Programs in Special Education (SPE)

Professor Edwin S. Ellis, Program Chairperson
Office: 204-B Graves Hall

The program in special education for exceptional children offers undergraduate programs that require the completion of a minimum of 128 semester hours as specified below and lead to the bachelor of science in education degree and the Alabama Class B Professional Certificate.

NOTE: Admission to this program is competitive, and meeting stated criteria does not guarantee admission. Rather, persons who meet stated criteria are guaranteed consideration for admission to the teacher education program. An individual may request from the program chairperson or his or her adviser information concerning summative data on the most recent previous admissions.

COLLABORATIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION (K--6) or (6-12)

The special education CTP is an innovative teacher preparation program that leads to a bachelor of science in education degree with three teacher certification options at the Alabama Class "B" level:

• elementary collaborative (K--6)
• secondary collaborative (6-12)
• dual elementary (K--6)/secondary (6-12) collaborative

The undergraduate CTP is a two-year upper-division program that prepares students to work in general and special education settings with children and youth who have a wide range of disabilities. A cohort of students is accepted each fall. Students in the CTP cohort take the majority of their courses together, work on numerous collaborative assignments and projects with their peers and their instructors, and participate in a number of practicums in a variety of educational settings. In addition to practicums and internships in local education agencies, CTP students have opportunities to gain practical experience in working with individuals who are disabled.

The final semester of the CTP program is devoted to a full-time teaching internship in a local education agency appropriate to the teaching certificate option selected. Mentoring teachers for the internship are selected carefully and work closely with CTP faculty to ensure program continuity and high-quality student teaching experiences.

The undergraduate catalog is published only at twoyear intervals. Program advising sheets are updated as policy changes are made and are thus likely to provide the most uptodate information on degree and other requirements. Students should always obtain the most recent advising sheets, available from academic advisers and in 104 Carmichael Hall. In addition, a program handbook with which students are expected to be familiar is available in 210 Graves Hall.

A student must have an overall and University of Alabama GPA of no less than 2.75 for admission to this TEP. After admission, the student must maintain at least a 2.75 UA and overall GPA in coursework in professional studies and teaching field courses, with no grade less than a "C."

General Studies (See p. 171-172)	60
General studies courses must be completed prior to being admitted to the teacher education program. Courses that are common to the teaching field and the general studies component may be applied to both. At least 128 hours are required for the degree. Courses from areas II, III, and IV, plus any hours remaining in area V, should be utilized to meet teaching field or prerequisite requirements.
Professional Studies	33-36
Students must earn grades of "C" or better in each of the following professional studies courses. The UA GPA — and, if transfer work, the overall GPA — must be at least 2.75 in these courses.
1SPE 300 Survey of Special Education and Accommodation Strategies	3
1SPE 304 Methods and Technology in Special Education	3
1BER 450 Assessment Practices in Classroom Learning	3
2SPE 302 Educational Diagnostic Measurement	3
2HD 101 Human Development (may not be transferred from a junior college)	3
2BEP 305 Educational Psychology	3
3BEF 362 History, Philosophy, and Social Foundations of Education	3
4SPE 499 Internship in Special Education (Elementary) or      SPE 499 Internship in Special Education (Secondary)	12-15
Teaching Field	27
Students must earn grades of "C" or better in each of the following teaching field courses. The UA GPA — and, if transfer work, the overall GPA — must be at least 2.75 in these courses.
2SPE 326 Instructional Sign Language I	3
1SPE 374 Parenting Young Children	3
3SPE 382 Teaching Higher-Order Thinking Skills across School Programs	3
2SPE 414 Collaboration and Consultation	3
2SPE 416 Methods and Management of Students with Severe Disabilities	3
1SPE 435 Behavior Management	3
3SPE 491 Educational Methods for Mild Learning and Behavior Disorders     — Elementary or SPE 492 Educational Methods for Mild      Learning and Behavior Disorders — Secondary	3
3CRD 350 Survey of Reading Instruction (W)	3
3CEE 380 Teaching Elementary Mathematics (P--6)	3

¹15 semester hours to be taken during the fall semester of the junior year.

²18 semester hours to be taken during the spring semester of the junior year.

³15 semester hours to be taken during the fall semester of the senior year.

⁴12 semester hours to be taken during the spring semester of the senior year.

EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION (BIRTH-8 YEARS)

Through the major in early childhood special education, students learn about the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of young children who have special needs.

The undergraduate catalog is published only at two-year intervals. Program advising sheets are updated as policy changes are made and are thus likely to provide the most up-to-date information on degree and other requirements. Students should always obtain the most recent advising sheets, available from academic advisers and in 104 Carmichael Hall. In addition, a program handbook, with which students are expected to be familiar, is available in 210 Graves Hall.

Courses	Hours
General Studies (See p. 171-172)	60
Courses that are common to the teaching field and the general studies component may be applied to both. At least 128 hours are required for the degree.
Early Childhood Special Education (B-8) Teaching Field	30
The University of Alabama GPA — and, if transfer work, the overall GPA — must be at least 2.75 in these courses.
CEE 380 Teaching Elementary Mathematics	3
CD 226 Language and Speech Development	3
HD 202 Child Development: Infancy and Toddlerhood	3
HD 205 Child Development: Preschool	3
SPE 304 Methods and Technology in Special Education	3
SPE 326 Instructional Sign Language I	3
SPE 374 Parenting Young Children (W)	3
SPE 414 Collaboration and Consultation	3
SPE 435 Behavior Management	3
SPE 471 Developmental Perspectives of Young Children with Disabilities	3
See general studies requirements, p. 171-172. The following exceptions apply: Area II: Courses should be selected to meet teaching field or prerequisite requirements. Area IV: Courses should be selected to meet teaching field or prerequisite requirements. Area V: From those courses listed on p. 172, CAT 200 and CAT 250 should be selected.
Professional Studies	30
Students must earn grades of "C" or higher in each of the following professional studies courses. The University of Alabama GPA — and, if transfer work, the overall GPA — must be at least 2.75 in these courses.
BEF 362 History, Philosophy, and Social Foundations of Education	3
BEP 305 Educational Psychology	3
CRD 350 Survey of Reading Instruction (W)	3
SPE 300 Survey of Special Education and Accommodation Strategies	3
SPE 476 Assessment of Young Children	3
SPE 478 Methods of Teaching Young Children with Disabilities	3
SPE 479 Internship or HD 423 Internship	12
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Total: 120