Course Descriptions Special Ed

This course is designed to engage graduate candidates, preservice teachers of students with disabilities, in transformational learning and self-exploration in small communities of practice to explore and transform their competencies (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) around teaching for social justice. Focusing through a disability studies lens, ECPSE 704 allows preservice teachers of students with disabilities to critically examine the prevailing current medical and remedial/developmental paradigms about individuals with disabilities in both general and special education, by directly highlighting alternative ways of thinking, i.e., alternate paradigms, about disability as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon. As candidates work together in their small communities of practice to continuously and critically (re)examine and (re)conceptualize disability, they will also explore current brain-based learning theories that encompass social-emotional, relational, and cognitive aspects of culturally responsive-sustaining classroom practices. Over the course of the semester, candidates will be guided to critically explore their individual and shared perspectives around diversity, equity, and inclusion, ultimately transforming their own pedagogical practice and acknowledging the role that they as special education professionals need to play in the liberation of their students and in the transformation of the B to 12 public education systems as well. Approximately 10 hours of field work focused on individuals with disabilities and/or their families are required as part of this course.

This course introduces Preschool through Grade 12 special education teacher candidates to reflective decision-making assessment approaches for supporting students with disabilities in a range of disability areas and severity levels emphasizing the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to understand, interpret and inform assessment instruments used in students’ individual education programs, classrooms and curricula and related technology. Candidates work collaboratively with peers and school personnel and parents to understand the progress of individual students with disabilities with attention to social justice issues that are related to the assessment of students with disabilities. Candidates consider how to determine students’ strengths and needs, communicate students’ progress, and use assessment data to inform short and long-term instructional planning. Fieldwork of 10 hours is required in this course that includes assessing students, planning interventions and progress monitoring, interviewing school personnel and collaborating with colleagues in the class.

Candidates examine developmental and pedagogical principles of language and literacy development and develop instructional support for students with disabilities. Strategies and instructional techniques are presented for addressing the diverse language and literacy needs of students with disabilities with an emphasis on the connections among oral language, reading and writing within a cycle of assessment and instruction. Candidates use technology to develop and implement evidence-based, explicit, and systematic instruction and assessment in language and literacy that embeds the high leverage practices in special education for supporting students with disabilities in accessing the general education curriculum. Candidates will learn how to adapt, differentiate, and intensify instruction in oral language, phonemic and phonological awareness, vocabulary, letters and sounds, decoding and encoding of words, syllabication, morphology, spelling, fluency, written language and comprehension. Candidates will implement data-driven instructional decision making, examine reading and writing levels, implement progress monitoring strategies, consider motivational influences, collaborate with peers and school personnel, and learn individual and group strategies for supporting language and literacy skill development. Ten hours of field experience are required.

This course examines developmental and pedagogical principles of language and literacy development and explores best practices in curriculum and instruction for promoting language and literacy skill acquisition. Specifically, techniques and strategies are presented for addressing the diverse language and literacy needs of students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students at risk for school failure at the early childhood level. Candidates will also examine reading and writing levels, formative evaluation strategies, motivational influences, and individual and group strategies for supporting language and literacy skill development. Ten hours of field work are required for this course.

This course is designed to teach graduate candidates in special education to build a culturally responsive and reflective teaching practice to ensure access to the general education curriculum for all learners, including struggling learners and students with disabilities in P-12 English Language Arts, Social Studies and Science.   Candidates will learn and apply a reflective planning and implementation process that includes unpacking and task analyzing curricula, informal assessment and error analysis, universal design and specially designed instruction that infuses evidence-based and high-leverage practices and effective use of assistive and instructional technology.  Candidates will also learn how to choose the best-fit co-teaching configurations based on content and instructional needs.  These practices will be studied within the context of urban public education and special education’s attempt to fulfill the promise of IDEIA for students with disabilities. Political, technological, and societal changes and advances in promoting inclusion, access, and meaningful participation in the general education curriculum are also discussed. Approximately 15-hours of field work focusing on individuals with disabilities and their academic learning needs are required as part of this course.

This course offers intensive practical exposure to theoretical frameworks and research-based practices in mathematics assessments, standard-based mathematics curriculum and instruction, curriculum design, high-leverage practices (HLPs), evidence-based mathematics instruction, instructional adaptations, culturally and linguistically responsive mathematics instruction, and assistive and instructional technology with particular emphasis on working with P-12 students with disabilities or IEPs within the context of urban public education and special education’s attempt to fulfill the promise of IDEIA for ensuring access to the general education curriculum for all learners. In this course, candidates will learn about: 1) critical knowledge and skills embedded in the NYS State learning standards for P-12 mathematics (CCSSM or Next Generation Mathematics); 2) potential hindrances for students with special needs from learning the core mathematics knowledge and skills; 3) evidence-based instructional strategies to teach the critical mathematics skills to students with special needs including students with disabilities and English Learners; 4) evidence-based assessment methods to document and monitor students’ progress in response to remedial or specially designed mathematics instruction; 5) mathematics curriculum design and implementation for students with special needs; and 6) assistive and instructional technology to enhance the access to the general education curriculum and instruction.

