This course emphasizes collaboration and professional practices among educators, families, and professionals to support students with disabilities. Students will explore effective communication, co-teaching models, ethical, and administrative practices. Focus is placed on developing inclusive strategies and understanding legal frameworks to promote teamwork and professional responsibility in special education settings.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students will complete a capstone synthesizing research on professional and family collaborative processes.
Athena Title
Collab and Professional Prac
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in EDSE 5400E or EDSE 7400E
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify and describe specific components of the IEP and develop an IEP (authentic or mock) for a student with a high-incidence disability.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to describe approaches to transition planning and develop an Individual Transition Plan (authentic or mock) for a student with a high-incidence disability.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify and explain current professional issues in the field of special education and describe multiple perspectives on those issues.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to describe the historical underpinnings of collaboration in special education based on legislative, philosophical and empirical sources, and how these structures promote effective communication and collaboration with individuals, parents, and school and community personnel in a culturally responsive program.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to explain the roles and typical concerns of individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel in planning and implementing an individualized program and including transition planning.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify key components of the team process and effective communication practices that facilitate problem solving and means to resolve conflict as well as ethical practices for confidential communication to others about individuals with disabilities.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction to Collaboration & Fundamentals of Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication & Problem Solving; Advocacy
2. Families as Partners– parent panel
3. Disability identification and rules for eligibility for special education services
4. Major litigation and its relationship to legislation in special education law and procedures
5. All components of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) (e.g., impact statements, present levels of academic and functional performance, implementation of accommodations and modifications).
6. Teams, SST (Student Support Team) /RTI (Response to Intervention); IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan)/IEP (Individualized Education Program) Teams, Conflict; Mediation: Due Process
7. Best practices in transition services and the development of the Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)
8. Peer Coaching, Consultation, Coaching Families
9. Co-Teaching
10. Related Services and Support Personnel; Working with Paraprofessionals
11. Inter and cross agency collaboration to support the education and transition services of students with disabilities
12. Professional issues and challenges in the field of special education
