Academic Programs
Department of Exceptional Education
Dr. Laura Desportes, Head
Location: Memorial Hall, Room 3125
Phone: (540) 568-6317
E-mail: desportx@jmu.edu
Web site: http://welcome.coe.jmu.edu/exceptionaled/
Professors
C. Beverly, D. Herr, R. Linn, K. Santos, M. Slade
Associate Professors
L. Desportes, M. Kyger, S. Lopes-Murphy
Assistant Professors
C. Bartholomew, S. Blatz, A. Kretlow, B. Quinn
Instructor
B. Fogus
The Department of Exceptional Education offers programs in special education, ESL and gifted education.
Special Education Master's Level Licensure Program
Special Education Licensure Programs
Student Teaching
Gifted Education
Teaching English as a Second Language
Non-Teaching Minor Requirements
Special Education
Master's Level
Licensure Program
The undergraduate, pre-professional program in special education complements a professionally oriented master's degree program designed to prepare special education teachers and is accredited by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). NCATE's performance-based system of accreditation fosters competent classroom teachers and other educators who work to improve the education of all P-12 students. This program provides the requisite course offerings and experiences that form the foundation for admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program in special education.
Completion of the M.A.T. program is required for licensure in special education: general curriculum K-12 or special education: inclusive early childhood education (birth-age 8). Candidates completing the special education IECE program will also be eligible for early childhood preK-3rd grade licensure.
Teacher candidates completing the professional licensure program must meet a set of content and specific teaching area criteria that has been established by the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as most other states. In order to meet these requirements, students are advised to major in a liberal arts or science major. The Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS), a major that provides students in the pre-professional program extended breadth and integration across the content areas of English/language arts, history/social studies, mathematics and the natural sciences is recommended though other majors may be selected with the approval of the special education program.
The special education pre-professional program enables one to become knowledgeable about the characteristics, diagnosis and remediation of children with developmental delays, learning and behavior problemsdisabilities accessing the general education curriculum. Students completing the five year licensure program are prepared to serve as teachers of students with disabilities in a variety of educational placements. The licensure program is designed to prepare resilient educators who are advocates for children and youth with disabilities, are qualified for the complexity of their professional roles and are reflective problem-solvers.
The program includes extensive field experiences. Assessment of candidate performance includes evaluation of performance in individual courses, as well as performance in practicum as well as other criteria. At various points throughout the program, there is a summative assessment where faculty committees review the overall performance of each candidate. In order to advance to the next sequences of courses and experiences, a candidate must be making satisfactory progress. If progress is unsatisfactory, the candidate will not be allowed to continue until any identified deficiencies are corrected. In some cases, a candidate will be allowed to continue in the next semester, but there will be a plan of action for addressing any concerns that have been identified by the faculty.
Students should consult with the department head or undergraduate coordinator early during the first year or as soon thereafter as possible to obtain information concerning General Education, IDLS or other liberal arts or science majors, and special education requirements as well as the requirements for admission to teacher education.
The IDLS major is assigned two advisers. One adviser is the adviser for the education pre-professional licensure program who will guide the student through the licensure program requirements. The other adviser is the IDLS adviser who will guide the student through the IDLS major requirements. Students should plan on consulting both advisers regularly. Typically, the education adviser is assigned when the student meets with the head coordinator of his or her licensure program and elects the licensure program. This may be as early as the first semester of the first year. The IDLS adviser is assigned when the first year student advising folders are transferred to the IDLS office (second semester, first year). Students are required to check with advisers regularly to ensure timely graduation.
It is important for students to understand that they must meet the requirements for a baccalaureate degree and successfully complete all undergraduate pre-professional courses and experiences prior to being fully admitted to the M.A.T. program. Students must complete the M.A.T. program satisfactorily in order to be recommended for a teaching license in special education through JMU.
Students should note that prerequisites and corequisites are required for many of the courses included in the pre-professional special education program. Exceptions to meeting those requirements must be approved by the Exceptional Education department head.
Students should also be aware that program requirements may change at any time reflecting changes in teacher licensure enacted by the Virginia Department of Education or other accrediting agencies after the catalog copy is approved. Therefore, it is especially important for students to confer with their advisers and the program coordinator on a regular basis.
