Moderate/Severe Disabilities (M/S)

Requirements for an Education Specialist Clear Credential Candidate who completed an Education Specialist Level I Preparation Program (1996 - 2008)

The Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for a candidate who holds an Education Specialist Level I teaching credential and is completing an approved Teacher Induction program to earn the Education Specialist Clear Credential must address the content that was previously provided in the Level II program. Factors to Consider are provided for each of the topics identified below. Click on the title of the topic to see the scope of what the candidate must understand and be able to do.

Data-Based Decision Making: Each candidate demonstrates the ability to continually analyze assessment and performance data to determine whether to maintain, modify or change specific instructional strategies, curricular content or adaptations, behavioral supports and/or daily schedules to facilitate skill acquisition and successful participation for each student.

Advanced Behavioral, Emotional, and Environmental Supports: Each candidate demonstrates advanced knowledge and the ability to implement systems that assess, plan, and provide academic and social skill instruction to support students with complex behavioral and emotional needs. Each candidate works with educational, mental health, and other community resources in the ongoing process of designing, implementing, evaluating and modifying identified supports to ensure a positive learning environment.

Current and Emerging Research and Practices: Each candidate demonstrates knowledge of and ability to interpret, apply and disseminate current and emerging research, theory, legislation, policy and practice.

Transition and Transition Planning: Each candidate demonstrates knowledge of and the ability to implement factors associated with successful planning and implementation of transitional life experiences for students with mild/moderate/severe disabilities. Each candidate collaborates with personnel from other educational and community agencies to plan for successful transitions by students.

Advanced Communication Skills: Each candidate demonstrates effective communication skills in the areas of respectful collaboration, managing conflicts, supervising staff such as paraprofessionals, and networking and negotiating, including family members.

Leadership and Management Skills: Each candidate demonstrates leadership and management skills to coordinate and facilitate educational programs, including constructing and following efficient schedules that meet individual student needs and maximize available resources. Each candidate demonstrates the ability to work effectively within integrated service delivery models and actively participates in school restructuring and reform efforts to impact systems change.

Development of Specific Emphasis: Each candidate demonstrates ability to expand upon the scope and depth of study in specific content areas, as well as expertise in performing specialized roles and/or responsibilities.

The approved Teacher Induction program is responsible for ensuring that each candidate recommended for the Education Specialist Clear Teaching Credential has completed an ILP which addressed the content described above. The Commission’s accreditation system monitors all approved educator preparation programs.

In addition, Level I candidates must meet the statutory requirements related to health, CPR, and technology.

Data-Based Decision Making
Rationale

Effective education is a dynamic process requiring teachers to plan, implement, evaluate, and modify curricula, instruction, and instructional contexts on an ongoing basis to meet the unique needs of individual learners. Prior to being fully credentialed at the professional level, candidates must demonstrate these abilities across the range of ages, abilities, learning characteristics, and disabling conditions covered by the Educational Specialist Credential and any emphasis specialization selected by the candidate.

Factors to Consider

• Each candidate analyzes student performance data and uses the analysis to determine whether targeted outcomes have been met and to make necessary modifications in instructional strategies on an ongoing basis.
• Each candidate conducts outcome driven educational programs including actively collecting, analyzing and synthesizing input from colleagues, families, students, performance data, and observations to adjust curricula, instruction and/or daily routines for the efficient and effective learning and educational experiences.
• Each candidate utilizes informal assessment and collaborates with specialists and IEP team members to meet the ongoing needs and preferences of students in the areas of communication, social/behavior, health care, motor, mobility and sensory functioning.
• Each candidate assesses typical school and community environments and creates adaptations or modifications necessary for active participation of individual students.
• Each candidate adapts general education curriculum via both pre-planned and on-the-spot modifications in general education instructional settings.
• Each candidate uses and evaluates a variety of group instructional strategies, such as cooperative learning and other heterogeneous grouping structures, to maintain active participation and learning of diverse groups of learners.
• Each candidate utilizes validated practices that maximize academic learning time, teacher directed instruction, student success, and content coverage.
• Each candidate designs, implements, and evaluates instructional sequences for effective teaching of concepts, rules, and strategies in reading, math, and content areas.

