Western Governors University: Shaping the Future of Special Education
Western Governors University (WGU) offers comprehensive special education programs designed to equip aspiring and current educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a significant impact on students with diverse learning needs. These programs blend online coursework with practical, in-classroom experiences, ensuring graduates are well-prepared to support students with a range of disabilities in various educational settings.
Program Overview
WGU's special education degree programs are tailored to prepare educators to work with students who have mild to moderate disabilities. The curriculum integrates research-based concepts from the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading, providing a strong foundation for effective teaching practices. The programs emphasize practical application, incorporating virtual simulations and in-person classroom experiences to enhance learning.
Degree Options
WGU offers various degree options in special education to meet different needs and career goals:
- B.A. in Special Education (Mild to Moderate): This online teaching degree and teacher certification program is designed for aspiring K-12 special education teachers. It focuses on teaching students with mild to moderate exceptionalities and leads to teacher licensure.
- B.A. Dual Licensure in Elementary Education and K-12 Special Education: Suited for those interested in dual licensure in both elementary education and K-12 special education.
- B.A. in Educational Studies with an Emphasis in Special Education: For students who want to study special education but aren't quite ready to pursue the clinical experiences. This allows students to learn the same material and complete the same courses but not include the student teaching component of their education.
- M.A. Teaching-Special Education: This online master's degree is designed for both currently licensed teachers and those seeking licensure. It provides the tools and expertise needed to become an effective educator for students with mild to moderate disabilities.
- M.Ed. programs: WGU offers various M.Ed. programs for current and aspiring teachers, focused on educational development and adding to existing licensure.
Curriculum and Coursework
WGU’s special education programs provide you with the content knowledge and teaching skills necessary to become a special education instructor for students in grades K-12. The curriculum is designed to introduce key concepts early and build upon them as students progress, supporting their growth as educators. Students will delve into critical topics such as social and emotional learning, technology integration, and diversity inclusion in the classroom.
The coursework includes a variety of courses designed to prepare special education teachers for the challenges and rewards of their profession. Some of the key courses include:
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- Behavioral Intervention Strategies and Applied Behavior Analysis: Prepares special education teachers to work effectively with students exhibiting challenging behaviors, with a focus on students with behavioral and emotional exceptionalities.
- Special Education Law, Policies, and Procedures: Prepares special education teachers to practice within legal and ethical guidelines as they navigate the Special Education processes, stakeholder interactions, and other complex situations.
- Assessment for Special Education: Prepares special education teachers to use multiple methods of assessment and data sources in making educational decisions concerning the student and their learning environment.
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Collaboration and Communication with Parents and School Staff: Prepares special education teachers to collaborate effectively with parents, school staff, and other professionals to plan programs and access services for students with exceptionalities.
- Considerations for Instructional Planning for Learners: Designed to introduce special education teachers to a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance the learning of students with exceptionalities.
- Secondary Literacy and Mathematics Strategies and Assistive Technologies: Prepares special education teachers to use progress monitoring and evidence-based instructional practices appropriate for use with secondary students with exceptionalities.
- Elementary Literacy and Mathematics Strategies and Assistive Technologies: Prepares special education teachers to use progress monitoring and evidence-based instructional practices appropriate for elementary students with exceptionalities.
- Special Education Curriculum: Reviews the basic principles of special education and their application in realistic situations.
- Personalized Learning for Inclusive Classrooms: Empowers educators to create more inclusive and effective learning environments.
- Creating Positive Learning Environments: Delves into the key elements that contribute to creating and maintaining a positive learning atmosphere.
- Planning Instructional Strategies for Meaningful Learning: Provides candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary to create engaging and standards-aligned lessons that meet the needs of all students.
- Learners and Learning Science: Provides students with a deep understanding of the science behind learning processes.
- Instructional Technology and Online Pedagogy: Equips students with the skills to effectively integrate technology in their teaching practices.
- Assessing and Monitoring Student Learning: Provides an in-depth exploration of various assessment techniques.
- Elementary Literacy Curriculum: Deepens an educator's knowledge of language acquisition and progressively complex concepts and skills surrounding literacy.
- Elementary Literacy Methods: Focuses on the development of effective literacy teaching strategies for elementary-level students.
- Early Literacy Methods: Offers an in-depth exploration of the foundational concepts and practices essential for promoting literacy development in early childhood.
- Foundations of Literacy through Literature: Focuses on the exploration and utilization of literature to foster growth in the skills and concepts necessary for reading.
- Literacy Assessment and Interventions: Enhances candidates' skills in identifying and addressing literacy challenges in all student populations.
- Early Mathematics Methods and Interventions: Emphasizes innovative and research-based teaching methods for developing mathematical understanding in young children.
- Elementary Mathematics Methods and Interventions: Focuses on practical, research-supported strategies for teaching essential mathematical concepts to elementary students.
Hands-on Experience
WGU's special education programs include practical, in-classroom experiences to enhance learning. From the beginning, students experience clinical practice opportunities that start with embedded virtual simulations and progress into in-person classroom experiences. These experiences include:
- Early Clinical Experiences: Provide initial exposure to classroom settings.
- Advanced Clinical Experiences: Offer more in-depth classroom involvement.
- Student Teaching: A full-term student teaching component hosted by an experienced teacher and directed by a clinical supervisor.
Additionally, the M.A. Teaching-Special Education program engages students in virtual clinical experiences that allow them to practice in realistic but low-risk environments, such as Mursion simulations and Muzzy Lane activities.
Program Features
WGU offers several features that make its special education programs stand out:
- Flexibility: WGU’s programs are designed to fit the lives of busy adults, offering a flexible approach to higher education. Students can complete coursework online, at their own pace, and around their existing commitments.
- Competency-Based Education: WGU lets students move more quickly through material they already know and advance as soon as they're ready. Tuition charged per term-rather than per credit-helps students control the ultimate cost of earning their degree online.
- Personalized Support: WGU provides students with a Program Mentor who works with them from the day they start, all the way through graduation. Program Mentors help students chart their courses, answer their questions, and ensure they can go through their program.
- Affordability: WGU’s tuition model, which charges per six-month term rather than per credit, helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. Many scholarship opportunities are also available.
- Accreditation: WGU’s M.A. Teaching-Special Education program is accredited by both AAQEP and CAEP, ensuring that students receive a quality education that is recognized nationwide.
- Career-Focused Education: WGU’s special education programs provide a solid, career-focused education that prepares graduates for a variety of roles in the field of special education.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of WGU’s special education programs are prepared to work in a variety of school settings, including:
- Inclusionary K-12 classrooms
- Self-contained classrooms
- Resource rooms
They may also serve as a teacher of record (K-8) and teach all basic subjects in an elementary school classroom.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates employment of special education teachers in the United States to grow, indicating a strong demand for qualified professionals in this field.
Student Support
WGU is committed to providing students with the support they need to succeed. In addition to Program Mentors, students have access to a variety of resources, including:
- Well-educated and knowledgeable course instructors
- A strong network of fellow students and alumni
- Career services and resources
Admissions Requirements
Students seeking initial teacher licensure in a bachelor’s, post-baccalaureate, or master’s program must also pass a state-specific basic skills test for the state in which they live as a prerequisite to Student Teaching. WGU’s teacher licensure programs also include Student Teaching. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age before they may begin the application process or participate in Preclinical Experiences and Student Teaching.
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