Early Childhood Intervention Specialist Education Requirements

This course is designed to increase the teacher candidate’s knowledge and repertoire of ethical effective and efficient behavioral management techniques and programs that can be used with children and youth in general and special education, home and community settings. Conceptual models have made and continue to make significant contributions to our knowledge of learning and behavior are reviewed and analyzed through an integrative framework. Teacher candidates will research peer-reviewed journal articles related to conceptual models presented in class and ethical expectations related to behavior management. Teacher candidates will reflect on their findings and write a scholarly paper using APA for citations.

This course combines the traditional psychology of counseling in all its variety with special consideration of the problems experienced by exceptional children, their families, and their teachers.

This course examines developmentally appropriate methods in screening and assessing the development of young children. Students will develop skills to interpret and share assessment results with families and initiate the referral process. Students will learn methods and strategies of effective communication to ensure curriculum accommodations for the best interest of a young child’s development. Methods and materials for prescribing instruction are utilized.

In this course, students will explore theories regarding innovation and the challenges associated with innovating in an educational culture. Students will examine aspects of an innovator’s mindset, as well as behaviors and practices conducive to the effecting and sustaining of innovations.

This course is designed to provide an overview of education from historical, philosophical, and sociological perspectives. Students will expand on their understanding of contemporary education through an investigation of the changing role of educators in current social, political, and economic times using current peer reviewed articles and other open educational resources (OER).

This course is designed to engage practitioners in the collection, evaluation, and interpretation of educational research for use in a variety of educational practices. The student will investigate the basis of educational research, along with pertinent methods of data collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative research results. Emphasis will be placed on research problems, designs, and findings in the student’s selected area of concentration. Students will be expected to demonstrate their ability to narrow a research topic, complete accepted scholarly search strategies, identify and synthesize research articles, and correctly format a literature review using established APA guidelines.

This course will enable Early Intervention Specialist candidates to gain skills and knowledge to become a valued team member on interdisciplinary early intervention teams and partner with parents as teachers of infants and young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, visual impairments, and deaf/hard of hearing impairments. Topics addressed include roles of infant and toddler health care professionals, family centered practices and family systems, interdisciplinary collaboration, including physician and well chat, support and resources for families and health care professionals, and developing Individual Family Service Plans.

In this course, Early Intervention Specialist candidates will learn the characteristics and diagnostic features of young children on the autism spectrum. Candidates will review the historical evolution of autism as a diagnostic entity. An emphasis will be placed on the significance of interdisciplinary teamwork, clinical observation, and in the establishment of meaningful and collaborative parent-teacher and inter-agency partnerships. Differential diagnostic tools will be provided. Finally, candidates will receive valuable information concerning federal and state regulatory procedures and best practices that guide the instruction of children with special needs.

In this course, Early Intervention Specialist candidates will learn the characteristics and strategies for working with infants and young children who have vision impairments and their families. Candidates will review the eligibility criteria, including atypical development and developmental delay. An emphasis will be placed on the significance of interdisciplinary teamwork, clinical observation, working with eye care professionals, and in the establishment of meaningful and collaborative parent-teacher and inter-agency partnerships. Candidates will explore current research-based program designs for children with vision impairments, and will learn to evaluate and match evidence-based practices and methodologies with specific profiles of children with vision impairment.

In this course, Early Intervention Specialist candidates will learn the characteristics and strategies for working with families of infants and young children with deaf/hard of hearing impairments. Candidates will review the implications of hearing loss on perceptual development, developmental milestones, physiological and psychological development. Family centered assessment and resources emphasize careful consideration of the parents’ priorities in making decisions for their child regarding assistive hearing devices, medical interventions, and oral and total means of communication. American Sign Language and the Deaf Culture will be introduced. An emphasis will be placed on the significance of interdisciplinary teamwork, clinical observation, working with medical and auditory health care professionals, and in the establishment of meaningful and collaborative parent-teacher and inter-agency partnerships. Candidates will also explore current research-based program designs for children with deaf/hard of hearing impairments, and will learn to evaluate and match evidence-based practices and methodologies with specific profiles of children with deaf/hard of hearing impairment.

In this course, Early Intervention Specialist candidates will learn a variety of methodologies that successfully support young children with autism in educational settings. Special topics include applied behavior analysis and positive behavioral supports, sensory integration strategies, pragmatic language acquisition techniques, picture exchange communication methods. An emphasis will be placed on the significance of establishing meaningful and collaborative parent- teacher partnerships. Finally, candidates will receive valuable information concerning federal and state regulatory procedures and best practices that guide the instruction of children with special needs.

This course will provide Early Intervention Specialist candidates to gain the skills and knowledge to work in collaboration and partnership of parents of young children who are on the autism spectrum. Evidence-based practices will be explored to enable candidates to enhance their skills in authentic communication, team-building, mediation and conflict-resolution in order to facilitate constructive relationships with parents. Participants will also gain knowledge in the prevailing legal tenets and regulatory standards that affect the education of young children with disabilities. Case study summaries and first-hand parent testimonials will be included in this course as a part of this learning experience. Five hours of field experience in the form of interviews and classroom-based observations will be required as a part of this course.

In this course, candidates will learn a framework for developing a functional, appropriate educational environment for young children with autism, including those who are identified with Asperger’s Syndrome. Candidates will explore current research-based program designs for children who are on the autism spectrum, and will learn to evaluate and match evidence-based practices and methodologies with specific profiles of children with autism. This course will expound on contemporary and proven learning theories in education. Field experiences for observing children in a variety of educational environments will be expected. Concurrently: EDS 57000.