Course Syllabus

Contact Information

Dr. Mary Barczak

Assistant Professor

Department of Educational Psychology

Office Hours: TBA

Office Phone: 405-325-3574 

Email: mary.barczak@ou.edu

Live Session: Monday & Wednesday, 1:30-2:45

Zoom link: https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/99408321084?pwd=UnQ5Wjk3dGp6SVhlbnVYL01kQkFHQT09

Meeting ID: 994 0832 1084

Password: 35451974

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Course Details

EDSP 4063 Teaching Students with Intensive Support Needs Syllabus (.docx)

Updated Schedule_March-May-1.docx  

For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.

Course Prerequisites 

 Prerequisites for this course include EDSP 3053 (Understanding and Accommodating Exceptional Learners), EDSP 4013 (Fundamental Academic Instructional Strategies), and EDSP 4033 (Intensifying Mathematics Interventions for Students with Disabilities). Corequisites include EDSP 4043 (Classroom Management in Special Education), EDSP 4053 (Language, Literacy, and Communication Strategies), and EDSP 4072 (Introduction to Practicum in Special Education). 

Course Materials

Required Textbooks: 

1. Collins, B. C. (2012). Systematic instruction for students with moderate and severe disabilities. Brookes Publishing.

2. Agran, M. (2013). Equity and full participation for individuals with severe disabilities. Brookes Publishing.

Other Required Materials:

1. Device capable of high-quality video recording and means to fix device to optimal position
    (e.g., smartphone with tripod, laptop, camcorder with tripod, tablet with stand, etc.)

2. School supplies for conducting lessons (e.g., notecards, markers, highlighters)

Grades

Scale

A = 90-100%   

B = 80 – 89%   

C = 70 – 79%   

D = 60 – 69%  

F = <59%         

Course activities and grades listed for each activity

Activity	Description	Points
Quizzes	Students will take weekly quizzes that cover content from readings and lectures	140
Modules	Students will complete 7 AFIRM modules that review implementation of evidence-based practices	21
Data Collection Sheets	Students will design data collection forms and use them to collect data when instructing students with intensive support needs	20
Lesson Plans	Students will create and implement 3 lesson plans to demonstrate proficiency with planning and implementing evidence-based instruction	30
Video and Self-Evaluations	Students will record themselves implementing evidence-based instruction, evaluate their own performance, and share the recording with peers to receive feedback	60
Preference Assessment Assignment	Students will conduct a preference assessment (paired choice, MSW, or MSWO) to find potential reinforcers for a student with an intensive support need	5
Video Modeling/Video Prompting Assignment	Students will create a set of video modeling/video prompting videos as a service project for Sooner Works	5
Peer Support Arrangement Assignment	Students will develop a peer support plan for a student at their placement	5
Video Reports on Low-Incidence Disabilities	This is a group assignment. Students will complete two low-incident disability reports that an overview of a particular disability, discuss implications for teachers, and provide a list of resources from the community for families	20
Binder Checks	Students will organize course materials in a physical binder or online portfolio	10
SAFMEDS	Say All Fast Minute Each Day Shuffled (SAFMEDS) are a study strategy designed to help students become familiar with and fluent in  basic definitions, concepts, and/or terms, thus making learning more complex material less difficult. Students will receive credit both for graphing their progress and for master of terms/definitions/concepts.	14
In-Class Participation	Students will engage in in-class activities designed to help them learn to implement evidence-based practices with fidelity	30
	Total	360

Course Components

Quizzes

There will be weekly quizzes taken through canvas that cover content from that week’s reading and lectures. Quizzes will be taken through Canvas. Quizzes will consist of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, true and false, and/or short answer questions. (10 points per quiz)

Retake Policy: Students will have the opportunity to improve quiz grades by retaking their quizzes. Each quiz will be open for retake approximately one week after the original due date. Students will have as many opportunities as needed to retake quizzes between the time they are reopened and the final day of classes (May 7).

Scoring Disagreements: If you believe an answer is correct and it is marked as incorrect, provide the following via email:

• • Full question, including what was marked incorrect
  • What you believe the correct answer is
  • Justification, including text reference/page number/slide where you found correct answer
  • Submit within 48 hours of correct answers being available. 

Data Collection

Students will design data collection forms, collect data during instruction of students with intensive support needs using these forms, graph data using Microsoft Excel (or similar program), and analyze graphs to make instructional decisions. Students will share this data during in-class data shares.

Data collection sheet for discrete skill (5 points)

Data collection sheet for chained skill (5 points)

Data collection, data sharing, and graphing (10 points)

Lesson Plans

Students will create lesson plans to implement with students with intensive support needs to demonstrate proficiency with planning and implementing evidence-based instruction. Each lesson plan will include the initial plan to submit before implementing the plan with a student with intensive support needs and a reflection submitted after the lesson is implemented. Rubrics and templates for lesson plans can be found on Canvas.

