ECE216W: Understanding Young Children with Special Needs

Lecture Hours 3 Lab Hours 0 Credits 3
Understanding Young Children with Special Needs introduces various categories of disabilities, along with legal and historical foundations for special-education services. It instructs students on ways to design and access educational resources for exceptional children within the context of collaboration and inclusion. Students learn about an educator's role in supporting individuals with disabilities in the home, in the community, and within the educational setting. They learn the importance of respecting the inherent worth and dignity of the child, as well as the importance of the children's right to affect the conditions of their own lives. Students develop strategies that facilitate children's independence, learning, social connections, and self-advocacy skills. The curriculum emphasizes the philosophical and practical value of children's diverse and distinct abilities, offering strategies for curriculum modifications, problem solving, and collaboration with educators and families.