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EDSP 648

I. Course Title: Family-centered Intervention and Program Management in Early Childhood Special Education

II. Course Number: EDSP 648

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: None

V. Course Description: 

This course provides students with skills in consultation, case management, collaboration, coaching, mentoring, and co-teaching, including techniques in working with children, families, educators, related service providers, and other human service professionals.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

Students will be provided with skills in consultation, case management, collaboration, coaching, mentoring, and co-teaching, including techniques in working with children, families, educators, related service providers, and other human service professionals.

Course content includes:

  • Service coordination
  • Interagency coordination
  • Inclusive practices and least restrictive environments
  • Transition facilitation
  • Training, managing, and monitoring paraprofessionals
  • Service delivery options
  • Development of individualized family service plans (IFSPs)
  • Service delivery to support success and functionality in all settings where same age, typically developing peers would be located
  • Response and recognition of tiered instruction

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

This course may include a lecture format with class discussion, audio/visual presentations, simulations, audiovisual and web-based technologies, formal and informal writing, case studies, cooperative learning groups, observations and field studies, guest speakers, and student presentations. 

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

Goals, objectives, and assignments address the Virginia Department of Education regulations for preparing educators and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Initial Preparation Standards and Specialty Set Knowledge and Skill Items. Specialty set included in this course covers competencies for Early Childhood Special Education.

In order to gain skills in consultation, case management, collaboration, coaching, mentoring, and co-teaching, including techniques in working with children, families, educators, related service providers, and other human service professionals, this course will prepare each student to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the national and state requirements for early childhood special education in the implementation of IDEIA, including rights and responsibilities, regulations, judicial mandates, legal decisions, and policy issues.
  2. Describe the Early Intervention (EI) and Special Education processes including child find, child study and screening, referral, multidisciplinary evaluation, eligibility determination, development of IFSP or IEP, placement/services, ongoing evaluation and assessment, and exiting services. 
  3. Demonstrate understanding of procedural safeguards in IDEIA.
  4. Identify the rationale for integration/inclusion both at the system and child levels; the benefits, barriers, and supports to implementation; and describe exemplary models and explain the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. 
  5. Exhibit a thorough understanding of the procedures used in successful development of inclusive service delivery options. 
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of the various roles in ECSE service delivery, including serving as a consultant, using a consultant, and collaborating with paraprofessionals, related services providers, administrators, and caregivers. 
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of transition planning for young children with disabilities and their families. 
  8. Demonstrate understanding of needs assessment, planning, implementing, and evaluating in- service training and professional development plans. 
  9. Access and critically apply research and recommended practices. 
  10. Seek opportunities to grow professionally by locating and using appropriate professional literature, organizations, resources, and experiences to inform and improve practice.
  11. Demonstrate sensitivity to the primary culture and individual differences of children, families, and professionals during all contacts. 
  12. Describe the role of the service coordinator in EI, models of service coordination, and recommended service coordination practices for infants and toddlers and their families. 
  13. Demonstrate knowledge of interagency coordination as applied to administrative aspects of service delivery, including development of interagency agreements, referral, and consultation and collaboration.

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Assessment measures may include, but are not limited to:

  • Exam(s)
  • Case stud(ies) and family interview application assignment(s) on multicultural issues
  • Search and evaluation of online resources
  • Research-based articles on early intervention program design and family-based interventions
  • Evaluation of Recommended Practices in Site Based Settings
  • Class participation
  • Field interviews and activities, including data collection necessary to conduct a functional behavioral assessment
  • Individual and group projects including conducting a functional behavioral assessment in order to develop a positive behavior support plan around one individual which is an CEC program assessment
  • Class presentations
  • Reflective writing

Review and Approval

April 29, 2009

May 11, 2015

May 5, 2022

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