Teaching Students with Disabilities Certificate | Grades 7-12

Program Overview

The Teaching Students with Disabilities Certificate program prepares secondary teachers with content area certification to teach Special Education at the secondary level. The program emphasizes understanding exceptionalities, creating inclusive learning environments, individualizing instruction, and using evidence-based strategies. Courses are taught by experienced faculty and include field experience opportunities.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Overview:

The Teaching Students with Disabilities Certificate program is designed for teachers with New York State certification in a content area at the adolescent level (such as Mathematics, Science, English Language Arts, or Social Studies). This certificate allows secondary teachers to teach any Special Education content area at the secondary level.

Objectives:

Upon completion of the program, beginning special education specialists will be able to:

• Understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
• Create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become active and effective learners and develop emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and self-determination.
• Use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
• Use multiple methods of assessment and data sources in making educational decisions.
• Select, adapt, and use a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
• Use foundational knowledge of the field and the professional Ethical Principles and Practice Standards to inform special education practice, to engage in lifelong learning, and to advance the profession.

Program Description:

Courses are offered in the afternoon and evening. Some courses may be available in an online or hybrid format.

Teaching:

• Courses are taught by experienced faculty members who are experts in the field of special education.
• The program uses a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, discussions, simulations, and case studies.
• Students have the opportunity to apply their learning in real-world settings through field experience.

Careers:

This certificate allows a secondary classroom teacher to teach any Special Education content area at the secondary level.