Special Education 101 for Teachers

Students will learn about the major areas of special education, including a brief history of special education, special education law, IEPs, 504 plans, parent/stakeholder rights, overrepresentation of minorities in special education, collaborating with school professionals and families, long-term planning and transitioning for older students, categories and characteristics of disabilities present in special education, special education methods (self-contained, behavior units, push-in, pull-out/resource rooms, and special schools), types of learners, learning theories, effects of disabilities on learning and behavior, human development, communication issues in special education, evaluating progress against curriculum, eligibility for special education services, RtI/MTSS (response to intervention) services and outcomes, assistive technology in the classroom, differentiation and grouping in the special ed classroom, evaluation and assessment in special education, proactive behavior management, classroom management basics, and a very basic overview of approaches to take when teaching math or ELA in the special ed classroom. Lastly, I will touch briefly on how all of this relates to Florida in terms of standards and special laws, since this is the state I currently teach in. If you are not a Florida teacher or Florida resident, I will show you how to use this information to access your own state standards, laws and requirements within special education.