ECE2103 - Children with Exceptionalities

Competencies

1. Examine and evaluate teacher strategies and learning opportunities that utilize and promote a child's strengths as the basis for growth, learning, and intellectual, social and personal development, and children's errors as opportunities for learning.
2. Examine and discuss areas of exceptionality in learning, including disabilities, perceptual difficulties and special physical or mental challenges, gifts and talents; understand the exceptional needs of students, including those with disabilities and giftedness, and know how to use strategies and resources to address these needs.
3. Describe why all children can and should learn at the highest possible levels, and research and explain teacher strategies that promote persistence in helping all children achieve success.
4. Identify when and how to access appropriate services or resources to meet exceptional learning needs; locate such services and resources in local communities.
5. Examine and describe children's rights and teacher responsibilities to equal, appropriate education for students with disabilities, confidentiality, privacy, appropriate treatment of children, and reporting situations of known or suspected abuse or neglect.
6. Examine and describe the concept of addressing the needs of the whole child/learner.
7. Describe the role of special education within a single, evolving and changing education system that provides, based on an individualized planning and programming process, free appropriate public education through a continuum of services.
8. Summarize the relationship of special education to other components of the education system, including access to grade-level content standards, prevention efforts and early intervening services, Title 1, bilingual education, the education of English learners, Section 504 accommodations, and gifted education.
9. Describe the historical and philosophical foundations, legal bases, ethical principles and standards of professional practice, principles of evidence-based practice, the effects of attitudes and expectations, and contemporary issues pertaining to the education of individuals with disabilities.
10. Correctly identify the definitions, characteristics and educational implications for students with disabilities eligible for special education services.
11. Identify and describe the similarities and differences among the cognitive, physical, sensory, cultural, social, emotional, behavioral and communication needs of individuals with and without disabilities and across different disabilities.
12. Describe the impact of coexisting conditions, multiple disabilities, and gifts and the implications for the provision of educational services.
13. Discuss the impact of gender, familial background, socioeconomic status, racial, cultural and linguistic diversity on disabilities and involvement in all aspects of special education.
14. Describe the medical terminology and educational implications of medical conditions, including the effect of medication and specialized healthcare in educational settings.
15. Explain the importance and utility of parent involvement in student academic achievement, and the implications for the provision of educational services.
16. Summarize the legal, judicial, medical, and educational systems and their terminologies and implications in serving students with disabilities.
17. Describe the roles and organizational structures of general and special education and the part they play in providing total services to all students.