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Learning Disabilities For Special Education Teachers

Eastern Michigan University’s advanced professional education programs prepare students for a variety of educational roles and areas of expertise. The theme of the graduate programs in the College of Education is “Inquiry, advocacy and leadership in education for a diverse and democratic society.” In addition, the master’s level programs in the Department of Special Education support the development of professionals with the comprehensive knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver a continuum of habilitative/rehabilitative services to persons with special needs and their families, within a multicultural society. Students accepted into the graduate program in learning disabilities may elect a teaching endorsement and a master’s degree.

Career Opportunities
All teachers are required to complete course work to maintain their teaching credentials. Those in the field of education should consider adding an initial or an advanced endorsement in special education to increase their employment options. The Masters of Arts in Learning Disabilities is an excellent choice, enabling students to add either an initial or an advanced endorsement in learning disabilities.

Number of Credits

• Initial Special Education Endorsement
  Completion of the Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities and an initial endorsement in Learning Disabilities requires the completion of 37 credit hours of combined core, concentration and endorsement courses.

• Advanced Special Education Endorsement
  Completion of the Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities and an advanced endorsement in Learning Disabilities requires the completion of 37 credit hours of combined core, concentration and elective courses.

Accreditation
The EMU College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and approved by the Michigan Department of Education for the preparation of educational personnel. The Department of Special Education is accredited by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The learning disability endorsement is a K-12 endorsement and is approved by the Michigan Department of Education.

Two Routes to Learning Disabilities Endorsement and Master's Degree
The master’s in learning disabilities includes a specific course sequence for graduate students with a Michigan teaching certificate who are seeking an initial endorsement in special education as a teacher of children with learning disabilities, as well as a specific course sequence for students who have earned an initial endorsement in special education and are seeking additional endorsement and graduate degree in learning disabilities. Students must be admitted to the graduate program in learning disabilities in order to proceed with the endorsement or master’s degree. Completion of the master’s in learning disabilities with either the advanced endorsement in learning disabilities or initial endorsement in learning disabilities requires the completion of a minimum of 37 credit hours of combined core, methods, concentration, research and elective courses.

Initial Special Education Endorsement

Core Courses

• SPGN 525 Classroom Management and Social Skill Development for Students with Disabilities (2)
• SPGN 621 Law and Public Policy for Persons with Disabilities (3)
• SPGN 632 Collaborative Consultation in Special Education (2)
• SPLI 678 Assessment and Advanced Diagnostic Prescriptive Programming for Students with Disabilities (4)

Methods Courses

• SPGN 630 Integrated Curriculum and Educational Programming for Mathematics and Motor Development (3)
• SPLI 672 Integrated Curriculum: Linguistics and Language Arts (3)

LD Concentration

• SPLI 468G Education of Children with Learning Disabilities (2)
• SPLI 693 Practicum in Learning Disabilities (4)

Research

• EDPS 667 Principles of Educational Research (3)
• SPLl 7l2 Research Colloquium: LD (2)

Endorsement

• SPGN 390 Measurement and Diagnosis in Special Education (0)
• SPGN 461 Classroom Management and Intervention Strategies tor Students with Disabilities (0)
• SPGN 481G Instructional and Assistive Technology in Special Education (3)
• SPGN 510 Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom (3)
• SPGN 615 Social Psychology of Disability: Family, School and Society (3) 

• SPGN 525 Classroom Management and Social Skill Development for Students with Disabilities (2)
• SPGN 621 Law and Public Policy for Persons with Disabilities (3)
• SPGN 632 Collaborative Consultation in Special Education (2)
• SPLl 678 Assessment and Advanced Diagnostic Prescriptive Programming for Students with Disabilities (4)
  

• SPGN 630 Integrated Curriculum and Educational Programming for Mathematics and Motor Development (3)
• SPLI 672 Integrated Curriculum: Linguistics and Language (3)

LD Concentration

• SPLI 468G Education of Children with Learning Disabilities (2)
• SPLl 693 Practicum in Learning Disabilities (4)
  

• EDPS 667 Principles of Educational Research (3)
• SPLI 712 Research Colloquium: LD (2)
  

Note: Some students may have course equivalencies for the endorsement courses, but the degree requirement continues to be a minimum of 37 credits.

For More Information

The Department of Special Education
Eastern Michigan University
John W. Porter Building – Suite 128
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734.487.3300 | Fax: 734.487.2473

Visit the Department of Special Education Web site.

Read more information by downloading the fact sheet [PDF].