demonstrate a disposition of openness to cultures other that their own, to new ideas, and to the role of ongoing professional inquiry and self reflection.

Candidates demonstrate professional ethics and professional judgment.

Candidates demonstrate empathic perspectives in their relations with those they serve.

Course Structure:

This class is taught with the underlying belief that:

Content + Process + Product = Learning Experience

This course will be taught using a mixture of lecture, discussion, case study reviews, impromptu presentations, formal presentations, guest speakers, films and small group activities. Class participation is required. Course readings will be assigned to supplement class activities. Please complete each assignment and reading prior to the scheduled class meeting. You will also develop and conduct an interview and an observation within an educational setting. It is my hope that you will begin to recognize special education is a service and an integral component of a child’s educational experience, rather than the child’s complete educational experience.

An overarching perspective of this course is the child as an individual rather than the child as their disability.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of our professional education unit, C.O.E., states that effective educators must have strong content background, professional competence, and dispositions to be confident, open-minded, ethical and empathic. These dispositions are developed through programs grounded in appropriate methodologies identified in the literature. Our philosophy calls us to hold high expectations for all candidates, our colleagues, and ourselves; to embody active respect for our colleagues and those we serve; and to provide the tenacious support needed for all to succeed.

Appropriate dress is requested. You are a professional, please come to class dressed accordingly.

It is also expected that cell phones and pagers be turned off during class meetings, as they are disruptive to the academic and learning environment. Please do not leave cell phones on desk tops, “if it buzzes, vibrates, rings, you will sing”

Please come to class on time, if not before.

For a three credit course, this suggests, at the least, six hours of work outside of class per week.

Attendance is mandatory.

Candidates demonstrate their role as self-confident professionals in a democratic enterprise.

 Candidates demonstrate a disposition of openness to cultures other that their own, to new ideas, and to the role of ongoing professional inquiry and self reflection.

Candidates demonstrate professional ethics and professional judgment.

Candidates demonstrate empathic perspectives in their relations with those they serve.

Readings and Materials:

Required Textbooks: Taylor, R. L., Smiley, L., & Richards, S. B. (2009). Exceptional students: Preparing teachers for the 21st century. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill

ISBN: 10:0072866373 / 13:9780072866377

In addition, the text is available as an electronic subscription through CourseSmart.com.

eText ISBN-10: 0-07-726732-X

eText ISBN-13: 978-0-07-726732-2

The price is $64.75 for a 180-day subscription and access. You can access the text directly online with your subscription.

From the website...

“CourseSmart brings together thousands of textbooks across hundreds of courses in an ebook format on a common platform. In doing so we provide a number

of unique benefits to instructors, students, partners and institutions. For students, CourseSmart provides a reliable cost-saving alternative. Publishers who provide content to CourseSmart establish their own eTextbook prices

that are typically well below new or used print prices. Buying eTextbooks guarantees the student a cost savings without having to hope for money back reselling

the book at the end of the semester. For many students, the value of CourseSmart is in the web functionality. Search, instant access, note taking, and a lighter backpack are some of the benefits.”

For more information, or to subscribe to the Course Smart eTextbook, visit

• The McGraw Hill Company also provides online support for the Taylor, Smiley, and Richards text. This site includes:
• Chapter Outline,
• Chapter Summary,
• Summary Checklist,
• Key Terms,
• Flashcards,
• Videos,
• Web Links, and
• Practice quizzes
  This site can be accessed at:

• Scantron Answer Sheet

for all tests unless otherwise announced

VISTA

• There is a course shell for this course in Web Vista (). It is my intention to use the shell ONLY to post course materials for your access. All email communication will be conducted through regular email.

Course Outline:

Please bring your text to class each meeting date. You must have read any assigned reading by class time.

The following is a tentative schedule for the session.