Lesson Plan 1: Teaching a Discrete Skill Using Time Delay (10 points)

This lesson will focus on 10 discrete targets that the student has not yet mastered. This skill should be selected in conjunction with the student’s special education teacher. Students must choose a skill to teach from the following list unless they receive permission from the instructor to teach an alternative skill: identifying sight words, identifying letter names, identifying letter sounds, identifying numerals, identifying colors, identifying shapes, basic math facts, content vocabulary. Students will continue to deliver instruction each week until the student demonstrates mastery. Lessons should take 5-10 minutes to implement.

Lesson Plan 2: Teaching a Chained Academic Skill Using Time Delay (10 points)

This lesson will focus on a chained (multi-step) skill. The skill must be an academic skill (e.g., addition with a number line) and shout be selected in conjunction with the student’s special education teacher. Students will deliver instruction each week until the student demonstrates mastery. Lessons should take about 15 minutes to implement.

Lesson Plan 3: Teaching a Chained Daily Living, Vocational, or Community Access Skill (10 points)

This lesson will focus on a chained (multi-step) skill. The skill must be a non-academic skill (e.g., putting on a jacket) and shout be selected in conjunction with the student’s special education teacher. Students will deliver this lesson only once. Lessons should take about 15 minutes to implement.

Video and Self-Evaluation

Students will record themselves implementing evidence-based instruction with students with intensive support needs and will complete a self-evaluation of their performance using a structured implementation checklist. Students will share the video instruction with the instructor and their peers to receive constructive feedback and learn from watching their peers providing instruction. (15 points per video and evaluation)

Course Binder

Students will be required to save all course materials and organize them into a binder or electronic portfolio. A check of the binder/portfolio will be conducted at midterms and at the end of the semester. Guidelines for organizing the binder/portfolio can be found on Canvas. (5 points each)

Module Completion

Throughout the course, students will be assigned AFIRM modules that review implementation of different evidence-based practices (see schedule for individual due dates). Students must upload completion certificates for each module prior to the class for which they are assigned. (3 points per module)

Additional Assignments

Preference Assessment Assignment

Students will conduct a preference assessment (paired choice, MSW, or MSWO) with a student with an intensive support need in order to identify potential reinforcers to use during instruction. Additional information is available on Canvas, and the assignment will be discussed in class. (5 points)

Video Modeling/Video Prompting Videos

Students will create a set of video modeling/video prompting videos. Students will choose a task from a pre-approved list. Additional information is available on Canvas, and the assignment will be discussed in class. (5 points)

Peer Support Arrangement

Students will create a peer support arrangement for a student at their placement. Additional information is available on Canvas, and the assignment will be discussed in class. (5 points)

Video Reports on Low-Incidence Disabilities (Midterm and Final Exam Assignment)

This is a group assignment. Students will be complete two low-incidence disability reports this semester. This report consists of a YouTube video that will be played for the class. A one-page handout will accompany the video. Both the presentation and handout must include (1) an overview disability (causes, characteristics, prevalence rate, etc.); (2) implications for teachers (3) a list of resources/professional organizations that would be appropriate for other practitioners or parents and a brief description of these; and (4) the references that you used to gather information.

The purpose of this assignment is 1) to provide you with the research skills of investigating low-incidence disabilities for when these skills are needed in the future and 2) to provide you with information on some low-incidence disabilities for future use.

YouTube videos should last no longer than 4 minutes. More information about the project is available on Canvas. (10 points each)

SAFMEDS

SAFMEDS is a flashcard procedure designed to help students become fluent in basic concepts and definitions. This procedure will be explained and modeled in class. Download SAFMEDS materials from Canvas and create flashcards by the second class session. Students will track their data on a data collection sheet and graph their data on an excel spreadsheet or printed graph. The data collection sheet and graph will be due to Canvas on the first day of exam week (May 10). Students will be graded on the following:

1. Five graphed data points per week (1 in class and 4 outside of class)
2. Mastery of the material (the ability to correctly name 45 terms in 60 seconds)

Participation and In-Class Activities

This class is a mastery-based class. Students will have the opportunity in class to practice using evidence-based instructional strategies and receive feedback on their performance from their instructor and peers. As such, it is important that students attend class so that they can practice these skills before implementing them with a student with intensive support needs. Students who will be absent from class should contact the instructor in advance (if possible) to discuss making up participation points. (1 point per class)

Course Policies

Attendance

This course is part of your professional training. As such, professional behavior is expected throughout the semester. Students are expected to participate in class every session, as appropriate. Students are permitted one “free” absence. Any additional absences will result in loss of attendance points, as well as the possible loss of additional points due to missed assignments.

To get full attendance points you need to be present for the entire class. If you are experiencing internet issues you need to email the instructor immediately the nature of the problem and join via phone call.

ZOOM Attendance: You will need to keep your video on at all times. Please do not put a picture in your place or turn your video off without permission from the instructor. You will be asked to mute yourself when you are not directly speaking, but your active engagement is expected. You need to treat your time online in class just as you would if you were in person on campus.

