Special Education Teacher Credential Program is a program that provides education and training to teachers who want to work with children who have special needs. Commonly referred to as special education, special needs education is designed for people who have some kind of disability. The program focuses on providing the teacher with the skills and knowledge they need to help students with special needs develop in all aspects of their life, including socially, intellectually, emotionally, and physically.
Special education refers to instruction that is specially designed to meet the educational needs of students whose learning requirements cannot be met by the regular curriculum. Students with special learning needs include students with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities and students who are gifted. These students require special services and specialized instructional strategies in order to help them achieve their potential.
Special education teachers work with children and youth who have a wide range of disabilities. They teach academic, social, and life skills to children and youth with emotional disturbances, mental retardation, learning disabilities, hearing impairments, visual impairments, speech or language impairments, autism spectrum disorders, behavior disorders/emotional disturbance (ED), traumatic brain injury (TBI), other health impairment (OHI), multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, specific learning disabilities (SLD), developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), other health impairments (OHI), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and more. Special education teachers adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects, such as reading, writing, math, science and social studies. They also teach basic skills like communication or motor skills.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that governs special education services and programs for students from birth through age 21. The IDEA defines 13 categories of disability, such as autism and learning disabilities, and guarantees an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student identified as having a disability.
The IEP team, which includes the student’s parents, determines the types of special education services and supports needed to help the student meet his or her goals. Special educators are highly trained to provide these services and supports.
For children with disabilities who require more intensive or specialized instruction than what can be provided in their regular classroom, special educators often work in collaboration with general educators to design and implement effective instructional strategies that enable students with disabilities to be successful in the regular classroom.
In addition to teaching students, special educators also assist in evaluating students’ abilities and identifying their needs, collaborate with other professionals working with students who have disabilities and develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students who need them.
A special education teacher credential program will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to support students with disabilities and special needs in your classroom. These students may require additional assistance and instruction, which is where you as a special ed teacher comes into play. This type of teacher helps kids who are struggling academically or socially so that they can reach their full potential.
As a special education teacher, you’ll be responsible for creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student in your class. This plan outlines the specific goals that must be met over time so that these individuals can succeed academically and socially despite any challenges they might face. The number one goal in this field of education is ensuring all children reach their fullest potential no matter what obstacles stand between them and success.
Special education teachers work with students who have physical or mental disabilities, such as learning disabilities, cognitive delays and hearing or vision impairment. They develop and implement plans for students’ schoolwork, help them with daily tasks and teach them how to use assistive technology. They also work closely with the student’s parents or guardians, their fellow teachers and other school staff members, like guidance counselors and nurses.