Overview

Moderate Special Needs from Elms College teaches you to understand and implement instruction and strategies for students with mild to moderate special needs; assess physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development in childhood and adolescence; and provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences, especially in language development, that connect students’ interests with their life experiences.

Graduates with Moderate Special Needs from Elms College will be able to:

• Apply theories and methodologies in assessing physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development in childhood and adolescence.

• Provide developmentally-appropriate learning experiences – especially language development experiences – that connect students’ interests with their life experiences. Significant emphasis is placed on language development, language acquisition, vocabulary development, multiple approaches to reading, and extending the relationship of writing and reading.

• Prepare, implement, and evaluate I.E.P.s and understand/demonstrate role responsibilities as case manager.

• Apply federal and state laws/regulations related to special education and serve as local resources to other agencies that might provide related services.

• Facilitate/collaborate in the design or modification of curriculum and instructional materials and support general education classroom environments for students with mild to moderate disabilities.

• Assist in preparing and monitoring students with moderate disabilities for appropriate general education classrooms.