Special Education
The Department of Special Education offers a wide range of programs leading to New York State Certification under the category of “Teacher of Special Education”. This certification area prepares our students to teach individuals with learning disabilities, emotional and behavior disorders, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorders. In addition to meeting the standards of the New York State Education Department, the department offers a program in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which, upon completion, makes the student eligible to take the certification examination in ABA.
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Special Education faculty, Vance Austin, son Jimmy, Diane Gomez and Ellis Barowsky, chair of the department. |
The department maintains the philosophy that all children be taught in the least restrictive environment (LRE) and whenever possible, the appropriate environment should be an inclusive setting. To accomplish these goals, our teacher candidates must meet our mandate from the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) which accredits Manhattanville College’s School of Education and by the standards set by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
These standards specify that teacher candidates possess the knowledge and skills appropriate to their profession by an integrated mix of academics and field experiences with a diverse population of individuals with special needs. The department further emphasizes the need for teachers to become culturally competent in order to better understand where cultural practices may lead to the over-identification as well as under-identification of individuals requiring special education services.
The special education department recognizes the necessity of multidisciplinary intervention in order to facilitate positive outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities. As a result, our teacher-candidates are prepared to become members of an effective and integrated professional team. The importance of being effective in working with all stake holders who have a role in the Committee on Special Education (CSE) including parents remains a strong focus of teacher preparation.
Benchmarks in Special Education
After completing a series of 12 – 18 credits in developmentally sequenced special education courses, all students will take a comprehensive examination. The examination is based upon laws pertaining to rights and governing the delivery of services to individuals with special education needs, knowledge of characteristics, assessment, and classroom management. (see course sequences for specific programs) Many of these courses have specific “gateway assignments” that evaluate competency standards before the comprehensive exam is taken. During this time period, it is also expected that teacher candidates will complete the appropriate sections of the New York State certification exams relevant to their specialization.
During the last semester of coursework prior to beginning student teaching, teacher-candidates will enroll in EDU 5550, Research Seminar in Special Education and Literacy. While enrolled in this course, students will develop an understanding of the ethics and precautions to be taken in assuring the rights of “vulnerable subjects”. They will complete a project involving either the development of a grant or the performance of action research. The final project or culminating experience encourages the teacher-candidate to build upon their quest to become life-long learners, one of the hallmarks of to maintaining professional skills and part of Manhattanville College’s Conceptual Framework.
Mary K. Humphreys Endowed Scholarship in Special Education
Mary K. Humphreys was an exceptional individual who left great success in the business world to become a classroom teacher. She had a special love for working with children with special needs. After her untimely death, the family of Mary K. Humphreys established a scholarship for advanced students in special education who exemplified her devotion to working with children who needed someone to go the extra mile. This scholarship will help support course tuition for students who are entering the student teaching phase of the master’s degree.
Certification Options
Faculty
Chairperson: Ellis Barowsky, Ph.D. barowskye@mville.edu - 323-5467
Vance Austin
Micheline Malow, Ph.D.