Contacts

Christy Ashby, Faculty Director of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Studies, 315-443-8689, ceashby@syr.edu
Julia M. White, 150 Huntington Hall, 315-443-9321, jmwhit02@syr.edu

Faculty

Beth Ferri, Duane Graysay, Ja Youn Kwon, Janine Nieroda-Madden

The fully online Inclusive Special Education (All Grades) master’s program builds on the long and distinguished traditions of inclusive education and disability studies at Syracuse University that examines disability as a social, cultural, and political construct, linked to issues of race, class and gender. A grounding assumption of the program is that students with disabilities must have access to academic instruction and social learning that is available to all students.

Students with no prior study in education who are interested in working as inclusive special educators as resource room teachers, consultant teachers, integrated co-teachers, or teachers of students with significant disabilities, and to teach the core content in supporting roles in grades PK-12 may apply to this program. Master’s degree candidates explore innovative approaches to modifying and adapting instruction, curriculum, and classroom structures to maximize active, meaningful participation of all learners.

Students in the program participate for 100 hours during the Fall semester and 70 full fays in the Spring semester in area schools and collaborate on planning, assessment and teaching teams. This intensive fieldwork helps students connect theory and practice. Through coursework students build competencies in adapting and delivering instruction, curriculum, and classroom structures, using assessments, integrational instructional and assistive technologies, and meeting the social, communication and academic needs of students. Students also learn to regard individuals with disabilities as important sources of knowledge and planning, based on the perspectives of these individuals themselves.

This 36 credit program can accommodate either full-time or part-time students, although availability for student teaching/field placements during the day is necessary. Full time students may complete the program in 15 months, following a summer-fall-spring-summer course sequence. A liberal arts concentration and appropriate coursework in core academic areas are also required; students often enter with many of these courses already completed, and have the opportunity to complete remaining courses before, during, or after the graduate coursework.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Acquire knowledge of each student and demonstrate knowledge of student development and learning to promote achievement for all students
2. Know the content they are responsible for teaching and plan instruction that ensures growth and achievement for all students
3. Implement instruction that engages and challenges all students to meet or exceed the learning standards
4. Work with all students to create a dynamic learning environment that supports achievement and growth
5. Use multiple measures to assess and document student growth, evaluate instructional effectiveness, and modify instruction
6. Demonstrate professional responsibility and engage relevant stakeholders to maximize student growth, development, and learning
7. Set informed goals and strive for continuous professional growth

M.S. in Inclusive Special Education Initial

Initial Course Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Summer Session (9 credits)
EDU 606	Understanding Learning and Teaching	3
RED 625	Literacy Across the Curriculum	3
SPE 611	Perspectives on Disabilities	3
Fall Semester (9 credits)
EDU 510	Safe and Healthy Learning Environments	1
EDU 613	Methods for Teaching	3
EDU 620	Candidacy for Student Teaching	2
SPE 612	Adapting Instruction for Diverse Student Needs	3
Spring Semester (12 credits)
EDU 630	Student Teaching/Practicum	6
SPE 724	Inclusive Professional Practices in Special Education	3
SPE 705	Practicum in Psychoeducational Evaluation and Planning for Exceptional Children	3
Summer Session ((6 credits)
RED 621	Literacy Intervention for Special Educators, Grades K-12	3
SPE 644	Significant Disabilities: Shifts in Paradigms and Practices	3
Total Credits		36

Culminating Experience

As a culminating experience, students complete a portfolio demonstrating evidence of professional competence.

Total Credits Required: 36

Inclusive Special Education Initial Content Requirements

In addition to the graduate courses listed above, this program requires an undergraduate degree in a liberal arts content core or 30 credit hours in one or more of the liberal arts and sciences. In addition, they must have six credits in English (three of which must be in writing), six credits of Mathematics, six credits in the Natural Sciences, and six credits in the Social Science (three of which must be in history), where appropriate these English, Mathematics, Science or Social Sciences may overlap with the liberal arts content core.

Typically, a 3.0 average in these courses is required. They must have 30 credit hour major, concentration or its equivalent in one or more of the liberal arts and sciences. It is expected that students will enter the program with most of these requirements completed.

The program, along with the liberal arts requirements listed below, leads to the Master of Science (M.S.) degree meets the academic requirements for the New York State Students with Disabilities All Grades teaching certificate. There are also application, testing and other requirements for certification in New York State. Although New York State is a member of the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, if students seek certification in other states, they must contact that state’s certification office to confirm the requirements for interstate reciprocity.

Students who do not complete all of the requirements cannot be recommended for certification.

Also Required

Workshops in violence prevention, child abuse and abduction, substance abuse, the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), and school and fire safety.

As a culminating experience, students complete a portfolio demonstrating evidence of professional competence.