Special Education Endorsement—Program of Study

Requirements for the Special Education Endorsement/Basic Exceptional Learner 1 Endorsement*
18 semester hours, including practica
A passing score on the Special Education subject-area Praxis exam
A Portfolio of essential assignments

Required Courses (500 level on campus; 600 level off campus)
SPED 510 Educating Students with Special Needs: Learning and Legal Issues, 2 semester hours or SPED 626 (3 semester hours)
SPED 511 or 629 Behavior Change Interventions for Student with Serious Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, 2 semester hours
SPED 513 or 632 Assessment & Diagnosis, 3 semester hours
SPED 514 or 633 Curriculum & Instruction for Students with Special Needs, 3 semester hours
SPED 516 or 628 Interventions for Severely Challenged Students, 2 semester hours
SPED 517 or 627 Teaching Reading to Students with Special Needs, 2 semester hours
SPED 535 Current Issues in Special Education, 2 semester hours or SPED 636 (1 semester hour)
SPED 545 or 645 Practicum I (fall semester), 1 semester hour
SPED 546 or 646 Practicum II (winter/spring semester), 1 semester hour

*For information about the Standard Exceptional Learner endorsement, please contact the faculty coordinator for the program.

For full course descriptions, please visit the online catalog.

Practicum

In the Lewis & Clark Special Education Program, practicum experiences are embedded in all courses. Specific school-based practica are SPED 545/645 and SPED 546/646. Each specific practicum course involves extensive school-based experiences covering all aspects of the special education process: referral, evaluation, eligibility, IEP, and placement, including curriculum and instruction to improve student outcomes. One credit of the practicum is taken during the fall semester in conjunction with SPED 513/632, Assessment & Diagnosis. The second credit of the practicum is taken during the spring semester in conjunction with SPED 514/633, Curriculum & Instruction. The intent is to ensure a full year experience in conjunction with course work. Lewis & Clark faculty observe candidates during practica work to support candidates’ skill development in special education. Teachers who are not currently teaching (but have an Oregon teaching license) work with college faculty to obtain a practicum site in a special education setting.

Endorsement Authorization Level

For holders of Oregon Initial or Continuing teaching licenses, practicum work must be completed while working with students in the grades levels for which the endorsement will be granted—either early childhood/elementary or middle level/high school. A candidate who wishes to add the second paired set of authorization levels must hold or be eligible for a Special Education endorsement and complete a practicum at the additional paired authorization levels and inform the program advisor. (Holders of Oregon Basic or Standard teaching licenses will automatically be eligible for the license in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.)