Section 480. Special education general curriculum K-12

A. The program in special education is designed to ensure through course work and field experiences in a variety of settings that the candidate has demonstrated the following core competencies to prepare children and youth for participation in the general education curriculum and within the community to the maximum extent possible. The candidate shall also complete the competencies in at least one of the endorsement areas of Special Education General Curriculum K-12, in addition to those required under professional studies, including reading and language acquisition.

1. Foundations. Characteristics, legal and medical aspects.

a. Knowledge of the foundation for educating students with disabilities, including:

(1) Historical perspectives, models, theories, philosophies, and trends that provide the basis for special education practice;

(2) Characteristics of children and youth with disabilities relative to age, varying levels of severity, and developmental differences manifested in cognitive, linguistic, physical, psychomotor, social, or emotional functioning;

(3) Normal patterns of development (i.e., physical, psychomotor, cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional development and their relationship to the various disabilities);

(4) Medical aspects of disabilities;

(5) The dynamic influence of the family system and cultural/environmental milieu and related issues pertinent to the education of students with disabilities;

(6) Educational implications of the various disabilities; and

(7) Understanding of ethical issues and the practice of accepted standards of professional behavior.

b. An understanding and application of the legal aspects, regulatory requirements, and expectations associated with identification, education, and evaluation of students with disabilities, including:

(1) Legislative and judicial mandates related to education and special education (e.g., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, etc.);

(2) Current regulations governing special education (e.g., individualized education program (IEP) development; disciplinary practices, policies, and procedures; and alternative placements/programs in schools); and

(3) "Rights and responsibilities" of parents, students, teachers, and schools as they relate to individuals with disabilities and disability issues.

2. Assessments and management of instruction and behavior.

a. An understanding and application of the foundation of assessment and evaluation related to best special education practice, including:

(1) Ethical issues and responsibilities in the assessment of individuals with disabilities;

(2) Procedures for screening, prereferral, referral, and eligibility determinations;

(3) Factors that may influence assessment findings such as cultural, behavioral, and learning diversity;

(4) Administration, scoring, and interpretation of commonly used individual and group instruments, including norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and curriculum-based measures as well as task analysis, observation, portfolio, and environmental assessments; and

(5) Synthesis and interpretation of assessment findings for eligibility, program planning, and program evaluation decisions.

b. An understanding and application of service delivery, curriculum, and instruction of students with disabilities, including:

(1) Classroom organization and curriculum development;

(2) Scope and sequence of the general education curriculum;

(3) Complex nature of language acquisition and reading (reading competencies in professional studies requirements): Reading, special education – language acquisition and reading: Skills in this area shall be designed to impart a thorough understanding of the complex nature of language acquisition and reading to include: phonemic awareness, an understanding of sound/symbol relationships, explicit phonics instruction, syllables, phonemes, morphemes, decoding skills, word attack skills, and a knowledge of how phonics, syntax, and semantics interact. Additional skills shall include proficiency in a wide variety of comprehension strategies, as well as the ability to foster appreciation of a variety of literature and independent reading;

(4) Complex nature of numeracy acquisition and the sequential nature of mathematics;

(5) Alternative ways to teach content material including curriculum adaptation and curriculum modifications;

(6) Procedures to develop, provide, and evaluate instruction consistent with students' individual needs;

(7) Strategies to promote successful integration of students with disabilities with their nondisabled peers;

(8) Use of technology to promote student learning; and

(9) Structure and organization of general education classrooms and other instructional settings representing the continuum of special education services (to include field experiences).

c. An understanding and application of classroom and behavior management techniques and individual interventions, including techniques that:

(1) Promote emotional well-being and teach and maintain behavioral conduct and skills consistent with norms, standards, and rules of the educational environment;

(2) Address diverse approaches based upon behavioral, cognitive, affective, social and ecological theory and practice;

(3) Provide positive behavioral supports; and

(4) Are based on functional assessment of behavior.

d. The ability to prepare students and work with families to promote successful student transitions throughout the educational experience to include postsecondary training, employment, and independent living that addresses an understanding of long-term planning, career development, life skills, community experiences and resources, self-advocacy and self-determination, guardianship, and legal considerations.

3. Collaboration.

a. Skills in consultation, case management, and collaboration, including:

(1) Coordination of service delivery with related service providers, general educators, and other professions in collaborative work environments to include:

(a) Understanding the Standards of Learning (SOL), the structure of the curriculum, and accountability systems across K-12;

(b) Understanding and assessing the organization and environment of general education classrooms across the K-12 setting;

(c) Implementation of collaborative models, including collaborative consultation, co-teaching, and student intervention teams;

(d) Procedures to collaboratively develop, provide, and evaluate instructional and behavioral plans consistent with students' individual needs;

(e) Understanding the roles and responsibilities of each member of the collaborative team; and

(f) Application of effective communication strategies with a variety of stakeholders in the collaborative environment;

b. Training, managing, and monitoring paraprofessionals;

c. Involvement of families in the education of their children with disabilities;

d. Understanding the standards of professionalism;

e. Cooperating with community agencies and other resource providers; and

f. Models and strategies for promoting students' self-advocacy skills.

