Oakton Community College
 ECE 180 Online course

Instructor:  Deanna (Dedee) Goldsmith
Cell Phone:  847-867-1209
 I will answer calls from 8:00am-8:00pm, please do not hesitate to use this number.
E-mail:dgoldsmi@oakton.edu
Website:http://oakton.edu/~dgoldsmi

I.  Course Prefix         Course Number          Course Name                     Credit            Lecture         Lab
   ECE                            180                  The Exceptional Child                3                 3                   0

II.  Course Prerequisite
ECE 102 with a minimum grade of C or consent of instructor or department chair.

III.  Course Description
Course provides an overview of exceptionalities in development.  Content includes federal and state laws, characteristics and etiologies of mental retardation, learning disabilities, emotional disturbance; speech and language disorders, hearing and vision impairments, physical disabilities, and giftedness.  Field observations required.

IV. Learning Objectives:

 At the conclusion of the course, students who satisfactorily complete all work will be able to:

A. Demonstrate knowledge of the causes & characteristics of the following categories of exceptionality: mental retardation, learning disabilities, emotional disorders, speech & language disorders, hearing impairment, physical handicaps, and giftedness.

B. Demonstrate knowledge of PL 94-142, school code – Articles 21-2a and ADA & other related current laws, policies and issues, (labeling, student placement & parental & teacher attitudes).

C. Demonstrate an understanding of inclusion, early intervention, Individual Educational Plan, Individual Family Service Plan, and the effect on children, families and society.

D. Utilize resources to support the exceptional populations.  These resources include libraries, journals, parent organizations, community agencies & educational/recreational facilities.

E. Demonstrate an awareness of the needs of children who are not diagnosed or labeled as exceptional but in some area of development they do not function within a normal or typical range.

In addition to the objectives listed above, this course also meets the following Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and the Early Childhood Content Standards as put forth by the Illinois State Board of Education.

IPTS

STANDARD 1 – Content Knowledge
The competent teacher understands the central concepts, methods of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines and creates learning experiences that make the content meaningful to all students

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
1A.  understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, principles, and theories that are central to the discipline(s) in which certification is sought.
1E.  understands how a student’s disability affects processes of inquiry and influences patterns of learning.

STANDARD 2 – Human Development and Learning
The competent teacher understands how individuals grow, develop and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher
2B.  understands that students’ physical, social, emotional, ethical, and cognitive development influences learning.
2C.  understands human development learning theory, neural science, and the range of individual variation within each domain.
2D.  understands that differences in approaches to learning and performance interact with development.
2F.  knows the impact of cognitive, emotional, physical, and sensory disabilities on learning and communication processes.

STANDARD 3 – Diversity
The competent teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher
3A.  understands the areas of exceptionality in learning as defined in the individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) AND THE State Board’s rules for Special Education (23 Ill. Adm. Code 226).
3C.  understands how students’ learning is influenced by individual experiences, talent and prior learning, as well as language, culture, family, and community values.

STANDARD 5 – Learning Environment
The competent teacher uses an understanding of individuals and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
5F.  knows applicable statutes, rules and regulations, procedural safeguards, and ethical considerations regarding planning and implementing behavioral change programs for individuals with disabilities.

STANDARD 6 – Instructional Delivery
The competent teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
6E.  knows techniques for modifying instructional methods, materials, and the environment to facilitate learning for students with disabilities and/or diverse learning characteristics.

STANDARD 8 – Assessment
The competent teacher understands various formal and informal assessment strategies and uses them to support the continuous development of all students.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
8F.  knows legal provisions, regulations, and guidelines regarding assessment (and inclusion in statewide assessments) of individuals with disabilities.
8G.  knows methods for monitoring progress of individuals with disabilities.

STANDARD 9 – Collaborative Relationships
The competent teacher understands the role of the community in education and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and the community to support students’ learning and well-being.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
9A.  understands schools as organizations within the larger community context.
9B.  understands the benefits, barriers, and techniques involved in parent/family relationships.
9D.  understands the collaborative process.
9E.  understands collaborative skills which are necessary to carry out the collaborative process.
9F.  understands concerns of parents of individuals with disabilities and knows appropriate strategies to collaborate with parents in addressing these concerns.
9G.  understands roles of individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel in planning individualized education programs for students with disabilities.

STANDARD 10 – Reflection and Professional Growth
The competent teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices and actions affect students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
10D.  understands teachers’ attitudes and behaviors that positively or negatively influence behavior of individuals with disabilities.

STANDARD 11 – Professional Conduct and Leadership
The competent teacher understands education as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, and provides leadership to improve students’ learning and well-being.

Knowledge indicators – The competent teacher:
11D.  understands legal issues in education.
11F.  is familiar with the rights of students with disabilities.
11G.  knows the roles and responsibilities of teachers, parents, students, and other professionals related to special education.
11H.  knows identification and referral procedures for students with disabilities.

