Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Education SPE 465 Educational Programming for Students with Autism Fall 2012 Instructor: Stacey Callaway, M.Ed., ABD Course Time & Location: Desire2Learn Office: Online Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00-10:00 (virtual/online) Email: callawayse@sfasu however, please Credits: 3 contact me with course information/questions through D2L Prerequisites: I. Course Description: (brief paragraph) Overview of etiology, research, characteristics, and program components related to children and youth with autism. Discussion of traditional and current causations with subsequent implications drawn for providing appropriate educational interventions. Educational Programming for Students with Autism is designed for pre-service teachers seeking Special Education certification. This course focuses on the characteristics, issues, content and methods appropriate for students with autism. Functional living and communication skills will be the primary emphasis. SPE 465.501 is a web-based distance learning course, designed for non- traditional students and those who are learning at a distance. Students MUST have a reliable computer and Internet connection as well as adequate computer skills. If computer or connectivity problems are experienced during the semester, students may need to drop the class (check Spring schedule or www.sfasu.edu for last day to drop without withdrawing from the University). It is important that if you have having technical difficulties that you contact the professor immediately. It is recommended that students have access to a printer to hard copy assignments and emails for reference purposes. Students MUST communicate with the instructor, through D2L email (at least weekly). Messages and items of interest related to course content are posted in D2L or emailed to students weekly by the instructor or course administrator. Students may post messages, comments or questions to the appropriate space on our class D2L site and it can be reviewed by everyone else enrolled in the course. Please check your D2L email daily for announcements or changes in the course schedule, exam release or close dates and other necessary adjustments. II. Intended Learning Outcomes/Goals/Objectives (Program/Student Learning Outcomes): The goals of this course are closely aligned to those of the College of Education (COE), which is to prepare competent, successful, caring and enthusiastic professionals dedicated to responsible service, leadership, and continued professional and intellectual development. The knowledge obtained in this course will enable students to develop the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to obtain certification as Special Education Teacher. This course is also designed to enable you to begin preparing for the TExES. In parentheses at the end of each of the following goals you will find reference to specific TExES standards. Additional information about the TExES can be obtained from the COE Assessment & Accountability Office. In addition study guides may be accessed at www. texes.nesinc.com.
Instructor Name & Term Page 2 Program and Student Learning Outcomes: Specifically, this course will enable you to: 1. Recognize and appreciate human diversity and examine your own beliefs and attitudes related to individuals with disabilities (Domain I, Understanding Individuals with Disabilities and Evaluating Their Needs, Standard IV, Standard V). 2. Identify the types, characteristics, and etiology of learners with autism (Domain I, Understanding Individuals with Disabilities and Evaluating Their Needs, Standard IV, Standard V). 3. Identify the effects of the above impairments on normal cognitive, social, motor, language, and affective development. (Domain II, Promoting Student Learning and Development, Standard VII). Know Procedures for promoting the social skills and communication skills of students with autism. 4. Identify appropriate assessment procedures, instructional arrangements, programming options and curricular modifications for students with exceptionalities. (Domain I, Understanding Individuals with Disabilities and Evaluating Their Needs, Standard V. 5. Identify and comprehend procedures for managing the teaching and learning environment, including behavior management, daily routines and transitions (Domain II, Promoting Student Learning and Development, Standard VII). 6. Compare and contrast effective, proven, accepted, new and/or controversial strategies for the treatment of students with autism. These may include, but are not limited to: Applied Behavior Analysis, TEACCH, PECS, auditory and sensory stimulation, Medical as well as non-traditional treatments and facilitated communication. III. Course Assignments, Activities, Instructional Strategies, use of Technology: In order to get the most out of this class, each student is expected to complete all basic requirements for the online course, read and study a chapter in the textbook each week, read and study lecture notes and web sites for each chapter and complete assignments as required. The discussion board is your virtual classroom and your space to interact with your peers. Please maintain active participation in this space. Exams will cover content in the assigned textbook readings, Learning Module lecture notes, powerpoints, and other resources as indicated by the professor. All assignments and exams MUST be completed and submitted by the due date and time indicated either in the schedule below, or in the calendar. Late assignments will not be counted for a grade. 1. GETTING STARTED: You are beginning your course of study by reading this syllabus and course timeline. I encourage you to save it to your desktop in a folder for this class, or print for quick review. 2. REQUIRED READINGS: Complete readings in the text, lecture notes, and website articles according to the scheduled outline. Some assignments will require outside readings, typically from a website. 3. EMAILS: ALL communication with instructor through email MUST BE in D2L. It is your responsibility to check your email on a daily basis, through our class website. If you email me in any other format your message may get inadvertently sent to the spam folder. Your message will receive a response within 24 hours Monday-Friday. Messages received during the weekend will receive a response on Monday. 4. LEARNING MODULES: This course has been designed utilizing Learning Modules (LM). Each LM is organized into 1-2 chapters of study, which correspond to the same chapters in the textbook. Each LM will typically have a folder of power points for each chapter, a folder of Lecture Notes, a folder of websites, assignment folder,
