Syllabus
Certificates of Advanced Graduate Study in Education
EDU 720: Special Education Law for the Classroom – Fall A 2018
Credits - 3
Description
Federal and state laws, regulations, and judicial decisions relating to the education of students with special needs in inclusion classrooms are analyzed. Key legal provisions, such as free appropriate public education, least restrictive environment, and due process are examined. Methods of conflict resolution and mediation as well as ethical standards are examined. Students are required to apply what they learn as they research and analyze case scenarios.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Students will:
- Describe major pieces of educational legislation with regards to special education (INTASC 2, 9; PSEL 1, 3, 6, 9)
- Identify the basic elements of IDEA (INTASC 1, 2, 6, 7, 9; PSEL 1-5, 8)
- Describe the referral and pre-referral process for students with disabilities (INTASC 2, 6, 9; PSEL 1-4, 6, 8)
- Identify how IDEA impacts school discipline for students with disabilities (INTASC 2, 3, 9; PSEL 3, 5)
Assignments
Small Group and Class Discussion Board:
This course has seven required discussions designed to help you to synthesize the course reading.
Week 2 Written Assignment: ESEA and FAPE
This assignment requires you to respond to three questions from your readings for the week.
Week 3 Written Assignment: Initial Identification of Students with Learning Disabilities and Autism
This assignment requires you to research and reflect upon your school/district’s processes for the initial identification of students with learning disabilities and autism.
Week 4 Written Assignment: Manifestation Determination Case Study
This assignment requires you to respond to a case study that you will read.
Week 5 Written Assignment: IEPs and Educational Benefit
This assignment requires you to answer two questions from your text.
Week 6 Written Assignment: Due Process Memo
This final assignment requires you to analyze a case study of a student whose parents have filed for due process. You must write a memo to your superintendent discussing the case.
**The University of New England provides students, staff and faculty with free access to RefWorks, a fantastic tool for collecting and managing references and making style-correct citations. Access the tool through the link on the left navigation bar. For instructions and tutorials in setting up your account and getting started, visit http://success.une.edu/blackboard-support/refworks/.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Points |
| 7 Discussion Board Posts (3 points each) | 21 points |
| 4 Written Assignments (15 points each) | 60 points |
| Final Assignment: Due Process Memo | 19 points |
| TOTAL | 100 points |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
This is only a tentative schedule and is meant to give you a bird’s eye view. The activities and assignments may change at the discretion of the instructor.
|
Week |
Topic |
Activities & Assignments |
Dates |
|
1 8/29 – 9/2 |
American Legal System, Legal Research, and the History of Special Education Laws |
Class Discussion Thread |
Due: Sun., 9/2, at 11:59 p.m. ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by FRIDAY night |
|
2 9/3 – 9/9 |
FAPE and ESEA |
Written assignment (ESEA & FAPE) Small Group Discussion Thread |
Due: Sun., 9/9 at 11:59 PM ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
3 9/10 – 9/16 |
Referral and Identification under IDEA |
Written assignment (Initial Identification of Students with Learning Disabilities and Autism) Small Group Discussion Thread |
Due: Sun., 9/16 at11:59 PM ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
4 9/17 – 9/23 |
IDEA and Discipline |
Written assignment (Manifestation Determination) Small Group Discussion Thread |
Due: Sun., 9/23 at11:59 PM ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
5 9/24 – 9/30 |
The Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”) |
Written assignment (IEPs and Educational Benefit) Small Group Discussion Thread |
Due: Sun., 9/30 at11:59 PM ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
6 10/1 – 10/7 |
Least Restrictive Environment (“LRE”) |
Small Group Discussion Thread |
Due: Sun.,10/7 at11:59 PM ET *Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
|
7 10/8 – 10/14 |
Procedural Safeguards and Due Process |
Due Process Memo Assignment |
Due: Sun. 10/14 at11:59 PM ET |
|
8 10/15 – 10/21 |
Section 504 and ADA |
Class Discussion Thread |
Due: FRIDAY, 10/19 at 11:59 PM. ET Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY night |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Education page
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- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
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Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
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Policies
AI Use
The Graduate Programs in Education holds the position that Grammarly and other AI writing and generative technology should not be used when completing course assignments, unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools the University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office. 16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office. The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook. Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course. The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following: Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.Attendance Policy
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
UNE Course Withdrawal
Academic Integrity