TEDX1868X - Inclusion: Working with Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms
Course Description
Information provided in this course has been divided into five chapters, which should be completed in the order in which they are presented in the program. Once you have completed these five chapters, you should have a better understanding of the concept of inclusion and how it came about. You are strongly encouraged to read additional journal articles, books, and research materials outside the course material to gain a better understanding of current issues related to educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms.
View Inclusion: Working with Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms syllabus for additional information.
Key Benefits
- 100% online self-paced course.
- No prior experience required.
- No textbooks and other materials required for purchase.
Learning Modules Include
- Chapter 1: The Concept & Federal Definition of Students with Disabilities
- This chapter focuses on federal law and regulations, and key terms and concepts. This is foundational knowledge for educators to understand their legal responsibility in teaching all students with special needs. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Describe the federal definition of students with disabilities
- Describe the criteria school systems can use to determine whether a student falls under one of the categories of disabilities
- Describe key concepts/terms
- List and describe federal legislation and court cases that have contributed to the movement toward educating students with disabilities in the classroom
- List and describe the continuum of settings school systems can use to educate students with disabilities
- List and describe characteristics of effective inclusion programs
- List and describe the advantages and disadvantages of inclusion
- This chapter focuses on federal law and regulations, and key terms and concepts. This is foundational knowledge for educators to understand their legal responsibility in teaching all students with special needs. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Chapter 2: Federal Laws & Regulations
- Chapter 2 focuses on the federal laws and regulations. It is important that you understand these since they do govern your school and your classroom. Reading and hearing about this information can become overwhelming, so take your time moving through this section. Having a good foundational knowledge of the laws and regulations will help you apply strategies that will be discussed later in the course. After reading the information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- List and describe legal procedures and criteria school systems and educators are required to use in evaluating, identifying, and educating students with disabilities, and the special education and related services needed;
- List and describe the provisions specified under IDEA, and the mandate each provision specifies school systems must use in working with students with special needs;
- List and describe the provisions specified under federal regulations and procedures school systems must use in working with students with special needs;
- Describe the special education and related services school systems are mandated to provide to students with disabilities;
- Describe the procedural safeguards parents of students with disabilities are granted under IDEA;
- Describe the civil rights students with disabilities are granted under Section 504, and ADA;
- Describe the purpose of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and an Individualized Family Service Plan and the components or information that needs to be specified in each document;
- List and describe the similarities and differences between regulations for the various education-related acts;
- List and describe procedures school systems are expected to go through at the pre-referral and referral stages;
- List and describe the Response to Intervention (RTI) process, and procedures school systems are expected to go through before a child is referred for an in-depth assessment, for the purpose of determining whether he/she has a disability and/or is labeled as a student with a specific learning disability;
- Describe the roles and responsibilities of teachers, school-based problem solving team members, and the multidisciplinary (IEP) team in identifying and providing special education and related services to students with special needs; and
- Describe procedures special and general educators can use to determine whether students with disabilities can be educated in the general education classroom.
- Chapter 2 focuses on the federal laws and regulations. It is important that you understand these since they do govern your school and your classroom. Reading and hearing about this information can become overwhelming, so take your time moving through this section. Having a good foundational knowledge of the laws and regulations will help you apply strategies that will be discussed later in the course. After reading the information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Chapter 3: Special & General Educator Collaboration
- This chapter focuses on the impact the movement toward educating students with special needs in the general education classroom has had on the roles and responsibilities of special and general educators, strategies teachers can use to work collaboratively, and procedures teachers can use to determine whether students need accommodations and modifications. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Describe the impact the movement toward educating students with special needs in the general education classroom has had on teachers;
- Describe the role and responsibilities of teachers in terms of educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms;
- Define the term “collaboration” and describe different collaborative models special and general educators can use to provide special education and related services to students educated in general education classrooms (e.g. co-teaching);
- List and describe characteristics that must be in place for special and general educators to collaborate successfully; and
- List and describe the steps special and general educators should go through in setting up their own collaborative efforts.