This course is a field-based course designed to provide candidates with individualized supervision and group seminars focused on educating B-12 students with disabilities, including students with mild to severe disabilities in all disability categories.  Candidates will choose a setting of interest (e.g., inclusive classroom, self-contained classroom) to complete their practicum.  This course offers an integrated approach to teaching which combines both knowledge and practice into a meaningful and comprehensive context.  Candidates will have multiple, scaffolded opportunities to apply what they are learning in their college course work in classrooms as they endeavor to create safe and culturally sustaining learning environments that inspire critical engagement. Candidates will reflect on and revise their teaching practice in authentic, diverse, urban teaching situations.  Candidates will be provided with significant support from faculty so that by the end of the semester, candidates are well on their way to developing and demonstrating knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions in fundamental aspects of pedagogy that are consistent with research-validated, discipline specific, best-practices for promoting student learning and well-being. 

This course is designed to acquaint candidates with the characteristics, methods of teaching, and current research and issues related to the education of learners with severe intellectual disabilities, including those individuals diagnosed with ADHD and EBD. Additionally, this course will present the needs of students with autism, including, but not limited to, the etiology, prevalence, characteristics, and evidence-based instructional methodology for teaching students with autism. Furthermore, candidates will be acquainted with the use of assistive and instructional technology in the teaching of and learning by students with disabilities to promote communication and independent living. The course will provide a philosophical and skill-based foundation to students to promote the use of systematic, individualized, and functional skills to support and facilitate the development of individual self-determination and meaningful participation in inclusive environments across the lifespan of each individual. The historical treatment of people with severe disabilities, normalization, advocacy and collaboration, and building inclusive classroom communities that support the full diversity of learners are also addressed. The language assignment is field-based and requires 10 hours, which includes direct observation, an initial interview with a stakeholder, and a follow-up interview.

This course examines the principles and application of operant learning.  It is primarily focused on the relationship between behaviors and environmental events (e.g., antecedents, setting events, and consequences) that influence behavior.  A substantial emphasis of this course is placed on functional behavior assessment, and the use of educative, positive behavior support strategies to create meaningful changes in environments and students’ quality of life.  A critical underlying course theme is the relationship between, and possible intersection of a child’s learning experiences, preferences and culture, individual communication, self-determination, and social skills in the analysis, prevention, and intervention of behaviors that interfere with learning and social development.  Candidates will also learn how to design and employ single subject research designs,and will be supported to use technology enhanced applications in the context of behavior observation and behavior change efforts.  Course activities emphasize use of natural environments as the preferred context for providing services and within which to analyze and provide behavioral support.  All course assignments are field based; the FBA assignment requires a minimum of 10-hour fieldwork hours including at least 5 hours for direct observation of a child with a disability (or at risk). The autism workshop is covered in ECPSE 722.

This course is specifically designed for candidates who have been accepted into the BCBA Track program in the Graduate Programs in Special Education (GPSE). Candidates in this course learn the foundational concepts and principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. This course provides the conceptual underpinnings of the behavior analytic principles rooted in the seven dimensions of ABA: Applied, Behavioral, Analytic, Conceptually Systematic, Effective, Technological, and Generality. Major thematic focuses of this course include the relationship between human behavior and the environment, the difference between respondent and operant behavior, functional analysis technology, principles of reinforcement, and extinction.

In addition to the conceptual underpinning, candidates learn skills to be effective practitioners in the field of ABA. These skills include selecting, defining, and measuring human behaviors, as well as, programming for behavior change using different reinforcement strategies, and utilizing behavioral assessment techniques to determine programmatic gains. Course content is delivered via weekly, interactive lectures and learning is assessed through comprehensive assignments and exams. All course content is aligned with the Behavior Analytic Certification Board’s (BACB) fourth edition task list.

This course is specifically designed for candidates who have been accepted into the BCBA Track program in the Graduate Programs in Special Education (GPSE). Candidates in this course learn the scientific and philosophical underpinnings of behavior analysis. It will trace the historical development of radical behaviorism to current applied behavior analysis, and professional practice guided by the science of behavior analysis. Course content is delivered via weekly, interactive lectures and learning is assessed through comprehensive assignments and exams. All course content is aligned with the Behavior Analytic Certification Board’s (BACB) sixth edition task list.

This course in applied behavior analysis is offered to graduate students in special education who are also pursuing a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification. Candidates who take this course must be admitted into the BCBA track and successfully complete ECPSE 723. Applied Behavior Analysis I: Basic Concepts and Principles of Reinforcement.

This course focuses on enhancing candidates’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to applied behavior analysis grounded in the 6th Edition Test Content Outline established by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Content addresses Behavior Assessment; Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions; and Personnel Supervision and Management, consistent with the BACB’s current 6th Edition standards.

