Early Childhood Specialist Authorization Program

1. Program Summary

Program Design

The Dean of the College of Educationhas oversight of all credential and authorization programs. Responsibilities areshared amongstthe Associate Dean, the Department Chair, Program Coordinators, and supporting staff.The ECSE Added Authorization programis part of theDepartment of Special Education, and theECSE Authorization Coordinator and the Department Chair have faculty appointments. All program faculty play a leadership role in aspects of the programtosupport each other and candidates.

Withinthe College of Education,there is regular communication between the Credential Preparation Center with the Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator regularly meets with the Department Chair, as well as representation from the other credential programs to discuss university and college policy issues and program development. The Program Coordinator serves on committeesthat directly support and serve the program. Communication to program faculty is thengenerated from the Program Coordinator and the Department Chair.The programfocuses on providing consistent,ongoing,and timely communication to candidates.

Course of Study and Assessment
ECSEAA Standard 1: Characteristics of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers with IFSP and IEPs

Candidates in the ECSE Added Authorization program demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the developmental and learning characteristics of young children through SPED 400, SPED 421, SPED 514, SPED 515, SPED 535 and 489C/D. In SPED 400 candidates demonstrate knowledge through the course textbooks, modules and videos. Candidates write a research reports on disabilities, study brain development and engage in content related to characteristics of young children. Candidates review case studies from the text and answer questions on support diverse learners. Candidates in the ECSE AA program enroll in either SPED 489C or SPED 489D. They have the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge in engaging all learners (typical/atypical) through clinical practice competencies (TPEs). In SPED 514 and SPED 515 candidates demonstrate knowledge of developmental learning through assessments related to cognitive, social emotional, self-help/adaptive, communication and physical development. In addition, candidates’ complete modules related to communication, orthopedically impairments, other health impaired, visually impaired and deaf and hard of hearing young children. In both SPED 515 and SPED 514 candidates learn intervention strategies for working with very young children with a variety of disabilities. The content in SPED 535 includes developmentally appropriate instruction, working with children with OI and OHI, and developmentally appropriate assessments for young children. Students compose lesson plans with adaptations and an emphasis on cross-cultural competence (SPED 535).

ECSEAA Standard 2: Role of the Family in Early Childhood Special Education

The program ensures that candidates demonstrate knowledge of family systems (within the context of ethnicity, culture, life experiences and language diversity, in SPED 400, SPED 421, SPED 514, SPED 515, SPED 535 and SPED 489C/D. The role of the family is the foundation of SPED 400. Candidates demonstrate the knowledge of this standard from the assignments in the course texts. The text, Developing Cultural Competence: A Guide for working with Children in their Families, provides opportunities for candidates to review case studies and explore the impact of disabilities in different cultures. The disability research assignment in SPED 400 includes the impact of the disability on the family/caregivers. Candidates write reflections on diverse populations from cross-cultural text (SPED 400).

In SPED 421, candidates complete an IRIS module on collaboration with families, they conduct an interview with a family with a child who has an IFSP/IEP, they explore case studies on family issues, working with siblings, supporting migrant families and collaborative IFSP/IEPs. Candidates gain knowledge in working and teaming with families, helping families participate in the IEP process, assisting families with accessing community resources and collaborating with families in the key transition points. The family interview provides the candidate with the opportunity to demonstrate the skill of collaborating with families and identifying family priorities, resources and concerns. In SPED 421, candidates explore the impact of poverty for families with children with disabilities. Case studies in SPED 421 include families from a diverse background. Assessment of knowledge and skill in collaboration and consultation is conducted through the Family Interview assignment, Discussion Board, article reflections, and final exam.

In SPED 514, candidates demonstrate the ability to conduct a family assessment related to eliciting the family’s concerns, resources and priorities. Candidates demonstrate the ability to conduct IFSPs, practice routine-based interventions, embedded IFSP outcomes and coaching families. SPED 514 provides candidates with knowledge in skill in collaborating with families, service providers and community agencies. Candidates complete a module on writing IFSP outcomes which include case studies and videos. Candidates gain knowledge through course lectures and readings related to Part C and IDEA mandates, including but not limited to the provisions of service coordination, collaboration with team members and service providers.

SPED 514 and SPED 515 include content on Cultural Linguistic Diversity (CLD), working with young Dual Language Learners (DLL) and English Language Learners (EL). SPED 515 provides candidates with the opportunity to demonstrate skills in collaboration through the IEP case study. This activity requires candidates to plan an IEP meeting that includes various service providers, case managers and families depending on each individual case study

In SPED 535, candidates demonstrate knowledge related to working with families who are homeless and living in poverty. Candidates further demonstrate the knowledge included in standard #2 through their clinical practice in 489C or 489D through weekly activities and demonstrated competency of the TPEs.

Fieldwork: SPED 489C and SPED 489D. The two fieldwork experiences for ECSE candidates require candidates to demonstrate the skill required participating as a team member, to identify and enhance team roles, communicate, and problem solve, including recognizing the scope of practice parameters of ECSE and roles and expertise of other professionals and disciplines.

