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Course ePortfolio

Special Needs of Children and Families

The Special Needs of Children and Families course is an undergraduate course that focuses on understanding that teachers and professionals working with families of young children with exceptionalities must be responsive for the optimal development of the children. Topics explored in this course include historical and legal foundation of family involvement in special education, profiles of families of children with special needs, diversity among families and professionals, family member's roles and responsibilities, communicating and collaborating with families, understanding the family perspective, understanding the purpose of developing an IEP and an IFSP, and family-based practices.

Date Added to MERLOT:
January 12, 2019
Created by:
Andrea Adelman
License:
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Pedagogical Approach

This course was designed to be fully online; however, it can be adapted as a hybrid or traditional face-to-face course. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

·       Identify the most current legal aspects of the topic, including NCLB and its impact on children with special needs and their families, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and FERPA.

·       Recognize historical background of families and special education.

·       Describe diversity, cultural competence, family systems, and caregiver-child interactions in special needs education needed to help children and families that come from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences.

·       Recognize and respect the unique characteristics of families (e,g. cultural differences, age and marital status of parents, etc…) and describe how these characteristics may affect family functions.

·       Classify models of family-centered services in early childhood intervention programs. ·       Evaluate ethics and ethical practices as they relate to communicating and working with the families of special needs students in a supportive, professional, and nonjudgmental manner.

·       Define culture and engage in cultural self-reflection.

·       Identify and describe the range of community resources, specifically educational and developmental service systems, including their operations and how they affect families and their children.

Assessment

This course is designed to assess learners after most modules. To find a list of assessments click here. 

Other Information

None

Course Resources

  • Module 1
    Module 1 (External link)
    Tthe historical context of children with special needs
  • Module 2
    Module 2 (External link)
    Engaging diverse families
  • Module 3
    Module 3 (External link)
    Cultural competence in education
  • Module 4
    Module 4 (External link)
    Special education referral process
  • Module 4 (cont'd)
    Module 4 (cont'd) (External link)
    Developing appropriate goals
  • Module 4(2)
    Module 4(2) (External link)
    Transition planning
  • Module 4 (3)
    Module 4 (3) (External link)
    Disability in the family; A brother's story