Graduate Catalog
Special Education
Special educators require skills in adapting general education curricula and making these curricula accessible to students with exceptionalities at all grade levels. Building on the teaching skills required to create reflective, collaborative classrooms, special educators develop instructional strategies to help each individual student learn how to learn and gain the self-advocacy skills necessary for independence.
Program participants examine issues of learning and teaching such as language acquisition, cultural bias and sensitivity, assessment paradigms and practices, behavior management, instructional adaptation, legal requirements, and family support. Lewis & Clark's special education endorsement program emphasizes the application of theoretically sound and experimentally validated instructional practices for working with pre-K-12 students who present one or multiple learning challenges in the domains of cognition, language, and motor and emotional development. Participants in this program work with their colleagues and school based leaders in the field of special education to examine current research and promising practices for supporting students eligible to receive special-education services to improve their academic achievement, social acceptance, and sense of self-worth.
Through courses and field experiences focused on the needs of students with exceptionalities, licensed pre-K through 12th grade teachers gain the knowledge and skills to become exceptional special educators.
About the Added Special Education: Generalist Endorsement
Candidates who successfully complete, in good standing, Lewis & Clark's Special Education: Generalist Endorsement program, including all state-required tests, receive institutional recommendation to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) for the endorsement.
Applying for the Endorsement
Candidates must apply for an endorsement directly to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) by submitting the appropriate forms, fees, test scores, and transcripts. Applicants must apply for the endorsement within three years following completion of their respective programs. If more than three years elapse before application is made, the candidate must qualify for recommendation under rules for licensure in effect at the time of application. Information about filing for a license is available from Lewis & Clark's K-12 Educational Career and Licensing Services Office.
Accreditation
Lewis & Clark's graduate programs leading to PK-12 degrees, licensure, and endorsements are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC).
Special Education: Generalist Endorsement
The Special Education: Generalist Endorsement Program is designed to provide a highly practical, skill-based curriculum based on current research for educators interested in serving students with exceptionalities. The program is designed for educators who hold a current, regular Oregon teaching license. The Special Education: Generalist Endorsement Program is fully online.
Endorsement Requirements
A minimum of 18 semester hours, distributed as follows, and all required tests.
Required Endorsement Courses
Summer I
| SPED 610 | Educating Students with Exceptionalities: Learning and Legal Issues | 2 |
| SPED 611 | Behavioral Assessment and Positive Behavior Supports for Students with Exceptionalities | 2 |
| SPED 616 | Interventions for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities | 2 |
Fall
| SPED 613 | Assessment in Literacy and Math for Students with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| SPED 645 | Practicum I | 2 |
| SPED 640 | Professional Practices in Special Education I | 1 |
Spring
| SPED 614 | Curriculum and Instruction in Literacy and Math for Students with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| SPED 646 | Practicum II | 2 |
| SPED 641 | Professional Practices in Special Education II | 1 |
Endorsement Courses
SPED 610 Educating Students with Exceptionalities: Learning and Legal Issues
Content: Analysis of child/adolescent development and the cognitive, linguistic, motor, behavioral, and learning characteristics of individuals with special needs. Topics include characteristics of exceptional learners, special-education history, current policies and procedures based on scientific research, incorporation of technology, and legal issues. Candidates develop or refine a research-based foundation in the education of students with special needs, including the impact of linguistic and cultural variability on special education eligibility and practice.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 2 semester hours.
SPED 611 Behavioral Assessment and Positive Behavior Supports for Students with Exceptionalities
Content: Study of the developmental backgrounds of students with significant emotional/behavioral problems and practices to help these students develop more productive behaviors. Emphasis on procedures for completing a functional behavior analysis (FBA) and a behavior intervention plan (BIP), research-based interventions including environmental modifications, positive behavior supports and interventions (PBIS), social-skills training, cognitive-behavioral interventions, self-monitoring, contracting, and the use of outside agencies to support the school in assisting students.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 2 semester hours.
SPED 616 Interventions for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities
Content: Instructional practices to increase the functional performance and academic success of students with severe diagnoses (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, severe intellectual disabilities, or multiple disabilities). Participants learn research-validated strategies with demonstrated effectiveness in increasing communication skills, appropriate behavior, social skills, and life skills. Emphasis is placed on planning for and providing data-driven instruction in the least restrictive environment and working with paraprofessionals.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 2 semester hours.
SPED 613 Assessment in Literacy and Math for Students with Exceptionalities
Content: Evaluation for special education eligibility under state and federal laws and assessment for special education instruction. Special attention is paid to students with specific learning disabilities, dyslexia, and high-incidence disabilities. Candidates practice selecting, administering, scoring selected standardized tests, interpreting the scores and report writing. Candidates learn about Response to Instruction (RTI), including how to administer Curriculum Based Measures and how to integrate aspects of a multi-tiered intervention process with standardized assessment tools to create a comprehensive evaluation.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 3 semester hours.
SPED 645 Practicum I
Content: Supervised, public-school-based professional experience with accompanying seminar. Candidates work under the guidance of a licensed special educator in a pre-K-12 setting under faculty supervision. Seminar topics focus on classroom experiences, particularly those that contribute to candidates' understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of special educators, with an emphasis on assessment and progress monitoring. Admission to SPED Endorsement program required.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 2 semester hours.
SPED 640 Professional Practices in Special Education I
Content: Seminar class taken in conjunction with SPED 545 Practicum I during fall semester. Seminar topics focus on classroom experiences, particularly those that contribute to candidates' understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of special educators, with an emphasis on assessment.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1 semester hour.
SPED 614 Curriculum and Instruction in Literacy and Math for Students with Exceptionalities
Content: Research-validated curriculum and specially designed instruction (SDI) for students with disabilities. Participants will review and adapt general education curricula to create specially designed instruction (SDI) that emphasizes and supports progress across academic areas, learning strategies and appropriate accommodations. This course uses curriculum-based assessment/measurement data to craft effective, substantively, and procedurally correct individualized education plans (IEPs) and specially designed instruction (SDI) based on student achievement data and aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Special instruction attention is paid to students with specific learning disabilities, dyslexia and high-incidence disabilities. Additionally, candidates will demonstrate all skills necessary to facilitate an IEP meeting including group dynamics and conflict resolution strategies.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 3 semester hours.
SPED 646 Practicum II
Content: Supervised, public-school-based professional experience with accompanying seminar. Candidates work under the guidance of a licensed special-educator in a pre-K-12 setting under faculty supervision. Seminar topics focus on classroom experiences, particularly those that contribute to candidates' understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of special educators, with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction. Admission to SPED Endorsement program required.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 2 semester hours.
SPED 641 Professional Practices in Special Education II
Content: Seminar class taken in conjunction with SPED 546 Practicum II during spring semester. Seminar topics focus on classroom experiences, particularly those that contribute to candidates' understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of special educators, with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1 semester hour.
Testing Requirements
The following test must be passed prior to the first field placement in the Lewis & Clark Special Education: Generalist Endorsement Program:
• ORELA: Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment Exam (OR008)1,2
Students must pass the following test to be eligible for a recommendation by Lewis & Clark for the Special Education: Generalist Endorsement in any state. Information regarding the point in the program by which this test must be passed is provided in consultation with your faculty advisor. The required test is:
Students may view completed tests, including scores, by logging into their Self-Service account.
- 1
Students who hold a current Oregon TSPC-issued regular, non-restricted teaching or personnel services license may waive the ORELA: Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment test.
- 2
Starting in January 2022, the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) has added additional options for meeting the state’s “Civil Rights and Professional Ethics Responsibilities” requirement. Check with your faculty program director for the option required for your program.