ECSEAA Standard 3: Assessment and Intervention/Instructional Strategies: Birth through
Pre-Kindergarten

Standard 3is addressed for candidates through multiple and varied experiences, readings, and assignments included in SPED 514, SPED 515, SPED 489C and SPED 489D coursework. Candidates demonstrate skill in selecting, administrating and interpreting assessments and evaluations by conducting three assessments in a variety of settings and ages of children. Course readings and assignments provide candidates with a foundation to understanding of the range of authentic, appropriate formal and informal assessment and evaluation approaches and strategies, (e.g. naturalistic play-based assessment, family interviewing).

Assessment and Evaluation is covered in two semesters with SPED 514 Infant/Toddler Assessment and Intervention, SPED 489C Fieldwork with Infants/Toddlers, SPED 515 Preschool /TK/K Assessment and Intervention, SPED 489D Fieldwork with Preschool,

In SPED 514/515 candidates demonstrate the skill in utilizing multiple sources of developmentally and standards-based assessment instruments and practices in natural environments to determine the child's development, functional behaviors, strengths, and needs within the context of the family’s concerns and priorities by conducting reviews of developmental and standards-based assessments. Candidates have access to a wide range of assessment materials. Assessment material reviews are conducted through-out the semester. Examples of assessment materials include The Carolina Curriculum and Assessments; Assessment, Evaluation, Programming System (AEPS), The Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP), The Development Assessment of Young Children (DAYC), Developmental Observation Checklist (DOCS), Ages and Stages Screening, Pediatric Evaluation Disability Inventory (PEDI), Temperament and Atypical Behavior Scale (TABS) and Rossetti Language Assessment. Candidates are provided opportunities to develop an understanding of the range of authentic, appropriate formal and informal assessment and evaluation approaches and strategies, influence of specific disabilities on development and learning, and the role of the interdisciplinary team through several key assignments. These assignments provide candidates with both theoretical and practical implications of the assessment and evaluation of young children. In addition, the assignments provide candidates with an understanding of the requirements of Part C and B related to assessment and evaluation. See course matrix for specific alignment to assignments.

Candidates gain an understanding of how to accommodate cultural and linguistic differences of child and family in the assessment process and develop an understanding of the needs within the context of the family’s concerns and priorities through the reading and reflection of the book, “Melanie with a Broken Wing” (Harry, 2009). The book provides opportunities for discussion related to working with families with very young children. Candidates complete written reflections that align with the assessment process for CLD families.

In SPED 489C- Fieldwork Infant/Toddler, candidates must pass competencies in Assessing Student learning. Candidates demonstrate the ability to demonstrates use of strategies (e.g., conversations, interviews, and checklists) to elicit a family’s identification of concerns and priorities related to child’s development, uses nonbiased, non-discriminatory assessment practices appropriate to very young children with disabilities (e.g., observation, family interview, play-based, ecologically appropriate assessments), including those for English language learners. produces an accurate and comprehensive report of assessment information with implications for intervention (in conjunction with SPED 514), and demonstrate how to embed outcomes, generated from the assessment, into the home routine.

In SPED 489D Fieldwork with Preschool, competencies for assessment include gathering relevant data background, modifying assessment strategies for individual needs, utilizing multiple sources of developmentally and standards based assessment instruments and practices in natural environments to determine the child's development, functional behaviors, strengths, and needs within the context of the family’s concerns and priorities, and communicating assessment results in an effective manner to other educators and families.

This standard is met through the use of the course text, lectures and course readings in addition to course assignments.

ECSEAA Standard 4: Experience in Early Childhood Special Education Programs

Fieldwork (SPED 489C and SPED 489D) is documented through ECSE fieldwork competencies that are aligned with the CCTC State ECSE TPEs, and the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) recommended standards.

Fieldwork activities included in SPED 514 and SPED 515 require candidates to work with young children across a variety of ages and abilities through assessment of developmental skills and planning of interventions. Activities occur in SPED 514 and SPED 515. Candidates in SPED 514 assess a young child (birth to three) across all developmental domains. Candidates must include the family in the assessment and in planning interventions based on the child’s assessed strengths and challenges. Candidates in SPED 515 have three opportunities to work individually with a young child (3-5 years of age). The course activities require the candidates to plan three separate observations/assessments of young children and subsequent interventions based on those observations/assessments.

In (SPED 489C) the candidates spend a minimum of 200 hours that include placements in birth to three and PK-K settings. As birth to three settings are unique, placements for fieldwork may vary, but include settings that provide opportunities for candidates to demonstrate skill in working with families with young children with disabilities and skill in working with young children in groups and individually. Content related to home visiting is covered in SPED 514. In the fieldwork experience (SPED 489D), the candidates complete a minimum of 320 hours in a classroom with preschool age or TK/K children. The focus in on individual and small group instruction, observation skill development and lesson planning that is aligned with the Preschool Learning Foundations and State Kindergarten Standards.