Special Education, M.Ed.

Objective of the Program

The Department of Education provides a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in Special Education with emphasis on students with mild and moderate disabilities in grades 1‐12. The Special Education Program is a Maryland state‐approved program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The graduate program is designed to develop and refine the graduate student skills as classroom teachers, inclusion teachers, resource teachers, teacher consultants, academic coaches, or as specialists in alternative educational settings. Students must complete the M.Ed. degree with certification if not already certified in special education. They may opt for coursework leading to certification in grades 1‐8, 6‐12, or both. The course of study varies with the experience and qualifications that individual students bring to the program.

Students may not enroll in the program for certification only.

Accreditation

UMES’ Teacher Education and School Counseling Programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

Program Goals

The overall goal of the Special Education Program is to prepare students to become effective special educators for mild and moderately disabled students in grades 1‐12 and to meet the certification and professional standards of the Maryland State Department of Education, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the principles of the Interstate New Teachers Assessment Support Consortium (INTASC). To accomplish this goal, there are four major objectives:

1. To help each student develop and refine the personal and interpersonal qualities and skills necessary to function intellectually, emotionally, and socially with others in the capacity of teacher or facilitator.
2. To prepare teachers and leaders who are knowledgeable of research, theory and practice related to effective classroom and program management.
3. To develop teachers and leaders who are committed, continuous learners, and contributor  to the enhancement of the teaching profession.
4. To prepare teachers and leaders who demonstrate sensitivity and effective interpersonalskills in working with culturally diverse populations.

Candidate Competencies

Candidate competencies and outcomes are consistent with those of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the major professional organization representing special educators, the Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and those of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The following competencies are related to the ten CE standards:

1. Foundations
   • Understand principles and theories, relevant laws and policies; diverse and historical points of view, and human issues that have influenced and continue to influence the field of special education.
   • Understand how issues influence professional practice.
   • Understand the impact of issues of human diversity.
   • Understand the relationships of organizations of special education.
2. Development and Characteristics of Learner
   • Demonstrate respect for students.
   • Understand the similarities and differences in human development.
   • Understand how exceptional conditions can interact with the domains of human development.
   • Use knowledge to respond to the varying abilities and behaviors of individuals with exceptional learning needs (ELN).
3. Individual Learning Differences
   • Understand the effects that an exceptional learning condition can have on an individual’s learning.
   • Are active and resourceful in seeking to understand how primary language, culture, and familial backgrounds interact with the individual’s exceptional condition.
   • Provide individualized instruction for individuals with ELN.
4. Instructional Strategies
   • Possess a repertoire of evidence‐based instructional strategies to individualize instruction.
   • Promote positive learning results in general and special education curricula.
   • Appropriately modify learning environments for individuals with ELN.
   • Enhance the learning of critical thinking, problem‐solving, and performance skills.
   • Emphasize the development, maintenance and generalization of knowledge and skills across environments, settings and the lifespan.
5. Learning Environments and Social Interactions
   • Create learning environments and active engagement for individuals with ELN that foster cultural understanding, safety and emotional well‐being and positive social interactions.
   • Foster environments in which diversity is valued.
   • Shape environments to encourage independence, self‐ motivation, self‐direction, personal empowerment, and self‐advocacy of individuals with ELN.
   • Help general education colleagues integrate individuals with ELN in regular environments.
   • Use direct motivational and instructional interventions.
   • Intervene with individuals with ELN in crisis.
   • Provide guidance and direction to para‐educators and others.
6. Language
   • Understand typical and atypical language development.
   • Enhance language development and teach communication skills to individuals with ELN.
   • Are familiar with augmentative, alternative, and assistive technologies.
   • Provide effective language models.
   • Facilitate understanding of subject matter for individuals with ELN whose primary language is not English.
7. Instructional Planning
   • Develop long‐range individualized instructional plans.
   • Translate individualized plans into shorter‐range goals and objectives.
   • Emphasize explicit modeling and efficient guided practice.
   • Modify instructional plans based on ongoing analysis of the individual’s learning progress.
   • Facilitate instructional planning in a collaborative context.
   • Develop a variety of individualized transition plans.
   • Use appropriate technologies to support instructional planning and individualized instruction.
8. Assessment
   • Use multiple assessment types of assessment information.
   • Understand the legal policies and ethical principles of measurement and assessment.
   • Understand measurement theory and practices.
   • Understand the appropriate use and limitations of various types of assessment.
   • Assure nonbiased, meaningful assessments and decision making.
   • Conduct informal and formal assessments of behavior, learning, achievement and environments.
   • Identify supports and adaptations required for individuals with ELN.
   • Regularly monitor the progress of individuals with ELN.
   • Use appropriate technologies to support their assessments.
9. Professional and Ethical Practice
   • Attend to legal matters along with serious professional and ethical considerations.
   • Engage in professional activities that benefit individuals with ELN.
   • View themselves as lifelong learners and regularly reflect on and adjust their practice.
   • Are sensitive to the many aspects of diversity of individuals with ELN and their families.
   • Keep current with evidence‐based best practices.
10. Collaboration
    • Routinely and effectively collaborate with families, other educators, related service providers, and personnel from community agencies in culturally responsive ways.
    • Are a resource to their colleagues in understanding the laws and policies relevant to individuals with ELN.
    • Use collaboration to facilitate the successful transitions of individuals with ELN across settings and services.

