Candidates will study professional standards based on InTasc. Candidates will practice communication skills and effective implementation into every process to building a strong support system for each student. Professional communication practices will focus on all stakeholders, inclusive of listening skills, facilitation skills and coaching and training skills. Additionally, candidates will study practices to build self-advocacy skills in students to promote independence and success in future opportunities. Candidates will focus on schoolwide protocol of communication and transition strategies across all grade levels in addition to district transitions when applicable. This course will focus on effective record keeping, parent communication protocols, confidentiality, and tracking of identification data and feedback. 

The study of cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social-emotional growth and development (e.g., typical, a-typical) of individuals from birth to adulthood. The course will focus on concepts of intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior and key theories of child and adolescent psychology and personality development.

Candidates will study methods to facilitate professional development and coaching to general education classroom teachers. Candidates will study strategies for facilitating direct instruction as well as facilitating general education classroom teacher support and development to promote an inclusive environment within the general education classroom and school community. As part of the IEP development, effective teaching strategies, inclusive of general education, push-in and/or pull-out services, will be identified in collaboration with the primary teachers and implementation support will be provided by the candidate.