Advanced Behavioral, Emotional, and Environmental Supports
Rationale

Level I coursework and field experiences prepare candidates to begin careers in special education. In order to effectively support those students with extremely complex behavioral and emotional needs, candidates must acquire advanced knowledge and skills in the areas of comprehensive behavioral supports, social skills instruction, crisis management, effective instruction, curricular adaptations, and creating positive learning environments. Ongoing assessment and data-based modifications are critical components of effective implementation and must be demonstrated by each candidate prior to earning the professional level credential.

Factors to Consider

• Each candidate participates as a member of behavior intervention teams, implementing, evaluating, and adjusting behavior support plans so they result in the acquisition of appropriate replacement behaviors, increased health and safety, improved quality of life, and reductions in problem behavior.
• Each candidate works collaboratively with other agencies to address the social, behavioral and emotional needs of individual students.
• Each candidate, along with the IEP team and mental health specialists, identifies indicators of crisis or life threatening situations as a part of the functional assessment process and develops a proactive plan to provide any needed and immediate supports.
• Each candidate is familiar with a variety of programs and strategies for teaching specific social skills and implements them according to individual student needs.
• Each candidate teaches students strategies, such as organization of materials, listening strategies, notetaking, and textbook reading, for responding to consistent class demands and for gaining information in classes.
• Each candidate demonstrates procedures to promote transfer and generalization of learning strategies, study skills, and social behaviors.
• Each candidate demonstrates knowledge about the integration of academic instruction with affective development and behavior management techniques.
• Each candidate demonstrates the use of a variety of non-aversive procedures, including voice modulation, facial expressions, planned ignoring, proximity control, and tension release, for the purpose of modifying target behaviors.
• Each candidate demonstrates effective procedures for providing corrective feedback to students.
• Each candidate communicates closely with physicians to monitor the impact of medication, carefully observing the student's behavior and documenting behavioral changes to report to physicians.
• Each candidate utilizes non-intrusive crisis management techniques to diffuse potential crisis situations.
• Each candidate develops appropriate activities to be implemented before, during and following a crisis episode.
• Each candidate describes the effects of prescription and non-prescription medication/drugs on student behaviors.
• Each candidate demonstrates the ability to work with the IEP/ITP team to examine the viability and value of needed accommodations to assure post school behavior/social supports.
• Each candidate identifies issues, resources, and techniques for transitioning students with complex emotional and behavioral needs from restrictive environments, including special centers, nonpublic schools, psychiatric hospitals, and residential treatment programs to lesser restrictive settings.
• Each candidate delineates theoretical approaches, such as biogenic, psychodynamic, behavioral, and etiological, and their applications for students with complex emotional and behavioral needs.

Current and Emerging Research and Practices Rationale

The education of students with disabilities reflects an evolving knowledge base, and it is essential that all candidates seeking a credential become knowledgeable of this critical information. In order for teachers to remain abreast of effective current and emerging practices, candidates must be expected to read and interpret research for applied use in the field.

Factors to Consider

• Each candidate demonstrates knowledge and application of current and emerging theories and research related to the education of students with and without disabilities.
• Each candidate demonstrates knowledge of and implications for teachers of legislation, results of litigation, and policies impacting education of students with mild to severe disabilities.
• Each candidate demonstrates the ability to effectively implement educational programs that reflect current best practices; updating programs as new practices emerge.
• Each candidate participates actively within the school district and local community to facilitate the development of policies and implementation of practices that reflect current information.

Transition and Transition Planning
Rationale

It is essential that educators understand the sequential and continuous nature of preparing students with mild to severe disabilities for successful adult transition and continuing educational, social and career development. Programs must facilitate the development of candidates who are knowledgeable about and sensitive to the unique transition needs of individual students and their families.