Date

/ Topics and Readings / Activity/Assignment
8/24 / Course Introduction / Review syllabus
8/26 / Chapter 1: An Overview of Special Education
(pages 1 – 8)
8/31 / Chapter 1: An Overview of Special Education (continued)
(pages 8-16) / Universal Design
9/2 / Chapter 1: An Overview of Special Education (continued)
(pages 16-end of chapter)
9/7 / Labor Day
No Class
9/9 / Chapter 2: TheSpecial Education Process: From Initial Identification to the Delivery of Services
(pages 34–46)
9/14 / Chapter 2: The Special Education Process: From Initial Identification to the Delivery of Services
(pages 46 – end of chapter)
9/16 / Chapter 3: School,Family, and Community
Collaboration
(All)
9/21 / Chapter 4: Students with Learning Disabilities
(pages 92-104) / Exam I due
9/23 / Chapter 4: Students with Learning Disabilities
(pages 104-end of chapter)
9/28 / Chapter 5: Students with Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities
(pages 134-147)
9/30 / Chapter 5: Students with Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities
(pages 147-end of chapter)
10/5 / Chapter 6: Studentswith Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
(pages 174-185)
10/7 / Chapter 6: Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
(pages 185-end of chapter)
10/12 / Chapter 7: Students with Communication Disorders (Pages 214-228)
10/14 / Chapter 7: Students with Communication Disorders
(pages 228-end of chapter)
10/19 / Chapter 8: Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
(pages 252-265) / Exam II due
10/21 / Chapter 8: Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
(pages 265-end of chapter) / AT Lab Packets due
10/26 / Chapter 9: Studentswith Blindness or Low Vision
(pages 294-296)
10/28 / Chapter 9: Students with Blindness or Low Vision
(pages 296-end of chapter)
11/2 / Chapter 10: Students with Physical or Health Disabilities
(Pages 322-337)
11/4 / Chapter 10: Students with Physical or Health Disabilities
(Pages 337-end of chapter)
11/9 / Chapter 11: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(All) / AT Quizzes due
(Vista)
11/11 / Veterans’ Day
No Class
11/16 / Chapter 12: Students with Severe Disabilities
(All) / Exam III due
11/18 / Chapter 13: Students Who Are At Risk: Early Identification and Intervention
(All)
11/23 / Chapter 14: Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
(All) / Film or Literature Review due
11/25 / Wednesday, 11/25
No Class
11/30 / Chapter 15: Students Who Are Gifted and Talented
((Pages 512-521)
12/2 / Chapter 15: Students Who Are Gifted and Talented
(Pages 521-end of chapter)
12/7 / Final Exam

Timeline for Assignments and Assessment:

The following table summarizes the assignments due throughout the semester and their point values.

Assignments

/ Date / Total Points
Student Information Survey / 8/28 / 20
Who’s Laughing, Now? / (See sign-up sheet) / 25
Current Events and Trends in Special Education / (See sign up sheet / 30
Exam I / 9/21 / 100
Exam II / 10/19 / 100
Assistive Technology Lab Packet / 10/21 / 50
Assistive Technology Quizzes / 11/9 / 50
Exam III / 11/16 / 100
Review of Literature or Film / 11/23 / 125
Exam IV / Final Exam Meeting Time / 100
TOTAL / 700

Methods of Assessment:

General Class Assignment Information:

Each assignment has been aligned to one or more of the standards and course goals listed above. For all assignments, other than exams and attendance/participation, a rubric will be provided that outlines the criteria upon which each assignment will be evaluated. If an exam has an essay component, there will be an associated grading rubric.

As the syllabus suggests, each of the assignments in this course are connected with essential standards for Arizona teacher preparation, as well as council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards for initial licensure for beginning teachers.

Due to these critical connections, it is imperative that all students in this class meet these expectations in order to move forward in their program of study. As a result, it is the expectation that each student will complete all assignments with a passing grade of 70 percent, or better, in order to pass this class.

In the event that you receive a grade of less than 70 percent on any given assignment (other than exams), you will have the opportunity to submit that assignment again, after making necessary adjustments, and the assignment will be reevaluated. The score you will receive for your assignment will be an average of the two scores. There is no opportunity to retake exams.

Students are expected to have completed reading assignments prior to class meetings. Materials covered during class may not duplicate reading content. In many instances, class activities are designed to explore or highlight selected content from a chapter, though you will be responsible for all material covered in the assigned readings.