Instructor Name & Term Page 3 and an exam for that LM. Each LM follows the same format, but content, number of assignments or exams will vary according to content. Typically a Learning Module will be two weeks in duration, but adjustments in schedule my be made by the instructor during the semester to account for extended holidays, hurricanes, etc. IV. Evaluation and Assessments (Grading): EXAMS: There will be six exams (100 points each). Exams will be posted online and responses submitted to the instructor by scheduled dates. The exams are multiple choice, true /false and short answer. Exams will usually be posted on a Thursday and response will be submitted no later than 11:59 PM Sunday of the same week. You should expect an exam approximately every two weeks, at the close of each Learning Module. Once you begin the exam you will have two hours to complete the exam. ALL EXAMS MUST BE COMPLETED AND RECEIVED BY THE POSTED DEADLINE. EXAMS SUBMITTED PAST THIS DEADLINE WILL NOT RECEIVE CREDIT AND WILL RESULT IN "0" FOR THAT EXAM GRADE. IF A MEDICAL OR OTHER EMERGENCY OCCURS THAT PROHIBITS COMPLETION OF AN EXAM, YOU MUST PROVIDE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION FROM A PHYSICIAN, EMERGENCY ROOM, ETC. IN ORDER TO MAKE UP THE EXAM. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT ME WHEN A SITUATION SUCH AS THIS ARRIVES AND I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ALTERNATE EXAM OR ASSIGNMENT. Please do not wait until the last minute to begin the exam, allow plenty of time for computer problems, power outages, and other interruptions that prohibit you from completing the required exam. Your performance in this class will be graded according to the following point system: Total Points Possible- 1110 (600 for exams, 510 activities ) At the end of the semester, points will be totaled and a letter grade assigned as follows: A = 1110-999 B = 999-888 C = 888-777 D = 777-666 F = 666-0 ALL SUBMISSIONS TO THE COURSE HAVE DUE DATES, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC TIMES TO BE SUBMITTED. NO CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN FOR SUBMISSIONS AFTER THE ASSIGNED DATE AND TIME. Please remember that this medium is subject to having problems, i.e. server down, weather problems, you must be organized and turn things in promptly upon completion. If there is a problem with technology, please contact tech support and retain those records to share with me when you submit a late assignment due to technical difficulties. V. Tentative Course Outline/Calendar: August 27-September 9 Getting Started LM 1 Chapters 1 & 2 Identifying and Describing Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders Historical Perspectives and Etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders September 10-September 23 LM 2 Chapters 3 & 4 Collaborating to Develop Effective Programs Creating Contexts for Instruction
Instructor Name & Term Page 4 September 24-October 7 LM 3 Chapters 8 & 9 Encouraging Communication and Verbal Behavior Enhancing Socialization and Social Competence October 8-October 21 LM 4 Region 13 ESC Online Modules October 22-November 4 LM 5 Review of ASD related movie November 5-November 18 LM 6 Chapers 6 & 7 Using Applied Behavior Analytic Instructional Strategies Programming for Challenging Behavior November 26-December 2 LM 7 Chapters 5 & 10 Accommodating Sensory Issues Promoting Academic Skill Acquisition December 3 December 7 LM 8 Chapter 11 Organizing Instructional Opportunities in Nonacademic Environments VI. Readings (Required and recommended including texts, websites, articles, etc.): Textbook: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Effective Instructional Practices Authors: L. Juane Heflin & Donna Fiorino Alaimo / PrenHall ISBN #: 0-13-118170-x All content within each Learning Module as well as additional readings as assigned by the Professor. Additional reading and content may be added to each module at the professors discretion. LiveText account, ISBN# 978-0-979-6635-4-3. This may be purchased at the bookstore or purchased online at www.livetext.com. Once you have purchased the account, you must activate your account at www.livetext.com. If you have purchased LiveText in another course, you will NOT need to buy a second account. NOTE: If you plan to use financial aid to purchase this account, you must make the purchase by the date set by financial aid. If you are purchasing LiveText for the first time, you need to complete the My Cultural Awareness Profile (MCAP) found within their LiveText account. You should complete the MCAP within the first month of long terms and within the first week of short terms. VII. Course Evaluations: Near the conclusion of each semester, students in the Perkins College of Education electronically evaluate courses taken within the PCOE. Evaluation data is used for a variety of important purposes including: 1. Course and program improvement, planning, and accreditation; 2. Instruction evaluation purposes; and 3. Making decisions on faculty tenure, promotion, pay, and retention. As you evaluate this course, please be
