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ECSE syllabus
behavior mod
Early Childhood Special Education: ECS 112 / 3.0 credits
Wednesdays,  7:00 pm to 9:50 pm - Instructor: Evelyn Cernadas Gard, MA. Ed. - Phone: 285-2065 email: egard@gwcc.commnet.edu
Office hours: weekdays, 10am to 5pm in LW 213

Course Description:
This course is designed to familiarize students with current information regarding early intervention for infants and toddlers from birth to age two, and preschool special education for three-to-five year old children with disabilities, developmental delays or deviations in development. The course will focus on traditional and new methods of intervention as they relate to young children with disabilities, and their families. Students will also become familiar with the federal legislation that provides funding for services and drives Early Childhood Special Education. The course will also discuss long-term implications and lifelong issues where appropriate.

The course will consist of lecture, discussion, observation, collaborative projects, videos and guest speakers. An observation journal and term paper will also be required.

Textbook: BOWE, FRANK G. Birth to Eight: Early Childhood Special Education New York: Delmar Publishers, 1995 isbn: 1-4018-4850-8  (3rd or 4th edition)


Course Objectives
After taking EDU 112, students will be able to:

1. Identify the differences and similarities between Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) and Early Childhood Education (ECE).
2. Discuss the historical and philosophical bases for ECSE.
3. Identify ECSE: what it is, who it serves, state and federal statutes & governance, and the roles of program workers (professionals, paraprofessionals, and
    volunteers), and parents play in service delivery.
4. Identify and explain the planning documents and regulations used in ECSE: the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and the Individualized Family Services Plan   
   (IFSP).
5. Explain the rules regarding eligibility, personnel qualifications, service quality and other aspects of operating programs for young children.
6. Discuss and become familiar with technology, including communications technologies ECSE programs can use to improve program-parent relations and
    adaptive technology devices and services that may assist young children with disabilities.
7. Identify cultural diversity issues with respect to children receiving services, access to technology, ECSE workers, and family program dynamics.
8. Explain federal statutory and regulatory requirements for ECSE programs.
9. Explain the rights of parents in any dispute with ECSE program staff.
10. Discuss the physical, intellectual, emotional and cognitive domain as they pertain to normal development, developmental delays and disabilities.
11. Identify, describe and explain the problems of physical development including cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, amputation, traumatic brain
      injury, and spinal chord injury.
12. Identify and describe the communication network covering hearing, vision, speech and language impairments.
13. Identify and describe the cognitive domain as it pertains to the spectrum of learning ability from delayed to gifted.

Grading Procedure:
Exams & quizzes: 30%
Assignments: 20%
Observation Journal: 10%
Participation: 10% (attendance is included here)
Paper/Presentation: 30%

All assignments (except for the observation journal) must be typed with 10 or 12 pt font & 1.5 spacing.
Late assignments will not be accepted. It is kindly requested that all pagers and cell phones be turned off during class.

Research Paper:
The research paper & presentation counts as the course final. Guidelines for the term paper will be discussed in class.

Observation Journal
EDU 112 students will be expected to spend a minimum of 5 observation hours in a pre-school, daycare or elementary school class setting while keeping an observation journal that relates to topics discussed in class.

Adapted Lesson
Each student will be responsible for presenting one adaptive lesson. Guidelines for the adaptive lesson will be discussed in class.



The assignments and schedule outlined in this syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.