While expectations are high regarding written work and your participation during class, I am quite willing to answer any and all questions you might have about an assignment and to work with you in developing your ideas. The primary goal is that you think about these issues and leave the course with knowledge and skills you can apply in your future roles as service providers. Never hesitate to ask a question.

Grading

Grades will be posted to Canvas each week. All written work will be graded and returned within two weeks after the due date.

Make-up Work & Late Assignments 

If you must be absent for any reason, you are responsible for making your own arrangements to obtain information from any missed class period. In the case of a documented emergency, a missed assignment can be made up. Students should contact the instructor as soon as possible to reschedule missed assignments.

Assignments should be handed in via Canvas by the day/time they are due in the format requested.  They should be typed, completed following APA standards, and should follow the rubric/format prescribed for that assignment. Points will be deducted from late assignments. For every day that an assignment is late, five percent of the final grade will be deduced up to 50% of the total points of the assignment. In emergency situations, extensions can be given for assignments at the discretion of the instructor. Please do not ask AFTER a due date has passed for an extension. All extensions on assignments must be pre-arranged BEFORE the due date.

Incomplete Grades

Incompletes will be given at the instructor’s discretion only in serious circumstances, and not because a student could not finish the work required in this course. In general, the following guidelines will be followed (a) a passing grade must be earned at the time the request is made; (b) the student must make the request before the last day of class; and (c) the instructor and student establish a contract governing the completion of the course

Assignment Formatting

Research evidence shows that performance feedback improves teacher performance. In order to give you the best and most immediate feedback, it is important that you format all assignments to meet written formatting guidelines so that the instructor can efficiently evaluate your work. Assignments that do not meet formatting guidelines will be returned ungraded, and subsequent revisions will be counted as late assignments.

Resubmission of Core Assignments to Demonstrate Proficiency

In order to pass this course, students must demonstrate proficiency in basic teaching skills by:

1. Demonstrating at least 90% fidelity of implementation for constant time delay with a discrete skill with a student with intensive support needs.
2. Demonstrating at least 90% fidelity of implementation for constant time delay with a chained skill with a student with intensive support needs.
3. Creating lesson plans and data-collection sheets for all lesson plans that meet all quality indicators.
4. Submitting graphed data that meets quality indicators.

If a student does not demonstrate proficiency on an assignment that relates to one of these basic competencies, he or she must revise the assignment and schedule a meeting to review the revised version with the instructor. Revisions are due the week after the original grade received, and the student is required to initiate scheduling the meeting with the instructor to review the revised version. The student must continue submitting revisions until the instructor determines that the required level of proficiency has been achieved. Students will be able to receive partial credit back on assignments after the revisions are submitted.

Communicating with the Instructor about Assignments

Although I have designed rubrics to clarify expectations for all assignments, it is natural that students will have questions. Therefore, I have designated three opportunities for students to ask these kinds of questions. First, I will review the rubric(s) for any upcoming assignment(s) at the end of class. Students are strongly encouraged to ask questions at this time. Second, students are invited to talk with me immediately before or after class. I will be present before class after class for up to a half hour to communicate with students. Third, students are invited to come to office hours. The time of office hours will be determined during the first class meeting so that we can identify the best time without conflicts for the instructor and as many students as possible. If a student would like to meet with me, but the student has a conflict with office hours that cannot be resolved, the student may send an email to request and alternate meeting time. This email must be sent prior to scheduled office hours for that week, and the student should include at least three possible meeting times that are between 8am-5pm M-F.

I emphasize that no questions about assignments will be answered via email. Students must take advantage of one of the three methods outlined above. If students do ask questions about assignments via email, I will simply reply with an email reminding the student of this policy. I also emphasize that after office hours, if a student has not already arranged an alternate meeting time, the next opportunity to communicate about assignments will be before the next class meeting.

Technology in Class

Students will be asked to bring laptop computers or tablets to class in to share video footage of their implementation of instructional strategies with students with intensive support needs. In addition, students are encouraged to use laptops or tablets for purposes of note-taking or other class-related activities. However, once a student demonstrates that s/he intends to use a laptop or tablet for purposes that are unrelated to class (e.g., checking e-mail, social networking, surfing the Internet), s/he will lose this privilege. If students suspect they will have difficulty refraining from computer activity that is unrelated to class, they may wish to disable the wireless function on their device to diminish this temptation. With the exception of scheduled class breaks or permission of the instructor, phones should never be visible during class.

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University Academic Policies and Student Support

Course Catalog 

Search the OU Course Catalogue.

Student Handbook

Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.

Online Library

Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.

Academic Misconduct

In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Student Handbook. 

It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.

This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.

Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism. 

For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.

Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.

If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Student Handbook or get in touch with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center.

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability.  Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.

Title IX Resources  

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates at 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident. 

Religious Holidays

It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.

Copyright Policy

It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.

Registration and Withdrawal

If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Student Grievances

In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.