HELP [Archived Catalog] Special Education Print-Friendly Page Add to Portfolio

Address: 128 Porter Building
Phone: 734.487.3300
E-mail:michael.bretting@emich.edu
Web site: www.emich.edu/coe/sped

The Department of Special Education is among the oldest and most prestigious preparation programs for teachers of students with disabilities in the nation. It is the largest special education program in Michigan and among the most extensive in the country because of its numerous course offerings, experienced faculty, location and affiliations with schools, clinics, institutions, agencies and hospitals in the metropolitan area that surrounds the University.

The department provides courses that prepare students to educate children and adolescents with disabilities. Special education majors earn a State Provisional Elementary or Secondary Teaching Certificate and endorsement to teach students with disabilities as described by the selected major.

The department has unique facilities on campus:

1. A speech and hearing clinic, which provides a complete range of clinical training opportunities for majors in speech-language pathology. Clinical outpatient services are available to college students and to children and adults from the surrounding areas. Clinical speech/language evaluations as well as therapy and complete audiological services are offered, including diagnostic audiology, hearing aid evaluation and selection, aural rehabilitation, preschool evaluation and training and family support. As part of their preparation, majors in speech/language impairment and hearing impairment may be directly involved in the delivery of these services under the supervision of clinical staff.
2. Specialized Technology Laboratory (STL) is a component of the Department of Special Education. The lab houses assistive and instructional technologies appropriate for use with students with disabilities from pre-K-12. The Specialized Technology Lab serves as the teaching environment for the department’s preservice and graduate courses in assistive and instructional technology. Additionally, the lab is utilized as a site for inservice presentations and workshops for professionals working with children and adolescents with disabilities, and their families.

Advising

Students are assigned a faculty adviser from the program area selected as a major. The adviser will monitor the student’s progress throughout the professional preparation program. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule advising appointments each semester prior to or during the University registration period. Faculty advisers post office hours and other times students may schedule appointments. Advisers inform students of special area requirements and procedures.

Faculty Advisers

Teachers of Students with Emotional Impairment: Karen Carney, JohnPalladino, Steve Camron, Gil Stiefel, Laura Zionts, Sally Burton-Hoyle
Teachers of Students with Hearing Impairment: Linda Polter, Brenda Doster
Teachers of Students with Cognitive Impairment: Jackie McGinnis, Kathlyn Parker, Phil Smith, Ann Orr, Myung-Sook Koh, Derrick Fries
Teachers of Students with Physical Impairment and Health Impairment: Jackie McGinnis
Teachers of Students with Speech and Language Impairments: Ronald Hoodin, Bill Cupples, Carole Gorenflo, Lidia Lee, Sarah Ginsberg, Lizbeth Stevens, John Tonkovich
Teachers of Students with Vis:ual Impairment: Alicia Li

Admission

Admission requirements to the University, Teacher Education and the Department of Special Education must be met by students intending to major in the programs listed below. However, students should indicate their intention to major in special education upon entrance to the University. Formal application for admission to any of the special education programs of study will be considered only when supported by a recommendation from a faculty member in the Department of Special Education and following acceptance into the Teacher Preparation Program. Departmental faculty determine admissions.

Admission Criteria

(For all programs except speech and language impairment)

1. Completion of 56 credit hours and with an EMU GPA of 2.5 or better.
2. Completion of SPGN251 Education of Students with Exceptionalities and the introductory course in the major area of study with a grade of C or better. These introductory courses are:
   1. Emotional Impairment: SPEI240 and SPEI301
   2. Hearing Impairment: (see statement under Teachers of Students with Hearing Impairment)
   3. Cognitive Impairment: SPCI240 and SPCI350
   4. Physical Impairment and Health Impairment: SPPI240 and SPPI3103. Successful completion of the state-mandated basic skills test.
3. Successful completion of the state-mandated basic skills test
4. Submission of a formal application for admission to the Department of Special Education supported by recommendation from a faculty member in the department.

Admission Criteria (Speech and Language Impairment)

The following criteria must be met before admission to the undergraduate program is granted:

1. Must complete 35 to 45 credit hours with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
2. Successful completion of the state-mandated basic skills test.

Continuance Criteria (All Programs)

Criteria for continuance in a program of study in the Department of Special Education is dependent upon:

1. Maintenance of a 2.5 GPA.
2. Maintenance of a 2.5 GPA in major courses in program of study.
3. Completion of all courses in the major with a grade of C or better. Students will be required to retake any major course in which they earn a grade below C. A major course may be repeated only once.
4. Demonstration of behaviors which indicate stability, maturity, understanding and aptitude as judged necessary for predicted success in the professional field of special education. Such qualitative judgements will be made by the department faculty.

The continuance or termination decision will be made by the faculty in the program area. Students may request a meeting with the faculty of a program area to apprise faculty of any extenuating circumstances that may aid faculty in arriving at a fair and equitable decision. The faculty decision will be final and will be transmitted to the student in writing by the department head.

Nothing in this department’s procedures will negate University or College of Education action for students on academic, administrative or social probation.

Additional Continuance Criteria (Speech and Language Impairment)

To be allowed to continue in the speech-language pathology program, the student must meet the following criteria:

1. Maintenance of a cumulative overall GPA of 2.5 or better.
2. Maintenance of a cumulative major GPA of 2.5 or better.
3. Demonstration of behaviors which indicate reasonable stability, maturity, understanding and aptitude as judged necessary for predicted success as a speech-language pathologist. Such qualitative judgements will be made by the SLP faculty.
4. Students on academic probation will not be allowed to enroll in major courses until the probation is lifted and their overall GPA is 2.5.
5. Must pass a speech and hearing screening.

Termination from the Department

Students who fail to comply with the continuation criteria stated above will be notified in writing of their termination from the program. Students so notified have the right to appeal such termination through normal University channels. In some cases, a student will be required to meet with program area faculty for discussion of academic performance and continuation in the program.

General Information

Fieldwork in both general and special education is required. Pre-student teaching experiences are required of all candidates pursuing a teaching certificate (see Pre-student Teaching). Majors in special education are required to complete practica or pre-clinical experiences in addition to those required for teacher certification and should consult with their advisers regarding specific requirements within their designated areas of special education.

Student teaching in either elementary or secondary education must be successfully completed prior to special education student teaching placement. Special education student teaching assignments are arranged and approved by the department upon the recommendation of the faculty within the designated area of special education.

Teacher Certification and Special Education Endorsement

All program majors earn a provisional teaching certificate in elementary or secondary education. Additionally, successful completion of a major in special education results in the achievement of an endorsement as a teacher of students with a given disability. Majors in speech and language impairment choose between teacher certification or a health care specialty.

The professional entry-level credential in speech-language pathology (speech and language impaired) is the master’s degree. Students who are awarded the bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology at Eastern Michigan University are expected to apply for admission to graduate degree programs. Those applying to the graduate speech-language pathology program at Eastern Michigan University will compete with applicants from other institutions for admission.

Each of the programs of study in special education meets or exceeds minimum course experience or competency requirements established by the Michigan State Board of Education for that endorsement area. However, meeting Michigan teaching certification and endorsement requirements does not necessarily meet requirements for teacher certification or endorsement in other states. All special education programs of study are recognized and approved for accreditation by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

The programs in Speech-Language Pathology and in Hearing Impairment are also accredited by national professional associations. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) accredits the department’s program in speech-language pathology and in Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) accredits the department’s program in hearing impairment.

Students are required to regularly meet with their program area faculty adviser to expedite their program of study.

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