Summer 1999

Instructor: Elizabeth Delaney, Ed.D.

Office: ECSW 3119

Phone:  (312) 996-4677

E-mail: bdelaney@uic.edu

Office Hours:  by appointment

Class Location: ECSW 1433

Class Time: Tuesday & Thursday 4:30 to 8:30

Class Web Page: www.uic.edu/classes/sped/sped515/

• Texts
• Course Description
• Course Objectives
• Course Requirements
• Assignments
• Grading Policy
• Schedule
• Field Experience
• Interesting Web Sites

Bender, William N. (1996). Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Snell, Martha E. (1993). Instruction of Students with Severe Disabilities, 4^th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to prepare teachers with the skills to effectively work with children and young adults who are mentally retarded. Best practice requires that practitioners have a range of special knowledge and skills. This includes knowledge of: (a) typical and atypical behavior across developmental domains; (b) instructional strategies and program models, (c) age-appropriate instructional materials; (d) assessment techniques, (e) collaborative strategies suitable for the effective operation of multidisciplinary teams, and (f) available resources. Your program of study will focus on these and related topics.

A secondary goal of this course is to learn to utilize educational research. Published research articles in special education are important tools to be used for the development and evaluation of instructional technologies. As professionals, developing a familiarity with sources of high quality research will improve your own knowledge of education and allow you to continue learning long after you have completed your degree.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Through written products and class discussion, students will demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Definitions, causes, and characteristics of mental retardation.
2. The Individualized Education Plan and the Individualized Family Service Plan.
3. Recommended Practice.
4. Age-appropriate activities.
5. Methods of instruction.
6. Methods of assessment.
7. Appropriate learning environments.
8. Issues related to assessing children and families from different cultures.
9. The relationship between certain disability conditions and development.
10. The importance of collaboration among professionals and parents.
11. Resources available to special education personnel.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. All students are expected to attend class.
2. All students are expected to participate in discussions and class activities and to come prepared for these discussions by completing readings and outside assignments.
3. All written assignments must be handed in at the specified time. Late assignments will result in a loss of grade points.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Exams. Two take home exams will be given. The specific format and content of the exams will be discussed in class.

100 points/exam; 200points total
 

2. Model Lesson.  All students will be required to prepare one lesson plan to be used to teach children who are mentally retarded. The lesson plan should focus on either children who are mildly mentally retarded or children who are moderately to severely mentally retarded.  The lesson will be presented in class.

100 points
 
3. Article Critique. Each student will be required to critique a research article that evaluates an intervention technique used to instruct students who are mentally retarded. The intervention strategy evaluated should focus on either children with mild or moderate to severe mental retardation.

50 points
 
4. Presentation. Each student will present one article critique in class. Student-lead discussions will be approximately 20 minutes. Students are required to make copies of the article to be critiqued and distribute them to their classmates at least one week prior to the presentation. A written summary of the critique/presentation will be presented to Dr. Delaney on the day of the presentation. Visual or auditory aids should be used when necessary.

50 points
 
5. Class Participation. Complete all required readings and be prepared to discuss each reading during the class meeting. Attendance will be counted towards the class participation grade.

50 points

GRADING
A total of 450 points is possible (400 points for assignments and 50 points for class participation).  Grading will be as follows:

FIELD EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

In order to develop your practical skills in the area of intervention, all students registered for these courses are required to complete 30 hours of practicum experience. In order to fulfill this requirement, students will be required to observe in different classroom settings. One assignment will be attached to this practicum:

Practicum Log/Diary: Record each visit to setting(s) you visit. The record should include: (a) date and time of visit, (b) persons present during your visit, (c) your role during the visit, (d) impressions of the time spent at the program. Your impressions should include a brief description of the activity observed, the goal of activity, and whether or not you thought that the activity was appropriate for the goal and child(ren).

Practicum Logs will be graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If a grade of unsatisfactory is given, the log must be resubmitted until a satisfactory grade has been earned.

 Return to Index

American Association on Mental Retardation

American Speech-Language Hearing Association

Association for Behavior Analysis

American Occupational Therapy Association

American Physical Therapy Association

American Psychological Association

The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps

The Council for Exceptional Children

Family Village

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

Illinoise State Board of Education

John F. Kennedy Center on Human Development

The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities

United States Department of Education

United States Department of Special Education Research

University of Virginia Special Education Resources