Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Special Education

Contents

Courses

EDUC 7760 Foundations: Special Education (6 sem. cr.)Special education as a field is dynamic, with a growing research base of best practices and changing implementation efforts that seek to balance both effective and efficient education for students with disabilities. This course explores evolving trends that reflect this balance and includes topics such as issues of equity, assistive technology, collaborative instruction between regular and special educators, delivery approaches with and without student categorization, and ethical practice. As part of this foundational course, candidates learn the process of how to successfully complete their doctoral or education specialist degree, understanding how Walden supports them in developing (1) facility with Walden University’s online learning environment; (2) understanding of the university’s and the program’s support systems, expectations, and outcomes; and (3) advanced graduate-level critical thinking, research, and writing skills.

EDUC 7761 Leadership, Advocacy, Policy, and Law (6 sem. cr.)Leadership and advocacy go hand-in-hand when seeking to promote policy that supports effective practices in education for early childhood and school-age students. By examining the evolution of education legislation and pivotal case law in the United States, candidates analyze the connections among advocacy, leadership, and policy. This course examines change theory and leadership styles, allowing candidates to reflect on their own and others’ paradigms and to determine best practices to promote positive social change. The culminating project is construction of a professional plan for advocacy and leadership in an area of interest that includes issues of diversity and special needs.

EDUC 7762 Applied Research in Education (6 sem. cr.)In this course, learners will develop a broad understanding of theoretical frameworks and of the appropriate use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In particular, the course will focus on topics related to the philosophy of research, core research concepts, quantitative design and analysis, qualitative design and analysis, and reporting and contextualizing research.

EDUC 7763 Specialized Instruction (6 sem. cr.)A growing body of research exists around evidenced-based instructional practices in special education. This course reviews the literature specific to specialized instruction for students with disabilities in language, reading, writing, math, and content areas. Topics also include effective practices for instruction and evaluation for students with social-emotional and behavioral needs, including applied behavior analysis and positive behavioral interventions and skill building. Related brain research will be examined, as well as assistive technology and methods of delivery, whether in isolation, small group, or inclusive settings.

EDUC 7764 Research Methodology and Special Education (6 sem. cr.)In order to document the effectiveness of practices in special education, different research questions are needed that call for different types of methodologies. This course examines four types of research methodologies important to special education: experimental group, correlation, single-subject, and qualitative designs. Particular attention is given to single-subject research designs that are used to study behavioral change in an individual or group as a result of an intervention. Topics include reliable measurement, repeated measurement, description of conditions, baseline and treatment conditions, and single-variable rules.

EDUC 7765 School-Wide Intervention Models (6 sem. cr.)Response to intervention (RTI) is a school-wide approach that integrates assessment and intervention within a multitiered prevention system to maximize student achievement and to reduce behavioral problems. This course examines RTI research and other problem-solving processes for best practices for using data to identify students at risk of academic, social, or emotional failure; methods of disability identification and monitoring student progress; and data-based decision making for instruction, universal instruction, and interventions useful for all students. Professional development of regular and special education teachers and the role of parents will be explored. Functional behavioral assessment is examined as an evaluation tool for understanding behavior and effective practices for school-wide positive behavioral support is also explored.

EDUC 7766 Sustaining and Supporting Effective Practices in Special Education (Capstone) (6 sem. cr.)Once effective practices for special education are in place, a clear plan is needed for implementation fidelity that sustains enthusiasm within the professional learning community. This course examines critical contributing components such as collaborative consultation for specialized instruction, co-teaching, methods for ongoing evaluation, and professional development. Candidates examine the influences of school culture and diverse sociocultural and linguistic communities on effective programming. Focus is given to forming partnerships with administrators, teachers, and parents in the creation and implementation of highly effective individual education plans.

Accreditation

Walden is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org. The North Central Association is one of the six regional accrediting associations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).