T438 – Children with Special Needs and Diverse Abilities
This survey course is designed for early childhood and early childhood special education teachers and professionals (e.g. family support specialists, social workers, developmental specialists and related service providers) working with children with disabilities and their families in a variety of learning environments including home, child care, and school. It provides an overview of the growth and development of children with various disabilities (i.e. learning disabilities, processing and sensory-processing deficits, autism spectrum disorders, cognitive disabilities, and physical disabilities) as well as the historical, philosophical, and legal foundations for special education and disability-related services. Issues of diversity (e.g. race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, special education, gifted, English language learners, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, etc.) as they relate to children with disabilities and exceptionalities and the strengths each child possesses will be explored.