ECCS

STANDARD 8 – Human Development and Learning
The competent early childhood teacher understands how individuals grow, develop, and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of all children from birth through grade three.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher:
8A.  understands how children from birth through grade three develop physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, linguistically, and aesthetically.
8C.  understands how brain development from birth through grade there is promoted through developmentally and culturally appropriate learning experiences.

STANDARD 9 – Diversity
The competent early childhood teacher understands how children and families differ in their perspectives and approaches to learn and creates opportunities for growth and learning that are developmentally and culturally appropriate and are adapted for children for birth through grade three.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
9A.  understands conditions that affect children’s development and learning, including risk factors, developmental variations, and developmental patterns of specific disabilities.
9B.  understands cultural and linguistic diversity and the significance of familial, sociocultural, and political contexts for development and learning.

STANDARD 11 – Learning Environment
The competent early childhood teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior as well as of children’s developmental levels and needs to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, intrinsic motivation, and self-esteem.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
11B.  understands how to adapt strategies to meet the specific needs of all children from birth through grade three, including those with disabilities, developmental delays, or special abilities.
11E.  Understands the influence of the physical setting, schedule, routines, and transitions of children from birth through grade three.

 STANDARD 12 – Instructional Delivery
The competent early childhood teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
12D.  understands the importance of utilizing knowledge and strategies from multiple disciplines and systems in instructional delivery and in the development of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for children from birth through grade three.

STANDARD 13 – Communication
The competent early childhood teacher uses knowledge of effective written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
13B.  understands how cultural, gender, and socioeconomic differences can affect communication in the classroom.

STANDARD 14 – Assessment
The competent early childhood teacher understands various formal and informal assessment strategies and uses t hem to support the continuous development of all children.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
14A.  understands assessment as a means of evaluating how children learn, what they know and are able to do in meeting national, state, and local standards, and what kinds of experiences will support their further growth and development.
14B.  understands the purposes, characteristics and limitation of different kinds of assessments.

STANDARD 15 – Collaborative Relationships
The competent early childhood teacher understands the role of the community in education and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and community service agencies, to support children’s learning and well-being.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
15A.  understands schools as organizations within the larger community context.
15B.  understands the benefits, barriers and techniques involved in parent/family relationships.
15C.  understands the collaborative process and skills, which are necessary to carry out the process.

STANDARD 17 – Professional Conduct and Leadership
The competent early childhood teacher understands education as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, and provides leadership to improve children’s learning and well-being.

Knowledge indicators:  The competent early childhood teacher
17D.  understands legal issues in education.
 

V. Academic Integrity:
Students and employees at Oakton Community College are required to demonstrate academic integrity and follow Oakton’s Code of Academic Conduct. This
code prohibits:

• cheating,
• plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation),
• falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
• helping others to cheat,
• unauthorized changes on official documents,
• pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
• making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats, and
• any other behavior that violates academic integrity.

There are serious consequences to violations of the academic integrity policy. Oakton’s policies and procedures provide students a fair hearing if a complaint is made against you.  If you are found to have violated the policy, the minimum penalty is failure on the assignment and, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.

Details of the Code of Academic Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook.
 

VI. Outline of Topics:

A. History of special education
B. Issues in special education.  Labeling, least restrictive environment, public law 94-142
C. I.E.P.S.  Role of special education teachers and parents, other professionals involved
D. Mainstreaming
E. Early Childhood Special Education – Diagnosis, Assessment, Curriculum
F. Mental Retardation
G. Gifted
H. Visual impairment
I. Hearing impairment
J. Speech and language disorders
K. Physically/orthopedically disabled
L. Medical disorders
M. Learning disabilities
N. Behavior disorders

VII.  Method of Instruction
This course will be conducted on an online study basis.  The text will be supplemented by readings, videos, online interactive journaling, online discussions, and program observations.
 

VIII.  Course Practices Required

Textbook reading assignments will be listed on the assignment schedule and/or calendar on both D2L and the backup website.  There is an online quiz for each chapter.  Weekly discussion questions are the main means of communicating with one another on the bulletin board.  Observation Reports are to be typed and posted in D2L (your private folder with your name on it located in the discussion area) to the instructor.  Spelling, grammar, neatness and clarity will be considered in grading all papers.  See online instructions for explicit requirements for each of these assignments and the Grading Guide for Papers
Assignments and online quizzes must be turned in on time.  Late work will be marked down a full letter grade and will only be accepted up to one week after the due date, unless other arrangements are made with the instructor in advance of the due date.  The exception to this is the last week of classes, no late work accepted after the last day of class.