Special Education Licensure Programs
Dr. Cheryl Beverly, Program Coordinator
Phone: (540) 568-6262
E-mail: beverlcl@jmu.edu
General Curriculum K-12
Completion of the five-year professional program may lead to eligibility for a Virginia teaching license for the special education general curriculum K-12.
Assessment occurs each semester and performance will be reviewed at each assessment gate. Candidates must demonstrate satisfactory performance before moving on to the next semester. Satisfactory performance includes a "C" or better in course work, demonstration of professional behaviors, and acceptable performance in practicums and on key assessments.
To be recommended for licensure, all students must meet the following requirements:
- Complete General Education and IDLS/liberal arts or science major requirements.
- Complete the special education pre-professional program as it corresponds to the related teaching track.
- Meet all admission and retention criteria for teacher education.
- Meet admission requirements for the special education M.A.T. program.
- Complete the graduate portion of the licensure program.
The following courses are included for all candidates enrolled in the pre-professional (undergraduate) program in special education general curriculum
K-12:
| Courses | Credit Hours |
| GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development | 3 |
| EDUC 310. Teaching in a Diverse Society | 3 |
| EDUC 360. Foundations of American Education | 3 |
| EXED 200. Nature and Issues of Disabilities | 3 |
| EXED 300. Educational Technology for Students with Disabilities | 1 |
| EXED 341. Characteristics of High Incidence Disabilities | 4 |
| EXED 312. Field Experience in Special Education and Diversity | 1 |
| EXED 340. Classroom Observation in Special Education | 1 |
| EXED 350. Psychoeducational Assessment of Learning | 3 |
| and Behavior Problems | |
| EXED 440. Classroom Management & Professional Collaboration | 3 |
| EXED 443. Assistive Technology Use for Individuals with | |
| Disabilities | 2 |
| EXED 450. Principles of Specialized Reading Instruction | 3 |
| EXED 455. Collaborative Teaching for Learners with Disabilities | 3 |
| EXED 470. Directed Practicum in Special Education | 3 |
| EXED 475. Individualized Education Programs and | |
| Curriculum-Based Assessment | 3 |
| EXED 485. Systematic Behavioral Interventions | 3 |
| MAED 430. Teaching Math in K-12 Grades | 3 |
| READ 430. Development, Assessment and Instruction of Literacy | 3 |
| TESL 426. Concepts in First and Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
Candidates beginning the graduate portion of the program must meet all Graduate School requirements and criteria for admission; it is expected that students will complete the admission process early in their senior year.
In addition, candidates must meet all graduate level graduation requirements. See the Graduate Catalog for additional details. The following courses are included in the graduate portion of the K-12 licensure program in special education.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
| MSSE 630. Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EXED 520. Differentiation of Instruction and | 3 |
| Collaboration in Special Education | |
| EXED 600. Instructional Methods in Special Education | 3 |
| EXED 610. Practicum in Special Education Instructional Methods | 2 |
| EXED 615. Transition Services for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| EXED 650. Student Teaching in Special Education | 6 |
| EXED 650. Student Teaching in Special Education | 6 |
| EXED 670. Professional Practice Seminar | 4 |
Recommended Schedule for EXED K-12 (based on IDLS major)
| First Year | Credit Hours |
| Cluster One: Skills for the 21st Century | 12 |
| General Education courses/IDLS | 21 |
33 |
|
| Second Year | Credit Hours |
| GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development | 3 |
| EXED 200. Nature and Issues of Disabilities | 3 |
| EXED 312. Field Experience in Special Education and Diversity | 1 |
| EDUC 310. Teaching in a Diverse Society | 3 |
| EDUC 360. Foundations of American Education | 3 |
| General Education courses/IDLS | 17 |
30 |
|
| Third Year (K-12) | Credit Hours |
| EXED 300. Educational Technology for Students with Disabilities | 1 |
| EXED 340. Classroom Observation in Special Education | 1 |
| EXED 341. Characteristics of High Incidence Disabilities | 4 |
| EXED 350. Psychoeducational Assessment of Learning | 3 |
| and Behavior Problems | |
| MAED 430. Teaching Math in K-12 Grades | 3 |
| READ 430. Development, Assessment and Instruction | 3 |
| of Literacy: K-12 | |
| Major requirements | 14 |
29 |
|
| Fourth Year | Credit Hours |
| TESL 426. First and Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| EXED 440. Classroom Management and Professional | |
| Collaboration | 3 |
| EXED 450. Principles of Specialized Reading Instruction | 3 |
| EXED 455. Collaborative Teaching for Learners with Disabilities | 3 |
| EXED 470. Directed Practicum in Special Education | 3 |
| EXED 475. IEP and Curriculum-Based Assessment | 3 |
| EXED 485 Systematic Behavioral Intervention | 3 |
| Major requirements | 9 |
30 |
|
Early Childhood Special Education
The fifth-year early childhood special education program is being phased out and replaced with the inclusive early childhood education program (below). Please contact the program coordinator of special education programs for more information.