Factors to Consider

• Each candidate examines factors that effect all stages of development in the life of an individual with mild to severe disabilities relative to planning for educational and transitional experiences.
• Each candidate demonstrates the ability to collaborate with educators and related services personnel, families, and community agencies in developing and implementing transition plans for movement from one educational environment to another and from school to community.
• Each candidate demonstrates the appropriate development of individualized transitional plans and the use of transition planning teams in assisting students to move successfully toward independent living in society.
• Each candidate demonstrates knowledge of promoting student choice-making, self direction, and student self-advocacy skills prior to and during the post-secondary transitional period.
• For the moderate/severe credential, each candidate demonstrates the ability to work with the ITP team to examine the viability and value of needed accommodations such as personal attendants, supported living environments and assistive technology devices during and after the transitional phases.

Advanced Communication Skills
Rationale

The teacher's ability to use advance communication skills is vital to the success of aspects of the educational aspects. It is imperative that the candidate is able to effectively communicate with a diverse population of students and adults. The candidates develop their ability to use a variety of techniques and strategies to enhance interpersonal skills to communicate, collaborate, negotiate, network and provide positive public relations.

Factors to Consider

• Each candidate uses active listening techniques effectively across settings and people.
• Each candidate develops and demonstrates strategies for forming family partnerships and possesses effective communication skills for working with families.
• Each candidate demonstrates both leadership and management skills to design and implement professional development programs and serve as a consultant to other adults.
• Each candidate demonstrates effective and efficient team building and facilitation skills as a member of student and site based teams, including respectful interactions with others.
• Each candidate demonstrates an understanding of how to supervise a diverse group of staff, in a variety of environments including training providing feedback and incentives and monitoring staff.
• Each candidate demonstrates proficiency in conflict management skills.
• Each candidate demonstrates the ability to effectively interact at a professional level with a wide range of individuals across educational disciplines.

Leadership and Management Skills
Rationale

In order to serve students with moderate to severe disabilities the candidate must demonstrate leadership and management skills that effectively meet the varying demands of the career. Each candidate must be able to constructively coordinate, facilitate, and develop efficient educational programs that augment available community and educational resources including integration of services, delivery models, and school restructuring and reforms efforts.

Factors to Consider

• Each candidate is effectively involved in site-based decisions concerning students with and without disabilities.
• Each candidate actively participates in site-based school restructuring and reform efforts including input regarding students, parents, and teachers.
• Each candidate demonstrates efficient use of schedules which optimize available resources and integrated services and delivery models.
• Each candidate facilitates and coordinates educational programs with education and community resources, agencies, and professional and advocacy organizations that meet the unique needs of students.
• Each candidate develops and initiates effective educational programs and opportunities that positively integrate students with moderate to severe disabilities with general education programs, staff, and students.
• Each candidate demonstrates strategies to instruct others in the individual needs and abilities of students with moderate to severe disabilities as they are included in daily activities within general education.
• Each candidate demonstrates an awareness of available resources and the ability to use networking and negotiation skills to maximize access to meet staff development, school, and individual student needs.
• Each candidate participates actively within the school district and local community to acquire and disseminate information regarding emerging research and legislation.

Development of Specific Emphasis
Rationale

Prior coursework and field experiences have prepared candidates to begin careers in special education. Teaching experiences and learner needs stimulate interest for the new educator which require in-depth research of defined content areas and the development of expertise for specialized roles and/or responsibilities.

Factors to Consider

• The curricular content of the program is characterized by a depth of experience that challenges candidates, fosters critical reflection, extends understanding and allows for meaningful integration of theory and practice.
• For the Mild/Moderate Disabilities Credential, each candidate has opportunities to select and pursue specific areas of interest within the program such as, but not limited to transition, inclusive education, early childhood, behavioral intervention, serious emotional disturbance, and technology.
• For the Moderate/Severe Disabilities Credential, each candidate has opportunities to select and pursue specific areas of interest within the program such as, but not limited to transition, inclusive education, early childhood, sex education, behavioral intervention, deaf-blind, serious emotional disturbance, technology and augmentative communication.
• Coursework in the program is designed to thoughtfully engage each candidate in challenging learning activities in order to provide opportunities for candidates to reflect on their own practice, interests, and needs.
• Each candidate has the opportunity to develop expertise and demonstrate application in the field of specialization with the target population and/or content area.