TCNJ

Graduate Course Descriptions 67 issues including the legal responsibilities of schools and educators; person centered planning; functional vocational assessment; and collaboration with families and community agencies are addressed. It is expected that by the end of this course, students will have an understanding of the development of transition services as well as the methods of assessment and instruction for learners with diverse abilities in a variety of community settings. SPED 647/ Communication Development of Students with Significant Disorders 3 cr. This course focuses on preparing teachers to understand the early communication development of children with severe disabilities and its educational program implications. Students will develop skills in the analysis of communication development in children who have social, cognitive, motor, and sensory impairments, as well as the application of appropriate augmentative communication systems. There will be an emphasis on assessment of expressive/receptive communication skills (nonsymbolic– symbolic); teaching communication as an access skill across the curriculum; using augmentative communication to access the New Jersey core curriculum content standards; natural and assistive technology supports for communication (augmentative/alternative communication); and measuring skills of interaction/communication in students. SPED 648/ Positive Behavior Supports for Students with Extreme Behaviors 3 cr. This course specifically focuses on addressing the needs of students who demonstrate extremely challenging behaviors and are at a high risk of being excluded from inclusive school and community settings. What are the varied challenges faced by these students and their families? How should the positive behavior supports inquiry process be guided for such students? What can we learn from the perspectives of consumers who are navigating these challenges? What strategies should we use to mobilize school and community support for such students? What are the pros and cons of medication? What kinds of quality-of-life issues need to be addressed in order to bring about a long-term impact on behavior? These are some of the questions that will be addressed throughout this course. The intent of this course is to provide students with the necessary skills that will enable them to support such students and advocate for them within the system. The emphasis of the course is on collaboration, inclusion, and non-aversive techniques. SPED 664/ Research Trends in Special Education 3 cr. Prerequisite: EDFN 508 Research Trends in Special Education presents research methodologies used in special education, with a particular emphasis on qualitative methods and single-subject research design. Students will acquire the skills and knowledge required of a competent research consumer by examining the literature on disability and conducting a mini-research project on a topic related to teaching children with disabilities in their own classrooms and schools. SPED 671/ Nemeth and Strategies for Developing Mathematical Skills in Students Who Use Braille 3 cr. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for teachers of learners who are Braille readers/ tactile learners to access math instruction and develop math skills. Students of this course will study and master the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Scientific Notation and plan and implement instruc - tion in the Nemeth Code for learners who are blind and unable to access math and science materials through the print medium. The course includes extensive practice of the Nemeth Code, including the tran- scription of print material into Nemeth Code and Nemeth Code material into print, use of the Cranmer abacus for mathematical calculations, strategies for fostering successful numeracy for all tactile learners, plan- ning and delivering instruction in the Nemeth Code, and utilizing spe- cialized materials for teaching math and science to Braille readers/tactile learners and supporting them in general math and science classes. This course will also provide students with an introduction to other tactile codes used by Braille readers, such as the Music Braille Code, which allows Braille readers to access music notation. SPED 672/ Strategies for Teaching Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired 3 cr. This course will provide entry-level skill development for planning interventions based on individual assessment of learning needs. The course will examine educational needs of both tactual and visual learners at various levels of development: infancy and early childhood; school years; transition to college/work. The expanded core curriculum (ECC) for B/VI learners will be examined, and determination of how it can best be woven into the core curriculum for all learners will be discussed. Included in the ECC is the reinforcement of supporting students' orientation and mobility, and basic skills of negotiating indoor and outdoor environments. SPED 673/Literary Braille and Methods for Instruction 3 cr. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to plan and implement instruction in Literary Braille for learners who are blind and unable to access literacy through the print medium. The course includes extensive practice and mastery of the Literary Braille Code, including the transcription of print material into Braille and Braille material into print. The course will examine histor- ical and current research and practices in Braille literacy for all learners who are blind, including those with multiple disabilities, as well as approaches for planning instructional units in Braille, delivering Braille instruction, and effective utilization of reading programs for general classroom participation and functional literacy. The course will also include development and utilization of specialized materials, Braille books, and other instructional supports necessary for assisting learners who are blind to access instruction. SPED 674/ Assistive Technology for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired 3 cr. This course examines factors involved in determining appropriate assistive technology devices and programs for students who are blind/ visually impaired. Through hands-on experience in a computer lab, students review available technology in the categories of CCTV/video magnifiers, screen-reading software, screen-magnification software, Braille notetakers, Braille printers, Braille translation programs, digital book readers, and optical-character-recognition systems. In addition to being proficient users of software and hardware for students who are blind/visually impaired, students gain experience in assistive technology selection considerations, feature comparisons, implementation concerns, technical-assistance resources, and assistive- technology funding opportunities. SPED 675/ Research on Implications of Blindness and Visual Impairment 3 cr. This course introduces students to the historical and philosophical foundations of blindness and visual impairments. Based on a current examination of the research and literature in this area, this course identifies contemporary issues in the education of students who are blind/visually impaired (BVI), including those with multiple disabilities. Contemporary issues will include current educational definitions, identification criteria, educational placement options as well as instructional options for students who are blind/visually impaired. The psychosocial factors that impact the dynamic interaction between individuals who are blind/visually impaired and those who are normally sighted will be addressed within the context of current research and evidence-based practices in education. Students will examine the research on the impact of blindness, whether total or partial, on all developmental levels, including infancy, early childhood, later childhood, adolescence, and transition to post-school settings. SPED 680/ Seminar and Practicum on Diagnostic Procedures 3 cr. Prerequisites: SPED 624 and permission of adviser This course is concerned with the principal diagnostic problems and procedures encountered in evaluating and understanding the individual behavior and learning difficulties of children with developmental and learning disabilities. Students will look at techniques of assessment and interpretation of individual profiles in intellectual development, social- emotional adjustment, perceptual-motor abilities, and aptitude. Students are expected to purchase any necessary testing and/or curriculum 218503_001-086_r5ri.indd 67 9/14/15 10:17 AM

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