I. Course Title: Individualized Supports and Specialized Care of Students with Significant
Disabilities
II. Course Number: EDSP 665
III. Credit Hours: 3 credits
IV. Prerequisites: EDSP 464 or EDSP 663
V. Course Description: Provides an understanding of the unique physical, sensory,
communication, and health and medical needs of students with significant disabilities,
how these needs impact the educational program, how special education and related
services are delivered, and how to design academic, functional and behavioral instruction
and adaptations to meet those needs.
VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:
This course provides an understanding and application of service delivery for students
with significant disabilities and their unique care needs, including the ability to
identify the physical, sensory, communication and health and medical needs for students
with signifiant disabilities and understand how these needs impact the educational
program. Course also addresses the roles and responsibilities of related services
and support staff working in a collaborative setting and the process and procedures
related to initiating a related service request. Emphasis is placed on instruction
that blends and incorporates academic, functional, communication and behavioral goals
and objectives, while integrating positioning, self-help, feeding, grooming, sensory,
and toileting programs into the instructional delivery.
VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:
- Completion of weekly course modules
- Readings and case studies
- Discussion activities and assignments
- Application activities and assignments
- Research-based writing activities and assignments
- Video and other multimedia learning tools
VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:
Goals, objectives, and assignments in this class address the Virginia Department of
Education regulations for preparing educators and the Council for Exceptional Children
(CEC) Initial Preparation Standards and Specialty Set Knowledge and Skills Items.
Specialty sets included in this course cover competencies for the Individualized Independence
Curriculum.
Upon successful completion of this course, participant will be able to:
- Describe the impact of the unique physical, sensory, communication, and health and
medical needs of students with significant disabilities on development, academics,
behavior, and social interaction and engagement.
- Discuss the medical diagnoses and medical terms associated with students with significant
disabilities, and the specialized health care interventions that may be required;
Read and understand evaluation reports written by medical professionals and therapy
professionals to understand and communicate their impact on the student's functioning
in school and community settings, and to determine the need for medical and related
services as part of the IEP for students with severe disabilities.
- Discuss and evaluate the range of augmentative and alternative communication devices
and systems/assistive technology available for individuals with severe disabilities,
and identify an appropriate low tech communication strategy or system based on the
needs of the individual student.
- Apply knowledge of typical physical and sensory development of children and apply
this knowledge to develop adapted learning experiences, environments and equipment
for students with significant disabilities with atypical physical and sensory development
and functioning.
- Write educationally relevant IEP goals and objectives that address individual physical,
sensory, communication and/pr medical needs and that also enhance academic success,
and develop lesson plans that blend and incorporate the academic, functional, communication
and behavioral goals and objectives, while integrating positioning, self-help, feeding,
grooming, sensory, and toileting programs into the instructional delivery.
- Design physical or sensory management plans that incorporate positioning and handling
strategies and assistive technology.
- Identify and use evidence-based strategies for instruction and adaptations to address
physical, sensory, communication, and health and medical needs.
VIII. Assessment Measures:
Assessment measures may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Design a physical or sensory management plan with assistive technology.
- Design a communication plan with assistive technology
- Design integrated lesson plans
- Annotated research reviews
Other Course Information: None
Review and Approval
1/31/04 New Course Approved Altieri
2/2020 Course Revisions Altieri