Inclusive Early Childhood Program
The inclusive early childhood program draws heavily from research and theories in child development, family systems, special education, differentiated teaching and learning. Through course work and extensive field experiences, the teacher candidate is prepared to design activities that have an interdisciplinary focus, reflect an understanding of the individual child's development and learning, recognize the importance of family and developmental influences, support the young child in constructing knowledge about self and the world, and involve parents in supporting the child's growth and development.
The JMU program prepares teachers for endorsements in Early Childhood Special Education, birth to five, and Early Childhood Education, PreK-3. The program is based on the following three assumptions:
- Early childhood educators must have a strong liberal education.
- Early childhood educators should possess a broad range of knowledge that provides a context for understanding individual behavior, family and environmental influences and major social issues in a modern democratic and technological society.
- Early childhood educators must have professional preparation that develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills to become educational decision makers who consciously choose appropriate curriculum based on an understanding of how children develop and learn.
The courses in the Inclusive Early Childhood Education program are sequentially organized throughout four undergraduate and three graduate semesters to help candidates develop an understanding of how children learn and interact in learning environments as well as familiarity with methods and materials appropriate for teaching and working in a collaborative way with families and other professionals. Field experiences are provided along with course work to enable candidates to apply their knowledge in a variety of family and learning settings. Candidates must be accepted in teacher education and have passed Praxis I to begin upper level IECE course work.
Assessment occurs each semester and performance will be reviewed at each assessment gate. Candidates must demonstrate satisfactory performance before moving on to the next semester. Satisfactory performance includes a 2.5 GPA or better in IECE course work, demonstration of professional behaviors, acceptable performance in practica and on key assessments.
To be recommended for licensure in ECSE and PreK-3, candidates must satisfy the following requirements:
- complete the General Education and degree requirements of the university.
complete a major in IDLS. - meet all admission and retention requirements for teacher education and the IECE program.
- complete the 49 credit hour pre-professional program with an overall 2.75 GPA.
- be admitted to graduate school.
- complete the 30 hour graduate program including student teaching.
Candidates in this program must meet with the designated person in the department of Early, Elementary and Reading Education or Exceptional Education, declare the pre-professional licensure program in inclusive early childhood education, be assigned a date to start the program, and be assigned an adviser in inclusive early childhood education in addition to their first year or major adviser. A limited number of candidates can start the program each semester; therefore, candidates should meet with the department head during their first semester of enrollment at JMU.
Student Teaching
Candidates must apply to student teach one year prior to their student teaching semester. At that time, students must be fully accepted into teacher education, be admitted unconditionally to graduate school and have a 3.0 graduate GPA.
Gifted Education
The Department of Exceptional Education offers an add-on endorsement in gifted education at the graduate level only. See the graduate catalog for information.
Teaching English as a Second Language
Dr. Solange Lopes-Murphy, Program Adviser
Phone: (540) 568-2936
E-mail: lopesmsa@jmu.edu
The Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program is designed to enable students to complete the minor and add the TESL teaching area to another area in which they are licensed to teach. Although the focus of the program is on satisfying the requirements for teaching English as a Second Language, teacher candidates and students enrolled in other majors who are interested in second language acquisition may complete the TESL minor without completing all of the teacher licensure requirements. Candidates must complete requirements beyond those courses listed in the minor in order to be recommended for TESL licensure. Candidates interested in teacher licensure should consult with the program adviser.
The mission of the minor in Teaching English as a Second Language is to prepare students to work effectively in promoting English language acquisition by children and adults who have not used English as their primary language. The minor will also serve to develop knowledge of cross-cultural education. The TESL minor draws heavily upon theories of linguistics, research on social and cultural variables that influence second language acquisition, and the knowledge required to facilitate second language learning.
