ECED 2060
Development of Exceptional Children 
3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

Explores practices that early childhood professionals can apply to develop a more inclusive and accessible environment for all children ages birth to nine. Provides students with skills to include children of all abilities through appropriate arrangement of the environment.  Includes strategies for developing strong relationships with families and other community agencies. Field experience is required.  Pre-requisite:  ECED 2020 and 2040 or Department Approval.

   Course Objectives:

      The student will:

  1. Understand the necessity for early intervention in an inclusive approach to early childhood education,

  2. Identify recommended practices and elements for inclusive early childhood programs,

  3. Demonstrate initial knowledge of legislation, regulations, and litigation related to the field of special education,

  4. Know and understand the causes and classification of developmental disabilities,

  5. Identify characteristics of developmental disabilities and at-risk conditions,

  6. Identify the assessment process in supporting young children with developmental disabilities,

  7. Demonstrate and interpret the use of screening and diagnostic instruments used with young children with developmental disabilities,

  8. Know and understand how to work effectively with a multi-disciplinary team in an effort to coordinate an appropriate
     educational program integrating parents, school, and community resources,

  9. Know and understand the approaches that are used in implementing developmentally appropriate learning experiences in preparing
    teachers for inclusive programs,

Prerequisites and Corequisites:

ECED 2020 and 2040 or Department Approval.

Course Topics:

  Topic 1         Introduction

 Topic 2          Special Needs in Early Education

 Topic 3          Partnership with Families

 Topic 4          Recognizing Special Needs

 Topic 5         Developing an IFSP/IEP            

 Topic 6         Implementing Intervention and Instructional Strategies                                       

Topic 7          Social and Emotional Development              

 Topic 8         Developing Motor Skills in Young Children   

 Topic 9         Nurturing Communication

 Topic 10       Developing Cognitive Skills

 Topic 12       Inclusion Support to Young Children With Special Needs

 Topic 11       Assistive Technology and Other Adaptations

Specific Course Requirements:
  • Students must complete  ALL assignments.
  • Students must take ALL exams as scheduled.
  • Students must complete all reading assignments in the textbook, handouts, and on the Web.
  • Students must complete an IFSP/IEP.
  • Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course.
  • Students must check the course bulletin board and e-mail at least three times per week for
    announcements.
  • Students must actively participate in threaded discussion events.

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course:  http://rodp.bkstr.com

 Supplementary Reading

Guidelines for Preparation of Early Childhood Professionals  NAEYC (website) 
http://www.ncate.org/standard/new%20program%20standards/naeyc%202001.pdf

Hardware Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm.

Software Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. Specific hardware requirements
for this course include: Real Player, Media Player, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word.  All assignments MUST be saved and transported through WebCT in Microsoft Word.

Instructor Information

        Please see inside sheet for more details about the instructor.

Assessment and Grading

Testing Procedures:

All exams will be taken on-line through WebCT.  All exams will have time limits as to the number of minutes allowed to take the exam and dates on which the student may take the exam. Students must take ALL exams before the last scheduled day of that particular exam. Each exam will be open until 11:55 pm the last date for that particular exam (as shown on the calendar) so that a student may be allowed to work at his/her own pace.  Thus a student will be allowed to finish the course early if he/she wishes..

Grading Criteria:  Grades reflect a student's progress in course content.  A four point grading system will be used (please note Grading Scale). Successful completion of the assignments listed below will demonstrate how well the student has met the Course Objectives.

Grading Scale:  Grades reflect a student's progress in course content.  The following 4 point grading system will be used:

     90-100%     =  A  (720 - 800 points)

     80-  89%     =  B  (640 - 719 points)

     70-  79%     =  C  (560 - 639 points)

     65-  69%     =  D  (520 - 559 points)

     Below 65     =  F  (below 520 points)

Assignments and Participation

  • Reading Reviews

  • Website Reviews

  • Interviews with Parents and Other Childhood Professionals

  • Observation of an Child with Special Needs in an Inclusive Setting

  • Resource Portfolio (Agencies, Centers/Schools, Assistive Technology and Adaptive Devices)

  • Complete an IFSP/IEP Form

*Assignments may be modified at the discretion of the instructor.

 

Class Participation:

Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course. For example, students must communicate with other students via the Discussion Board, Students are expected to communicate with the instructor as a learning resource. Students must check the course bulletin board, e-mail, and the discussion board frequently for announcements, and students must actively participate in threaded discussion events.

Course Ground Rules

Participation is required. You are expected to communicate with other students through the Discussion Board and E-mail. You MUST learn how to navigate in WebCT.  You will keep abreast of course announcements by checking your Home Page, Discussion Board, and E-mail. 

You MUST Use the WebCT e-mail address for all correspondence with me and to send all assignments to me (click Compose, click the address box, click  Browse, click the first name on the list, and click "Select". My WebCT e-mail will appear in the address box). The instructor will not accept any work or correspondence sent through any of my other  e-mail addresses, through the "snail" mail, or by leaving at my office.  In order to keep a record of all work, correspondence, etc. for the course, we must communicate through your WebCT account.   You must address any technical problems immediately (if anything is not working properly). Please observe course netiquette at all times. 

Guidelines for Communications

Email:
  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. 
    Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.     :-)
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members
  • Always e-mail through your WebCT course e-mail. 

Discussion Groups:
  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker first and then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks (if we have group assignments).
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
  • The instructor may give bonus points to students who have successfully helped another student or students with requested information.
  • The Discussion Board is a great place to check with other students about your concerns or questions (just as you would face-to-face in
    an on-ground classroom situation. *The instructor will monitor the Discussion Board.

Web Resources:

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic
 journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses. 

Students With Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the left to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of changes on the course bulletin board.

Technical Support

Telephone Support:

If you are having problems logging into your course, timing out of your course, using your course web site tools, or other technical problems please contact the RODP Help Desk by calling  1-866-550-7637 (toll free) or go to their website at: http://help.rodp.org