Early Childhood Special Education

Master's Degree

The specialization in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is designed for early intervention specialists, and early childhood, kindergarten, and elementary education teachers. Graduate students are prepared to provide developmental and educational services to children from birth to six years of age across all disability areas and severity levels. The program’s uses a “theory-into-practice” model in which the latest concepts related to developmentally and age appropriate practices are applied and evaluated in natural and inclusive settings. A family-centered philosophy is followed where family concerns and values are incorporated into the assessments and interventions so that the early intervention programs are “family friendly.”

Master's Degree Options

Two master’s degrees are available: the Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) and the Master’s of Arts (M.A.). Both degree options allow flexible combinations of coursework, practical experiences, and applied intervention research, but vary in their primary area of emphasis. All degree plans require a minimum of 36 hours of coursework.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) is a research-oriented degree, structured to provide students both academic and practical experiences in conducting research in university settings and other research environments and to prepare them for future doctoral study. Students selecting this option complete a minimum of 30 hours of coursework and six hours of thesis. This degree option takes 18 months of full-time study.

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) program reflects an applied emphasis, and is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in a variety of educational and related settings. Two options are available under the M.Ed. program: M.Ed. with Report (33 hours of coursework + 3 hours of report), or M.Ed. with coursework only. The M.Ed. program can be completed in 12 months of full-time study.

Comparison of the Master's Degree Requirements

Core Areas of Study	M.Ed. (Coursework Only)	M.Ed.	M.A.
Department Core	6 hours	6 hours	6 hours
Specialization Core consists of courses in ECSE	21 hours	21 hours	18 hours
Special Education/Rehabilitation Counseling Electives	3 hours	3 hours	6 hours (Thesis*)
Supporting Coursework consists of two courses taken outside the Department of Special Education	6 hours	6 hours	6 hours
TOTAL	36 hours	36 hours	36 hours

*Students must be continuously enrolled in the thesis or report course until their semester of graduation.

These general requirements set a minimum standard for the master’s degree. Students develop their own individualized program of study in consultation with their Academic Adviser and the Graduate Adviser.

Program Components

The master’s program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of study and can be completed in 12-18 months of full-time study, depending on the degree plan selected. Students complete requirements in each of the following core areas:

• The Department Core complements each student’s specialist education in the areas of cultural and linguistic diversity as well as application of research to practice. Students explore issues, trends, and emerging practices related to services for individuals with disabilities from diverse socio-cultural, linguistic, racial and ethnic backgrounds; and develop a framework for culturally and linguistically responsive practice. They also acquire the knowledge and skills required to read, understand, evaluate, and use research to improve professional practice.
• The Specialization Core provides students with specialist expertise through advanced coursework and collaboration with faculty in their chosen area of study.
• Special Education/Rehabilitation Counseling Electives consist of coursework in another specialization within the Department of Special Education that complements the major areas of study and match students’ interests and professional goals. These electives may also include courses related to the thesis or report.
• Supporting Coursework consists of elective coursework in a related discipline outside the Department of Special Education, that complements the major areas of study and matches students’ interests and professional goals.

Core Courses

Overview of Early Childhood Special Education (Fall).
Covers the educational and emotional needs of young children with disabilities (birth to six) and the techniques for implementing a "whole child" and inclusive educational approach to meet the unique needs of the child and his/her family.

Assessment and Programming of Early Childhood Special Education (Fall).
Assessment experience in assessing a child with disabilities in a naturalistic setting is provided. Forman and informal assessment procedures are covered as they relate to the birth to six-year age range.

Practicum in Early Childhood Special Education (Fall).
Teaching experience with children in inclusive settings is provided. Assessment and curriculum procedures are applied in developing an appropriate education for a small group of children.

Practicum in Early Childhood Special Education.
Teaching experience with young children (birth to six years of age) with disabilities is provided in an inclusive setting. Program management and evaluation procedures are applied on a programmatic basis. The student is expected to assume a lead teacher and/or consultant role during training.

Communication Intervention (Spring).
The objective of this course is to synthesize theoretical and applied information regarding early language development and intervention strategies for special populations. It introduces concepts related to typical, atypical, and delayed language and communication development (birth to six years) through interdisciplinary, family-focused and multicultural perspectives.

Family Support and Intervention (Spring).
This course promotes an understanding of stressors, transitions, and issues that families of children with disabilities may encounter during their child’s lifespan. Approaches such as transdisciplinary teaming, family-centered intervention will be covered.

Medical/Educational Assessment and Intervention (Summer).
The course will cover the need for a medical/educational partnership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of early intervention programs in the hospital, home and community for young infants, toddlers and preschoolers with chronic medical conditions. Strategies for using behavioral programs independent of or in conjunction with psychotropic drugs will be provided for children with severe behavior problems.

Functional Early Motor/Vision Assessment and Intervention (Summer).
This course will cover the early visual and motor development of premature and full term infants and the major types of visual and motor impairments along with recommended interventions for children birth through five years of age. Emphasis will be on effective collaborations with specialists in the vision and motor domains.

Challenging Behavior (Summer).
This course will cover the behavioral characteristics of children with autism and other challenging behaviors that interfere with their overall cognitive and social development. Emphasis will be on developing behavioral and dyadic interventions that promote long term behavioral changes in home, school, and community settings.

Practicum in Special Education––Severe and Multiple Disabilities (Spring).
During this practicum, you will gain advanced skills and valuable hands-on experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating intervention programs for individuals with severe and multiple disabilities.

Supporting Coursework (Out-of-Department Electives)
In consultation with your adviser, you will select two courses outside the Department of Special Education that match your interests and professional goals.

Area Faculty

Amanda Little, Ph.D., (University of Kansas)
Assistant Professor
Area Coordinator Early Childhood Special Education

Terry Falcomata, Ph.D., (University of Iowa)
Assistant Professor

Mark O'Reilly, Ph.D., (University of Illinois at Urbana––Champaign)
Professor and Fellow in the Mollie Villeret Davis Professorship in Learning Disabilities

Nina Zuna, Ph.D., (University of Kansas)
Assistant Professor