Instructor Name & Term Page 5 thoughtful, thorough, and accurate in completing the evaluation. Please know that the PCOE faculty is committed to excellence in teaching and continued improvement. Therefore, your response is critical! In the Perkins College of Education, the course evaluation process has been simplified and is completed electronically through MySFA. Although the instructor will be able to view the names of students who complete the survey, all ratings and comments are confidential and anonymous, and will not be available to the instructor until after final grades are posted. VIII. Student Ethics and Other Policy Information: Attendance: Students must complete the Student Introduction and submit it as instructed by the Professor by January 22nd. Failure to submit by the deadline will result in 0 points earned. Students performance logs will be monitored to determine class participation. Additionally, your participation in the discussion boards is both recommended and required. This is the place that you will get to know your virtual classmates! In this type of learning environment, your participation is crucial to all learners in the course. Students with Disabilities To obtain disability related accommodations, alternate formats and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities must contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Human Services Building, and Room 325, 468-3004/468-1004 (TDD) as early as possible in the semester. Once verified, ODS will notify the course instructor and outline the accommodation and/or auxiliary aids to be provided. Failure to request services in a timely manner may delay your accommodations. For additional information, go to http://www.sfasu.edu/disabiltiyservices/. Academic Integrity Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty members promote academic integrity in multiple ways including instruction on the components of academic honesty, as well as abiding by university polity on penalties for cheating and plagiarism. Definition of Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to (1) using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a better grade on a component of a class; (2) the falsification or invention of any information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or (3) helping or attempting to help another in an act of cheating or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism are (1) submitting an assignment as if it were one s own work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained from an Internet source or another source; and (3) incorporating the words or ideas of an author into one s paper without giving the author due credit. Please read the complete policy at http://www.sfasu.edu/policies/academic_integrity.asp. Withheld Grades Semester Grades Policy (A-54) Please copy and paste the following information regarding Withheld Grades into your syllabus. Add additional information as needed to meet your departmental or course needs. Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the academic chair/director, a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which the WH is assigned, or the grade automatically becomes an F. If students register for the same course in future terms, the WH will automatically become an F and will be counted as a repeated course for the purpose of computing the grade point average.
Instructor Name & Term Page 6 Acceptable Student Behavior Classroom behavior should not interfere with the instructor s ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to learn from the instructional program (see the Student Conduct Code, policy D-34.1). Unacceptable or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students who disrupt the learning environment may be asked to leave class and may be subject to judicial, academic or other penalties. This prohibition applies to all instructional forums, including electronic, classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The instructor shall have full discretion over what behavior is appropriate/inappropriate in the classroom. Students who do not attend class regularly or who perform poorly on class projects/exams may be referred to the Early Alert Program. This program provides students with recommendations for resources or other assistance that is available to help SFA students succeed. To complete Certification/Licensing Requirements in Texas related to public education, you will be required to: 1. Undergo criminal background checks for field or clinical experiences on public school campuses; the public school campuses are responsible for the criminal background check; YOU are responsible for completing the information form requesting the criminal background check. If you have a history of criminal activity, you may not be allowed to complete field or clinical experiences on public school campuses. At that point, you may want to reconsider your major while at SFASU. 2. Provide one of the following primary ID documents: passport, drivers license, state or providence ID cards, a national ID card, or military ID card to take the TExES exams (additional information available at www.texes.ets.org/registrationbulletin/ <http://www.texes.ets.org/registrationbulletin/>). YOU must provide legal documentation to be allowed to take these mandated examinations that are related to certification/licensing requirements in Texas. If you do not have legal documentation, you may want to reconsider your major while at SFASU. 3. Successfully complete state mandated a fingerprint background check. If you have a history of criminal activity, you may want to reconsider your major while at SFASU. LiveText LiveText is the data management system used by the Perkins College of Education (PCOE) for program improvement and to assess and monitor compliance to national accreditation standards. All Perkins College of Education majors and Secondary Education students are required to purchase a LiveText account, either through the University Bookstore or at www.livetext.com. This is a ONE-TIME purchase, and the account will be used throughout your undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral program of study. Required program assignments, designated by instructors and program coordinators, must be submitted within your LiveText account. Successful completion of this course and your degree requirements are dependent on the submission of all required LiveText assignments.