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission

Admission to the Special Education Program is based on criteria specified in the requirements of admission to the UMES Graduate School. These standards were devised to ensure that students accepted into the Graduate School were qualified and had a reasonable chance of successfully completing a graduate degree.

Admission criteria include:

1. Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
2. 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or better on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate work.
3. Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate studies and offer insight as to the professional dispositions of the candidate.
4. Maryland passing scores on the Praxis I, or other Basic Skills test, including ACT, SAT, or GRE if not already a certified teacher.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who possess an overall GPA of 2.75 may be admitted and given provisional status provided they have passing scores on the PRAXIS I, or other Basic Skills test, including ACT, SAT, or GRE. These students must maintain a 3.50 average in the first nine approved credit hours, six of which must be in Special Education graduate level core courses.

Provisional status students may be required to take undergraduate prerequisites in the areas of education and psychology to remediate content deficiencies before being admitted to regular status. Provisional status students may also be asked to come for a personal interview before being admitted to the program.

Policy On Applicant Rejection

The University may review a number of different factors to determine whether to admit an applicant to a graduate program, including but not limited to academic achievement, personal and professional references, scores on admission examinations, writing samples, personal interviews, character and integrity, personality, and potential to perform as a graduate student and in the applicable profession. Applicants should consider licensing/registration/credential requirements of a profession in which past personal history or conviction/criminal record may restrict completion of a degree program (the professional phase) and the eligibility to practice in a profession if graduated from a  program.

Application Deadlines

Fall Semester ‐ May 1st
Spring Semester ‐ November 1st
Summer Session ‐ April 1st

Retention and Exit Requirements

The course of study will vary with the experiences and qualifications that individual students bring to the program. A minimum of 30 semester hours will be required for the M.Ed. degree. Students working toward the M.Ed. degree plus certification will need to complete additional hours beyond the 30 semester hours minimum to satisfy the M.Ed. and certification requirements. Undergraduate methods courses and the internship (i.e., EDSP 400, EDSP 401, EDSP 402, EDSP 403, EDSP 416, EDSP 426, EDSP 442, EDSP 450) may not be applied to the M.Ed. degree. However, these courses will be part of the student’s overall program if they are essential to meet certification requirements. No more than 12 hours of coursework at the 400 level can be applied toward the M.Ed. requirements. Approved electives may be taken from Special Education, Counselor Education, and other appropriate areas.

All requirements for the Master’s degree must be completed within a five‐year period. This time limit also applies to any transfer work from other institutions to be included in the student’s overall program.

To remain in good standing in the M.Ed. Special Education Program, including the eligibility to earn certification, each student must meet and maintain the following performance criteria:

1. Earn an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
2. Earn no more than one “C” in all courses.
3. Earn no grade in a course lower than a “C” at any time during the program.

In addition, an internship will be required for students applying for initial certification in Special Education. A professional portfolio is developed as part of the internship experience. Prior to taking the internship and seminar (i.e., EDSP 400, EDSP 442, EDSP 450), teacher candidates must take and pass the PRAXIS II, meeting the minimum cut‐off scores as determined by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Students must also take and pass a written comprehensive examination within the last 6 credits of their program as well as a professional portfolio. In addition, they must also complete a seminar paper within the last 6 credits of their program. During the course SPED 678 , the seminar paper must be approved by the seminar instructor, program coordinator, and department chair.

For additional and elaborative information on the policies, procedures and forms of the program, see the latest Graduate Special Education Program Handbook (www.umes.edu/Education/Default.aspx?id=14976).

For more information on this program, please contact:

Patricia A. Goslee, Ed.D.
Graduate Program Coordinator,
Special Education
Department of Education
Hazel Hall
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, MD 21853
410‐651‐6195 Fax: 410‐651‐7962
Email: pagoslee@umes.edu

(All courses [with the exception of SPED 600 , EDUC 612  and EDUC 620 ] require acceptance into the graduate Special Education program)