Students are expected to learn the following within the Special Education Assistant program:
- Foundations
- Identify models, theories, and philosophies that form the basis for special education practice.
- Explain laws, policies, and ethical principles regarding both behavior management planning and implementation.
- Describe the relationship of special education to the organization and function of educational agencies.
- Identify the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, and other professionals, and schools related to exceptional learning needs.
- Describe issues in definition and identification of individuals with exceptional learning needs, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- Explain issues, assurances, and due process rights related to assessment, eligibility, and placement within a continuum of services.
- Evaluate family systems and the role of families in the educational process.
- Explain historical points of view and contribution of culturally diverse groups.
- Identify the impact of the dominant culture on shaping schools and the individuals who study and work in them.
- Describe the potential impact of differences in values, languages, and customs that can exist between the home and the school.
- Development and Characteristics of Learners
- Identify typical and atypical human growth and development.
- Explain educational implications of characteristics of various exceptionalities.
- Identify characteristics and effects of the cultural and environmental milieu of the individual with exceptional learning needs and the family.
- Describe family systems and the role of families in supporting development.
- Compare and contrast the similarities and differences of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Describe the effects of various medications on individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Individual Learning Differences
- Determine the effects an exceptional condition (or conditions) can have on an individual's life.
- Explain the impact of learners' academic and social abilities, attitudes, interests, and values on instruction and career development.
- Compare variations in beliefs, traditions, and values across and within cultures and their effects on relationships among individuals with exceptional learning needs, their family, and on schooling.
- Compare cultural perspectives influencing the relationships among families, schools, and communities as related to instruction.
- Identify differing ways of learning of individuals with exceptional learning needs including those from culturally diverse backgrounds and strategies for addressing these differences.
- Instructional Strategies
- Use appropriate strategies to facilitate integration into various settings.
- Teach individuals to use self-assessment, problem solving, and other cognitive strategies to meet their needs.
- Select, adapt, and use instructional strategies and materials according to characteristics of the individual with exceptional learning needs.
- Use strategies to facilitate maintenance and generalization of skills across learning environments.
- Use procedures to increase the individual's self-awareness, self-management, self-control, self-reliance, and self-esteem.
- Use strategies that promote successful transitions for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Learning Environments and Social Interaction
- Describe the demands of learning environments.
- Use basic classroom management theories and strategies for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Apply effective management of teaching and learning.
- Explain teacher attitudes and behaviors that influence behavior of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Demonstrate social skills needed for educational and other environments.
- Identify strategies for crisis prevention and intervention.
- Explain strategies for preparing individuals to live harmoniously and productively in a culturally diverse world.
- Describe ways to create learning environments that allow individuals to retain and appreciate their own and each other's respective language and cultural heritage.
- Describe ways specific cultures are negatively stereotyped.
- Identify strategies used by diverse populations to cope with a legacy of former and continuing racism.
- Language and Communication
- Explain effects of cultural and linguistic differences on growth and development.
- Identify characteristics of one's own culture and use of language, and the ways these can differ from other cultures and uses of languages.
- Describe ways of behaving and communicating among cultures that can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
- Use augmentative, alternative, and assistive communication strategies.
- Instructional Planning
- Explain theories and research that form the basis of curriculum development and instructional practice.
- Identify scope and sequences of general and special curricula.
- Apply national, state or provincial, and local curricula standards.
- Use technology for planning and managing the teaching and learning environment.
- Identify the roles and responsibilities of the paraeducator related to instruction, intervention, and direct service.
- Assessment
- Apply basic terminology used in assessment.
- Explain legal provisions and ethical principles regarding assessment of individuals.
- Describe the screening, pre-referral, referral, and classification procedures.
- Explain the uses and limitations of assessment instruments.
- Describe national, state or provincial, and local accommodations and modifications.
- Professional and Ethical Practice
- Explore personal cultural biases and differences that affect one's teaching.
- Explain the importance of the teacher serving as model for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
- Describe the importance of the continuum of lifelong professional development.
- Describe methods to remain current regarding research-validated practice.
- Collaboration
- Use models and strategies of collaboration and consultation.
- Identify roles of individuals with exceptional learning needs, families, school and community personnel in planning of an individualized program.
- Describe concerns of families of individuals with exceptional learning needs and strategies to help address these concerns.
- Explain culturally responsive factors that promote effective communication and collaboration with individuals of exceptional learning needs, families, school personnel, and community members.