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| SCOM 248. Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| or another course in the field of diversity and multiculturalism | |
| TESL 425/525. Cross-Cultural Education | 3 |
| TESL 426/526. Concepts in First and Second Language | 3 |
| Acquisition | |
| TESL 428/528. Assessment for Curriculum Development in | 3 |
| English as a Second Language | |
| EXED 401. Issues in Exceptional Education | 3 |
| when topic is Linguistics for Language Teachers | |
| READ 430. Development, Assessment and Instruction of Literacy | 3 |
18 |
|
Licensure to Teach ESL
PreK-12
Through the state approved program at James Madison University, individuals who have completed requirements for an initial teaching license and for the TESL minor can complete the additional requirements to add English as a Second Language (ESL) to the license to teach in the public schools of Virginia. Candidates currently enrolled in initial teaching licensure programs may complete the TESL minor and licensure requirements in conjunction with completing their other preparation program or complete the additional teaching license requirements as post-baccalaureate students.
Individuals who complete the program are prepared to design activities to accommodate the linguistic and social needs of ESL students in PreK-12 and to serve as resource persons for classroom teachers.
The requirements for adding the ESL teaching endorsement are:
Completion of teacher licensure requirements in another teaching area prior to completing this program.
Completion of course work in a language other than English with proficiency at the intermediate level or above as determined by the JMU Foreign Language Department.
Completion of the 18 credit hour minor in TESL (outlined above) and the 12 hours of professional courses given below.
| Additional Requirements for Licensure | Credit Hours |
| A Modern Foreign Language | 6 |
| EDUC 381. Field Experience in English as a Second Language | 3 |
| EDUC 570. Methods of Language Teaching | 3 |
12 |
|
The ESL teacher preparation program is based upon three major assumptions:
ESL teachers need to develop theories of teaching and learning, understand the nature of teacher decision-making in working with non-native language speakers, and develop their personal strategies for self-awareness and self-evaluation.
ESL teachers should have proficiency at the intermediate level in at least one language other than English and possess a broad range of knowledge that provides the cultural context for teaching students from differing cultural backgrounds.
ESL teachers must be reflective decision- makers based upon professional preparation that develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The primary mission of the Teaching English as a Second Language program is the preparation of ESL teachers for the public schools of Virginia. The teachers will have knowledge and experiences designed to help them serve in educational settings as resource personnel to help accommodate the linguistic and social needs of ESL students; assess the quality of curricular and teaching practices for non-native students in regular classrooms; and contribute to the development and improvement of ESL and content-based education to students of other languages.
Non-Teaching Minor Requirements
Special Education Non-Teaching Minor
Dr. Cheryl Beverly, Program Adviser
Phone: (540) 568-6262
E-mail: beverlcl@jmu.edu
The non-teaching minor program in special education is designed for students in other major fields who wish to acquire professional knowledge related to assisting individuals with disabilities but who do not want to pursue Virginia teaching licensure. All students seeking to complete the minor must meet with the non-teaching program adviser to develop an approved program of study. The completion of 18 credit hours of course credit is required for the minor.
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| EXED 200. Nature and Issues of Disabilities | 3 |
| EXED 440. Classroom Management and Professional | |
| Collaboration | 3 |
| Choose two of the following: | |
| EXED 310. Survey of Emotional/Behavioral Disorders | 2 |
| EXED 320. Survey of Learning Disabilities | 2 |
| EXED 330. Survey of Mental Retardation | 2 |
| EXED 375. Overview of Autism | 3 |
12 |
|
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| Electives (select six credits from the following): | 6 |
| EXED 202. Field Experiences in Special Education | |
| EXED 300. Educational Technology for Students with | |
| Disabilities | |
| EXED 306. Lifespan Issues for Individuals with Disabilities | |
| EXED 401. Issues in Exceptional Education | |
| EXED 465. Perspectives of Early Childhood Special Education | |
| EXED 490. Special Studies in Special Education (requires | |
| permission of instructor) | |
| CSD 420. Introduction to Sign Language | |
| CSD 421. Sign Language II | |
| TESL 426. First and Second Language Acquisition | |
18 |
|
