Topics Paper (50 points): The purpose of this assignment is to give students an opportunity to explore, in-depth, a specific disability and make connections with content learned in this course. The total length for the content of this paper is 5 – 6 pages (excluding title and reference page). This paper will address the following topics:
- Introduction/Overview of Special Education (0.5 page; 5 points): Using what you learned in this course, provide an overview of Special Education including key laws that were passed that impacted education for individuals with disabilities and current educational rights for individuals with disabilities.
- Disability Specific Information (2 – 3 pages; 15 points): Using at least 3 course resources and at least 3 outside resources (e.g., journal articles), describe the characteristics of a disability category of your choice including: (a) prevalence rates among the broader population of students with disabilities; (b) disability category it would fall under and how students may be identified; (c) common characteristics of this disability and the ways in which these characteristics may influence a students performance in the classroom; (d) causes of the disability.
- Instructional Strategies (2-3 pages; 15 points): First, provide a short description of your fictional classroom (you can use IRIS case studies for inspiration); make sure to include grade level, subject, school/community setting, etc. Then, provide a written description of 2-3 evidence-based instructional strategies (include citations) that you can use in your classroom in order to ensure access to free and appropriate public education for a student with this specific disability. Then, provide a list of three professional organization websites that you could use and a description of how will they be helpful to you in meeting the needs of diverse learners.
- Conclusion (0.5 page; 5 points): Summarize what you learned during this assignment and how it will inform your teaching practice.
- APA Format (5 points): Make sure to use APA Publication Manual (7th Edition) for in-text citations, reference list, headers, and style and grammar. Use 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, and double-spacing. Include a title page and a reference page.
- Writing Style (5 points): Clearly organized; logical flow of ideas. Few spelling, grammar, punctuation errors. Clearly presented ideas within paragraphs and sentences.
3 of the sources have to be Practice, Progress, & Dignity in Today’s Schools
By: Ann Turnbull; H. Rutherford Turnbull; Michael L. Wehmeyer; Karrie A Shogren
Publisher: Pearson
McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., & Lewis, T. (Eds.). (2022). High leverage practices for inclusive classrooms. Routledge.
HPL (high leverage practices)