All assignments must be submitted by class time on, or before, the designated date due. Late assignments will receive a ten percent penalty, and assignments WILL NOT be accepted after the Friday of Reading Week at 5:00 pm.. All assignments must be submitted via e-mail attachment, in MS Word 2003 (or earlier) or Rich Text Format (RTF), unless otherwise specified. All assignments should be typed and proof read for spelling and grammatical errors prior to being submitted. All assignments and in-class activities should reflect an understanding and use of person-first language throughout; avoidance of “handicapisms” should be clearly evident. Assignments submitted as a requirement for another course should not be submitted for this class. All assignments should reflect independent effort. Although students are encouraged to use all resources possible to complete their assignments, proper credit and attribution must be provided for all resources. Plagiarism will not be tolerated (see Academic Dishonesty in Course Policies). Any evidence of plagiarism will result in a grade of ‘0’ on the assignment in question. For information on what constitutes plagiarism, see the “What is Plagiarism?” page from Georgetown University (

Student Information Survey (20 points)

Chickering and Gamson (1987) identified seven key principles of good practice in undergraduate education. These principles are: 1) encourage student-faculty contact, 2) encourage cooperation among students, 3) encourage active learning, 4) give prompt feedback, 5) emphasize time on task, 6) communicate high expectations, and 7) respect diverse talents and ways of learning (Chickering & Gamson, 1987). Notably, the first principle is to encourage student-faculty contact or interaction. As it takes time to develop rapport between faculty and students, I believe in sharing information to get a sense of who each of you are.

I will ask you to complete an online survey to share some of this information with me. The survey, or inventory, will ask you a bit about your interests, your experiences, your goals, etc. The survey may take 30-45 minutes to complete, and the more clearly you complete it, the better.

Who’s Laughing, Now? (25 points)

Disability has had a checkered past in popular media. This includes comics, cartoons, and other media widely viewed by children and adults, alike. How disability is portrayed in humor plays a role in how society views disability, and so, how disability is portrayed in humor. It is cyclical and perpetuating.

You will find a comic or cartoon, a YouTube video, scene from a movie or TV show, or other piece of media that portrays disability in a humorous light. Please prepare a 5-minute presentation in which you will share the media and how you believe it perpetuates the negative stereotypes of disability that we will discuss at the beginning of the course. The time limit suggests a very short (2-3 minute) clip from YouTube or other video format.

There will be a sign-up sheet circulated early in the class for you to choose a date on which to present your media and analysis. Further instructions and grading criteria will be provided.

Current Events and Trends in Special Education (30 points)

The knowledge and skills acquired in your teaching preparation program are critical to your success as a professional in your field. Your coursework establishes a solid grounding for your future practice, which is why you are held to many standards of professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions even before you become a teacher. Even so, the information you gather through your classes and experiences in schools leaves many potential stones unturned.

With this in mind, you will be asked to prepare a review of current trends or events in special education, using the Council for Exceptional Children’s RSS feed, CEC SmartBrief. This news source provides a five-times-a-week review of news stories in special education from around the U.S. Canada, and Great Britain. You will need to subscribe to the feed by going to:

You will need to enter my name and email address () in the appropriate boxes, then your own in the recipient box. There is a limit to how many subscriptions my email address can authorize in any 24 hour period. If you can’t subscribe on the first try, please try again. This suggests that you should NOT wait until the last minute to subscribe (smile)!

Once you have successfully established your free subscription to the newsletter, you can begin to peruse stories of interest to you. Whether you are interested in current technology trends, issues in curriculum development, or educational policy, you will find links to a variety of stories from news publications.

Please choose three related news stories to review. Provide a synopsis of each story, outline the common theme among all three stories, and provide an analysis of how you believe this information supports or contradicts your understanding of the topic. If you choose a topic about which you have no prior knowledge, please provide an analysis of what new understandings you have come to, given your readings.

Instructions and a grading rubric will be provided. Your assignment must be submitted by email as an attachment.

Review of Popular Literature/Film

(125 points)

The difference between having a disability and not can change in a matter of seconds, and noone is exempt from a twist of life circumstances. Life experiences do not always discriminate between individuals who have disabilities and those who do not. We can witness this in our popular culture, through music, literature and film. However, misconceptions about disabilities can be perpetuated by misguided or stereotyped portrayals in these media. Class members will apply what they have learned about disabilities in the course, and the individuals affected by them, to analyze a work of literature or film that portrays a person with a disability for its accuracy and for its similarity to our own life experiences.

Read a popular press book or view a film that depicts individuals with disabilities and write a reflection based on information presented in class.