(127 credits, minimum)
The Integrated Elementary and Special Education program prepares candidates to provide educational services to students with and without special needs in urban, suburban and other diverse settings. The program prepares candidates to provide individually designed, systematically implemented, and cautiously evaluated instruction to students in general classrooms, resource classrooms, and other educational settings. Candidates are provided with an in-depth understanding of developmental, cognitive, academic,and social needs of students. The program is committed to provide high quality instruction designed to promote knowledge and understanding of theories and skills of diagnosis, curricular planning, instructional design, and evaluation of student performance.
These skills are developed through a sequence of course work paired with fieldwork, practica, and student teaching experiences in both elementary and special education settings.
Fieldwork, incorporated into the requirements of most of the professional education courses, is an important component of our commitment to help students learn by putting theory into action. The first field experience begins in a student’s first semester in the elementary education major.
All practicum and student teaching experiences are under the supervision and guidance of University faculty and practicum/student teaching supervisors. All student teaching placements are made with teachers who have undergone training in Connecticut’s TEAM program.
Upon successful completion of the program and specified Praxis II national examinations candidates are recommended for the Connecticut Teacher Certification in both Special Education (Comprehensive K-12) and Elementary Education (1-6).