This course has an assignment that is due by 11:55 pm Central Standard Time on Wednesday night of the first week of class. Failure to complete this assignment will result in your removal from the course for non-participation.

Raymond, Eileen. Learners With Mild Disabilities, A Characteristics Approach. 5th ed. Pearson Education, Inc., 2017.

ISBN: 978-0-13-382711-8

This course is an introduction to the profession of special education. History, theoretical foundations and practices related to the social, emotion, health, and learning characteristics of the individuals with mild-moderate disabilities are explored. The course includes an introduction to the educational and psychological characteristics (cognitive, emotional, and social) of school age individuals with mild-moderate disabilities and the implications these characteristics have for educational practice. Problems of definitions, screening, diagnosis, classification systems, transition, future planning, classroom management, and multicultural issues are introduced.

• To understand the impact of history, legislation, and court cases on special education. 
• To address the definition of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). 
• To become familiar with the components of an IEP. 
• To become familiar with the different disabilities. 
• To become familiar with IDEA and its definition of these disabilities. 
• To understand the characteristics of, and strategies used with, students with disabilities.

This course meets the following MoSPE Teacher Candidate Standards: 1C1, 2C1, 2C4, 2C5, 3C2, 3C3, 6C2, 8C3, 9C2, 9C3