Employment, Community, and Independent Living – EDSP 529
CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 02/01/2024
Course Description
This course equips candidates with an understanding of issues pertaining to employment and post-secondary education and training for students with special needs. Emphasis is placed on developing, planning, delivering, and managing employment, community, and independent living.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
Individuals with disabilities, individuals from economically disadvantaged families, out-of-workforce individuals, youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system, and homeless individuals need to receive community and employment-based instruction to be equipped for post-secondary independent and community-based living. This course equips the candidate with the skills and knowledge needed to prepare individuals who are disadvantaged for workplace-readiness and real-world activities. Per the School of Education mission, students taking this course will be more prepared to work with students with exceptionalities in developing excellent instructional practices to prepare these students with exceptional needs to be part of their communities.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Discussions (5)
Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be a minimum of 400 words, include at least 1 scholarly citation in APA format, and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the candidate is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be a minimum of 150 words and include at least 1 scholarly citation in APA format. (CLO: A, D, G, H)
Special Populations Matrix Assignment
The candidate will complete a matrix identifying the characteristics, challenges/needs, and recommended supports/services for individuals from the following populations who participate in special education and/or career and technical education programs:
- Individuals with disabilities
- Individuals from economically disadvantaged families
- Individuals preparing for non-traditional fields
- Single parents including pregnant students
- English language learners
- Homeless students
- Youth who are in the foster care system
- Youth with a parent in the armed forces
(CLO: B)
Special Needs and Technology Project Assignment
The candidate will select a case study focusing on an individual from an identified special population to develop a plan engaging learning technologies and general assistive technologies to address the individual’s unique transition needs. (CLO: F)
Situational Ecological Analysis Project Assignment
The candidate will develop a group of site-based assessments in the areas of employment, community, daily living and post-secondary learning contexts (considering social, cognitive, physical, language, behavioral, and cultural factors). (CLO: A, C, G, I)
Community-Based Work Assessment and Instructional Plan Assignment
The candidate will select a case study focusing on an individual from an identified special population and develop a plan for assessing readiness and delivering and managing a program for a community-based job placement. The plan must address the following: (a) a project-based learning approach to preparing the student for the workplace internship and (b) a plan to support work-based learning in the job placement, including job shadowing, mentorship/apprenticeship, and service learning. (CLO: B, C, E, F, G, H, I)
Self-Advocacy/Self-Determination Article Review Assignment
The candidate will select and analyze an article focusing on self-advocacy/self-determination and will apply learned concepts to needs unique to a special population. The article review must be 800 - 1,000 words, not including the title and reference page, and include citations from 3-4 sources in APA format. (CLO: A, B, H)