This course is offered to graduate students in special education who are also interested in pursuing their Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification. Candidates who take this course must have already successfully completed ECPSE 722 Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Supports and ECPSE 728 Advanced Seminar in Applied Behavior Analysis. This course prepares candidates for the ethical and professional practice of applied behavior analysis. Topics included in this course include professional representation of oneself and the field of behavior analysis, dissemination of professional values, evaluating behavior change, collaborating with other professionals, relationships with students, family members and colleagues and the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Guidelines for Responsible Conduct. Additionally, the disciplinary and ethical standards and disciplinary procedures laid out by the BACB will be covered.

This course introduces candidates to federal and state policies and regulations for early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education services. Candidates will become familiarized with the developmental needs of children from birth to age 5 and the important roles that families play in their children’s development. Special emphasis will be placed on working with families, infant, toddlers and young children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Candidates will be exposed to evidence-based and culturally responsive early intervention strategies and early childhood special education services when developing and implementing Individualized Family Support Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Twenty hours of field experience are required to observe and interact with a CLD family and their young child with special needs.

This advanced seminar will explore critical issues related to assessment, curriculum, instruction, and research-validated best practices in early childhood special education for students with mild, moderate and severe disabilities. This advanced seminar will focus critically on the core values of the Queens College Education Unit related to promoting Equity, Excellence, and Ethics in urban schools and communities.

This seminar course is designed to provide candidates in the Graduate Programs in Special Education (GPSE) Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Subplan the content knowledge and coursework hours to meet the BCBA 6th Edition Test Content Outline requirement to sit for the BCBA exam. This course focuses on providing candidates with the content knowledge and practical application of behavioral assessment procedures. This course teaches candidates how to conduct the following behavioral assessments: functional behavior assessment, functional analysis, preference assessments, Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS), Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS), VB-MAPP, and other behavioral assessments.

This seminar course is designed to provide candidates in the Special Education Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Subplan the content knowledge and coursework hours to meet the BCBA task list requirement to sit for the BCBA exam. Specifically, this course will overview issues related to staff management and supervision in the field of applied behavior analysis. Candidates will learn how to assess staff performance issues and implement/develop training protocol to ensure treatment integrity. Additionally, this course will teach candidates to become effective BCBA field supervisors and mentors. Specifically, candidates will learn how to critically analyze factors that contribute to inadequate staff performance and develop strategies for improvement. Further, candidates will learn how to assess their own effectiveness as BCBA field supervisors using self-management strategies. The culminating experience involves the development of training protocols to improve procedural and treatment integrity for students with disabilities.

This 3-credit course has a corequisite, ECPSE 719: Practicum in Special Education. Study, understanding and evaluation of basic research design and methodology in special education and interpreting research results for classroom instruction. Program candidates will prepare a literature review, design a research methodology, and implement a research study. Research topics will be referenced to candidates’ instructional focus in ECPSE 719: Practicum in Special Education and their area of interest.

This research course is part of the Special Education Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BCBA) subplan. This 3-credit course is designed to acquaint students with basic concepts of applied behavior analytic research, with a focus on single case research methodology. These concepts include behavioral measurement, steady state and baseline logic, procedural and treatment integrity, social validity, and single-case research designs. Additionally, candidates will learn how to read and understand published behavior analytic research and interpret outcomes using visual inspection of the data. The culminating experience involves the completion of a research proposal that includes a review of the literature and methodology of procedures.

This course examines the principles and application of operant learning. It is primarily focused on the relationship between behaviors and environmental events (e.g., antecedents, setting events, and consequences) that influence behavior. A substantial emphasis of this course is placed on functional behavioral assessment, and the use of educative, positive behavior support strategies to create meaningful changes in environments and the quality of life of young children and their families. Candidates will also learn how to design and employ single subject research designs. All course assignments are field based. Ten hours of field experience are required, including a minimum of 5 hours of direct observation of a child with a disability (or at risk) for the FBA assignment.

Lectures, readings, assignments, and course activities emphasize use of natural environments as the preferred as they influence learning. Context for providing services and within which to analyze and provide behavioral support. A critical underlying course theme is the relationship between learning experiences, preferences and culture, and the possible intersection of these, and familial norms. Candidates will be supported to identify educative, behaviorally sound approaches to enhance children’s behavior, social skills, and communication. They will also be supported to foster positive, productive relationships with family members and other critical caregivers in the analysis, prevention, and intervention of behaviors that interfere with learning and social development.

This course introduces candidates in the early childhood special education MSED program to federal and state policies and regulations for Early Intervention (EI) services. Candidates will become familiarized with the developmental needs of children from birth to age 3 and the important roles that families play in their children’s development. Special emphasis will be placed on working with families, infants, and toddlers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Candidates will be exposed to evidence-based and culturally responsive early intervention strategies for developing and implementing Individualized Family Support Plans. Twenty hours of field experience are required to observe and interact with a CLD family and their young child with special needs.