B. The program in special education general curriculum K-12 shall ensure through course work and field experiences in a variety of settings that the candidate seeking endorsement in special education general curriculum has the special education core competencies and the specific competency requirements specified in this section.

1. Characteristics.

a. Demonstrate knowledge of definitions, characteristics, and learning and behavioral support needs of students with disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, including but not limited to, students with:

(1) Learning disabilities;

(2) Emotional disturbance;

(3) Mental retardation;

(4) Developmental delay;

(5) Autism;

(6) Other health impaired;

(7) Traumatic brain injury; and

(8) Multiple disabilities.

b. Knowledge of characteristics shall include:

(1) Age-span/developmental issues;

(2) Levels of severity;

(3) Cognitive functioning;

(4) Language development;

(5) Emotional and behavioral adjustment;

(6) Social development;

(7) Medical aspects; and

(8) Cultural/ethnic and socioeconomic factors.

2. Individualized education program implementation.

a. Apply knowledge of assessment and evaluation throughout the K-12 grade levels to:

(1) Construct, use, and interpret a variety of standardized and nonstandardized data collection techniques, such as task analysis, observation, portfolio assessment and other curriculum-based measures;

(2) Make decisions about student progress, instruction, program, accommodations, placement, and teaching methodology for students with disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum and the standards of learning; and

(3) Demonstrate the use of assessment, evaluation, and other information to develop and implement individual educational planning and group instruction with students with disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum across the K-12 grade levels, including:

(a) Identify and apply differentiated instructional methodologies including systematic instruction, multisensory approaches, learning cognitive strategies, study skills, diverse learning styles, and technology use;

(b) Teach skills and remediate deficits in academic areas at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels;

(c) Provide explicit instruction of reading and math at appropriate developmental/grade level in a systematic and cumulative manner to students with disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum;

(d) Knowledge and understanding of the scope and sequence of the standards of learning at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels;

(e) Promote the potential and capacity of individual students to meet high academic, behavioral, and social expectations;

(f) Design alternative ways to teach content material including modifying curriculum in both directive and nondirective methodologies;

(g) Use assistive and instructional technology in order to access the general education curriculum;

(h) Implement and evaluate group management techniques and individual interventions that teach and maintain emotional, behavioral and social skills; and

(i) Implement and monitor IEP specified accommodations within the general education classroom.

3. Transitioning.

a. Demonstrate the ability to prepare students and work with families to provide successful student transitions throughout the educational experience to include postsecondary training, employment, and independent living that addresses an understanding of long-term planning, career development, life skills, community experiences and resources, self-advocacy, and self-determination, guardianship and legal considerations.

(1) Skills in consultation, case management, and collaboration for students with varying degrees of disability severity.

(a) Coordinate service delivery with general educators, related service providers, and other providers;

(b) Awareness of community resources agencies and strategies to interface with community agencies when developing and planning IEPs;

(c) Knowledge of related services and accommodations that pertain to postsecondary transitions that increase student access to postsecondary education and community resources;

(d) Ability to coordinate and facilitate meetings involving parents, students, outside agencies, and administrators.

(2) Understand the difference between entitlement and eligibility for agency services as students move to the adult world including a basic understanding of Social Security Income benefits planning, work incentive, Medicaid, and community independent living.

(3) Recognize uses of technology and seek out technology at postsecondary settings that shall aid the student in their education, work, and independent living.

(4) Recognize and plan for individual student potential and their capacity to meet high academic, behavioral, and social expectations and the impact of academic and social success on personal development:

(a) Knowledge of person-centered planning strategies to promote student involvement in planning;

(b) Knowledge of generic skills that lead to success in school, work and community, including time management, preparedness, social interactions, and communication skills.

(5) Understand social skill development and the unique social skills deficits and challenges associated with disabilities:

(a) Assesses social skill strengths and needs;

(b) Plans and uses specialized social skills strategies.

(6) Knowledge of use and implementation of vocational assessments to encourage and support students' self-advocacy and self-determination skills.

(7) Knowledge of legal issues surrounding age of majority and guardianship.

C. Completion of supervised classroom experiences with students with disabilities and the general curriculum K-12.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 25, eff. September 21, 2007.

Statutory Authority

§ 22.1-298.2 of the Code of Virginia.