Autism Spectrum Disorders Endorsement

This course provides an overview of the historical and legislative antecedents of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Students will learn about the characteristics of students who fall within the Autistic Spectrum (Asperger’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder, Rett’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and hyperlexia) in preparation for teaching students with autism in inclusive and self-contained settings. Students will be introduced to a continuum of interventions for students with ASD.

This course is designed to provide the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Graduate Student, and the Education Graduate Student with an understanding of how family systems, the education system and the community mental health system operate independently and collectively, and the influence each has on the other with regard to the special needs child and family. The goal of the course is to enhance the understanding of the delivery of service, and its impact on the well-being of the child and the family. A comprehensive overview of the system’s approach to family therapy, the educator’s role within the education system, and access and understanding of the community mental health system will be examined and explored. Additionally, examined will be cultural issues and realities, the ethical considerations in treating a special needs child and family, and how all systems within the child’s life can collaborate within the treatment model developed for that child.

This course will provide educators with new insights into the communications-related needs of students, enable participants to work more effectively with related services in the delivery of special programming and, teach class members to apply new technologies and strategies to best meet the needs of special needs students including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In collaboration with speech- language pathologists, current practices in monitoring, data-gathering and assessment of students holding communications-related IEPs will be introduced, practiced and applied to the classroom setting in a practicum experience.

This hybrid course will enhance graduate students’ understanding of how to interpret a Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CER) and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to meet the academic, social, and/or behavioral goals of students with disabilities within the context of the general education curriculum. In addition, special consideration of the needs of English language learners and gifted and talented students will be addressed in the course. Application of universal design, differentiated instruction, and specific accommodations and strategies for students with disabilities will be stressed.