IX.  Text required
Turnbull, Turnbull, Wehmeyer (2010). Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools 6th edition
ISBN 0-13-701104-0

X.   Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:

Evaluation/Grading system                            IPTS Standard                    ECCS Standard                Point Value
Chapter Quizzes  (10 points each)                      2B, 3A, 8G, 11F                    8A, 12D, 14A                    160 points
Observation paper #1                                          2F, 5F, 6E, 9G                    11B, 11E, 12D                   100 points
Observation paper #2                                          2F, 5F, 6E, 9G                    11B, 11E, 12D                   100 points
1 journal entries                                                   1A, 9F, 11D                        9B, 15A, 17D                      30 points
Discussion questions (5 points each)                     2C, 2D, 3C, 9D, 10D, 11H    8C, 13B, 14B, 15B           80 points
Research paper                                                   1A, 1E, 8F, 11G                   9A, 15C, 17D                      50 points
 TOTAL POINTS:                                                                                                                                  520 POINTS

Grading Scale         Point Distribution
A= 90-100%                       466-520
B=  80-89%                         414-465
C=  70-79%                         362-413
D= 60-69%                          310-361
F=  59% and lower               309 and below

PLEASE NOTE: All work handed in late will be marked down at least one full letter grade.  Work more than one week past deadline will not be accepted and student will receive a zero for that assignment.
 

Grading Guide for Papers as stated by the Early Childhood Education Program  
This guide is intended to be used for written assignments and essay questions, as they apply, on exams.
Grading Scale:  Based on Percentage Points
90 – 100 = A
80 – 89 = B
70 – 79 = C
60 – 69 = D
Below 60 = F
 

A – Exemplary Mastery

B – Exceeds Acceptable Mastery

C – Adequate Mastery

D – Minimal Mastery

F – Inadequate Performance

Careful, thoughtful, often original consideration of issues.

 

Additionally: 

 

1.  All of the appropriate material is included.

 

2.  No unrelated or irrelevant material is included.

 

3.  The organization of the paper or essay answer reflects a clear understanding of the material and the interrelationship of the various parts of the paper/answer.

 

4.  The paper is typed.  The paper is also grammatically and typographically correct (does not apply to in-class exam answers, which are hand-written).

 

 

 

Organized presentation and discussion of material.  Ideas appear clearly understood in student’s own terms.  Shows high academic standards of work. 

 

Additionally: 

 

1.  Some of the appropriate material is missing; or

 

2.  some unrelated or irrelevant material is included; or

 

3.  the organization of the assignment/answer does not reflect a clear understanding of the material and/or the interrelationship of the various parts of the paper/answer.

 

4.  The paper is typed with nor more than 3 grammatical or typographical errors (does not apply to in-class exam answers which are hand-written).

Meets all requirements at a basic level of understanding.  Work may be somewhat sketchy in some areas and not thoroughly thought out.  There is little evidence of involvement at the personal or intellectual level.  There is some question about whether the student fully understands the material.

 

Additionally:

 

 1.  Some appropriate material is missing; and/or

 

2.  some unrelated or irrelevant material is included; and/or

 

3.  the organization of the assignment/answer reflects a misunderstanding of the material and the interrelationship of the various parts of the paper/answer.

 

4.  The paper is typed with no more than 5 grammatical or typographical errors (does not apply to in-class exam answers, which are hand-written).

 

In other words, a “C” assignment/answer is one in which there are problems in two of the above areas.

The assignment/answer partially meets the requirements.  The student demonstrates little understanding and/or effort to understand the material.

 

Additionally: 

 

1.  Some, or a lot of the appropriate material is missing; and

 

2.  some, or a lot of unrelated or irrelevant material is included; and

 

3.  the organization of the assignment/answer reflects a misunderstanding of the material and the interrelationship of the various parts of the assignment/answer.

 

4.  The paper is typed with numerous grammatical or typographical errors, which contribute to a lack of clarity (does not apply to in-class exams, which are hand-written).

 

In other words, a “D” assignment/answer is one in which there are problems in three of the above areas, or serious problems in two of the above areas.

The assignment/answer fails to meet minimal requirements.  The student demonstrates a lack of understanding and/or effort to understand the material.

 

Additionally: 

 

So much appropriate material is missing that the assignment/answer reflects no real understanding of the material.

 Revised December 2010

XI.  Other Course Information

 The Early Childhood Education Program of Oakton Community College is committed to supporting students' learning about the profession of teaching at the early childhood level. To that end, it is essential that students understand the most fundamental skills necessary for their work with young children

Important Skills for Teaching Positions in Early Childhood Education Programs

Physical Skills

Cognitive Skills Emotional/Psychological Skills The instructor will provide each class with further information as to attendance, policies, and support systems.

Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation or marital status in admission to and participation in its educational programs, College activities and services, or employment practices.

If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services.  To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in the Learning Center.  All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements.  The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.


 
Homepage
ECE 180 Home