Syllabus
Certificates of Advanced Graduate Study in Education
EDU 720: Special Education Law for the Classroom – Fall 2022
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
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 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 an understanding of special education legislation (INTASC 5,9; PSEL 2)
Assignments
Discussion Board:
This course has seven required discussions designed to help you to synthesize the course concepts.
Week 2 Written Assignment: Peer Reviewed Research and FAPE
This assignment requires you to respond to two 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: Writing IEP Goals and Progress Monitoring
This assignment requires you to answer three questions from your readings this week.
Week 6 Assignment: Examining Judicial Standards for Determining LRE
This assignment requires you to respond to two questions from your readings for the week.
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.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignments | Points |
|---|---|
| 7 Discussion Board Posts (3 points each) | 21 points |
| Week 2 Written Assignment: Peer Reviewed Research and FAPE | 12 points |
| Week 3 Written Assignment: Interpretation of a Court Case | 12 points |
| Week 4 Written Assignment: Manifestation Determination Case Study | 12 points |
| Week 5 Written Assignment: Writing IEP Goals and Progress Monitoring | 12 points |
| Week 6 Written Assignment: Examining Judicial Standards for Determining LRE | 12 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
Course Dates
Week 1: Aug 24 – Aug 28
Week 2: Aug 29 – Sep 4
Week 3: Sep 5 – Sep 11
Week 4: Sep 12 – Sep 18
Week 5: Sep 19 – Sep 25
Week 6: Sep 26 – Oct 2
Week 7: Oct 3 – Oct 9
Week 8: Oct 10 – Oct 16
|
Week |
Topic |
Activities & Assignments |
Dates |
|
1
|
American Legal System, Legal Research, and the History of Special Education Laws |
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 |
ESSA and FAPE |
Written assignment (Peer-Reviewed Research and 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 |
Referral and Identification under IDEA |
Written assignment (Interpretation of a 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 |
IDEA and Discipline |
Written assignment (Manifestation Determination Case Study) 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 |
The Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”) |
Written assignment (Writing IEP Goals and Progress Monitoring) 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 |
Least Restrictive Environment (“LRE”) and Due Process |
Written assignment (Examining Judicial Standards for Determining LRE) 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 |
Procedural Safeguards and Due Process |
Written assignment (Due Process Memo) |
Due: Sun. at 11:59 PM ET |
|
8 |
Section 504 and ADA |
Whole-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
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
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Education Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/education/
- Library Tutorial: Find an article
- 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.
Policies
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 Turnitin Student quick start guide.
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.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
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.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this 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:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- 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.