- This chapter focuses on the impact the movement toward educating students with special needs in the general education classroom has had on the roles and responsibilities of special and general educators, strategies teachers can use to work collaboratively, and procedures teachers can use to determine whether students need accommodations and modifications. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Chapter 4: Differentiated Instruction, Accommodations, & Modifications
- Chapter four focuses on why special and general educators need to differentiate instruction and provide instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications for students educated in inclusive classrooms. After reading the information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Specify regulations that mandate that students should be provided with adaptations;
- Define the terms “differentiated instruction,” “curricular adaptations,” “accommodations,” and “modifications”;
- List and describe instructional accommodations and modifications teachers can provide to students educated in inclusive classrooms;
- List and describe the steps special and general educators can use to determine accommodations and modifications students may require in inclusive classrooms;
- Describe steps special and general educators can go through in determining whether a student will or will not participate in state- or district-wide assessment programs; and
- List and describe types of assessment accommodations teachers can provide for students during testing.
- Chapter four focuses on why special and general educators need to differentiate instruction and provide instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications for students educated in inclusive classrooms. After reading the information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- Chapter 5: Methods for the Classroom
- Chapter five focuses on procedures special and general educators can use to structure their classroom environment and manage students’ behaviors. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
- List and describe factors that may result in students’ inappropriate classroom behavior;
- Define “functional assessment” and describe procedures educators can use to evaluate their classroom setting;
- List and describe strategies educators can use to structure their classroom setting and increase students’ appropriate classroom behavior and decrease inappropriate classroom behavior; and
- List and describe the importance of identifying the relationship between students’ behaviors and learning.
- Chapter five focuses on procedures special and general educators can use to structure their classroom environment and manage students’ behaviors. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:
Course Learning Outcomes
- Explain federal law and regulations and how these affect educators
- Correctly use key terms when communicating with a special education team and guardians
- Use Response to Intervention at an initial level
- Identify characteristics of special needs students
- Apply strategies for effective teaching, including classroom management
- Choose appropriate instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications
Requirements to Enroll
No application is needed to enroll. All learners are eligible to enroll in the course. There are no admission requirements. It is recommended that learners have a high school diploma or GED, and have basic computer and internet knowledge.
Semester Open-Enrollment Schedule:
- Spring = January - April
- Summer = May - August
- Fall = September - December
*Please note that students are only allowed to register max 5 TEDX courses per semester period*
Estimated Time to Completion
This course can be completed in approximately 30 hours of asynchronous work.
Access Time
Learners will have access to their course learning modules for up to 365 days from the date of enrollment.
CEUs and PDUs
- CEUs 3.0 National University Continuing Education Units
Certificate of Completion
Learners will be awarded a National University Workforce and Community Education, Professional and Continuing Education Certificate of Completion after satisfying the course requirements below:
- Complete all four information sections showing a competent understanding of the material presented in each section.
- Complete all four section examinations, showing a competent understanding of the material presented. You must obtain an overall score of 70% or higher, with no individual exam score below 50%, to pass this course. *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.
- Complete a review of any section on which your examination score was below 50%.
- Retake any examination, after completing an information review, to increase that examination score to a minimum of 50%, making sure to also be achieving an overall exam score of a minimum 70% (maximum of three attempts). *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.
- Complete a course evaluation form at the end of the course.
Refund Policy
We at National University want all of our students to have a positive and rewarding learning experience. In the event that a student is not completely satisfied with a course, we offer a refund policy to ensure satisfaction.
To be eligible for a refund, the student must submit a written request, including a valid reason, within 9 calendar days of registering for the course. Additionally, the student must not have attempted more than 25% of the course.
To request a refund, email PACE@nu.edu and include your full name, student ID, and course name. Your reason for requesting a refund will be carefully reviewed, and we reserve the right to refuse a refund if we determine the request to be invalid.
If you meet the eligibility criteria and are approved for a refund, we will issue a refund to your original method of payment within 60 days of the refund approval.