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Syllabus

Certificates of Advanced Graduate Study in Education

EDU 720: Special Education Law for the Classroom – Spring B 2021

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

Required:

Yell, M.L. (2018). The Law and Special Education.  5th ed. Pearson. (ISBN: 978-0135175361, E-text 978-0135178324)

In order to provide an engaging and relevant course, a variety of internet resources will be used to supplement the content in this course. 

Supplemental:

American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). ISBN: 978-1433832154. E-text: 978-1433832185

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Students will: 

  • Examine major pieces of educational legislation with regards to special education (INTASC 2, 9; PSEL 1, 3, 6, 9)
  • Analyze the basic elements of IDEA and how this legislation has changed through time (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)
  • Evaluate how IDEA impacts school discipline for students with disabilities (INTASC 2, 3, 9; PSEL 3, 5)
  • Recommend a course of action in a due process case using special education law and conflict resolution practices (INTASC 10; PSEL 2, 3, 9)
  • Interpret a court case by applying understanding of special education legislation (INTASC 5,9; PSEL 2)

Assignments

Small-Group and Class Discussion Board:

This course has seven required discussions designed to help you to synthesize the course concepts.

Week 1: Quiz 

This short quiz over the week’s readings will focus on the history and structure of special education legislation in the United States.

Week 2 Written Assignment: ESSA and FAPE

This assignment requires you to respond to three questions from your readings for the week.

Week 3 Written Assignment: Interpretation of a Court Case

This assignment requires you to read and analyze a district court case.

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 Assignment: Dispute Resolution Options

This assignment requires you to create a comparison chart of dispute resolution options in the special education process. 

Week  7 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.

Week 8: Quiz

This short quiz focuses on the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and Section 504.

 

**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

AssignmentsPoints
7 Discussion Board Posts (3 points each)21 points
Week 2 Written Assignment: ESSA and FAPE12 points
Week 3 Written Assignment: Interpretation of a Court Case12 points
Week 4 Written Assignment: Manifestation Determination Case Study12 points
Week 5 Written Assignment: IEPs and Educational Benefit12 points
Week 6 Written Assignment: Dispute Resolutions Options Chart12 points
Final Assignment: Due Process Memo15 points
2 Quizzes (2 points each)4 points
TOTAL100 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.

Course Dates: Wednesday, March 3, 2021 – Sunday, April 25, 2021

Week 1: 3/3 – 3/7
Week 2: 3/8 – 3/14
Week 3: 3/15 – 3/21
Week 4: 3/22 – 3/28
Week 5: 3/29 – 4/4
Week 6: 4/5 – 4/11
Week 7: 4/12 – 4/18
Week 8: 4/19 – 4/25

Week

Topic

Activities & Assignments

Dates

1

3/3 – 3/7

American Legal System, Legal Research, and the History of Special Education Laws

Week 1 Quiz

Class Discussion 

Due: Sun. at 11:59 p.m. ET

*Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by FRIDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

2

3/8 – 3/14

ESSA and FAPE

Written assignment (ESSA & FAPE)

Small Group Discussion

Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET

*Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

3

3/15 – 3/21

Referral and Identification under IDEA

Written assignment (Interpretation of District Court Case)

Small Group Discussion

Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET

*Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

4

3/22 – 3/28

IDEA and Discipline

Written assignment (Manifestation Determination)

Small Group Discussion

Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET

*Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

5

4/5 – 4/11

The Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”)

Written assignment (IEPs and Educational Benefit)

Small Group Discussion

Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET

*Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

6

6/1 – 6/7

Least Restrictive Environment (“LRE”) and Due Process

Written assignment (Dispute Resolution Options Chart)

Small Group Discussion

Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET

*Note: Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

7

4/12 – 4/18

Procedural Safeguards and Due Process

Due Process Memo Assignment

 Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET

8

4/19 – 4/25

Section 504 and ADA

Week 8 Quiz

Class Discussion

Due: FRIDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

Initial discussion responses should be posted by WEDNESDAY at 11:59 PM. ET

Student Resources

Online Student Support

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Questions? Visit the Student Support Education page

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Information Technology Services (ITS)

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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.

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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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The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

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.

Attendance Policy

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.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

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.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

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.

Academic Integrity

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:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

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.