Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Instructor Name: Mary Barczak, PhD, BCBA
Email: mary.barczak@ou.edu
Office Location: Collings Hall (ECH) 310
Office Phone: 405-325-3574
Office Hours: Monday 3:00-5:00pm, or by appointment
Office Hours Zoom Link: https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/97412186243?pwd=clY0VlJsSWp6WEZxVGd3Q0hyL0ZZZz09
Teaching Assistant: Peighton Pratt, M.Ed.
Email: peighton.pratt@ou.edu
Office Location: Cate Center 4, Room 190
Office Phone: 405-325-8951
Office Hours: By appointment
Class Times & Location
Class Meeting Times: MW 1:30-2:45pm
Class Meeting Location: Collings Hall 229
Zoom Link: https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/91574829205?pwd=Wm5iMzFhc1RYYzlFNVhybTA4TEpIQT09
Meeting ID: 915 7482 9205
Passcode: 27370214
Course Details
Course Description
This course will cover transition education practices, including assessment, and transition planning, to facilitate educational, employment, and independent living post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Federal and state laws and regulations governing transition practices will be covered along with best-practice methodology. Assessment, goal writing, transition planning, self-determination instruction, multi-cultural issues, interagency collaboration, resources, among other topics will be discussed to facilitate a successful transition for students into further education, employment, and independent living.
Course Materials
There are no required texts for this course. All course materials can be found in the Canvas Modules.
Grades
Scale
A = 90-100%
B = 80 – 89%
C = 70 – 79%
D = 60 – 69%
F = <59%
| Activity | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Assignments | Throughout the semester, students will complete several small assignments practicing what they learned in class. These assignments will include activities such as writing measurable postsecondary goals and annual goals, writing assessment reports, writing PLAAFP. A complete list of the assignments can be found in the course schedule. |
80 points (10 points each) |
| Transition Plan Project and Presentation | Students will complete a transition assessment for a student at their placement and write up an assessment report for the student. They will use that assessment report to complete an IEP that includes a robust transition section. Students will present their IEP to the class at the end of the semester. | 100 points |
| Transition Plan Project Progress Checks | Students will have two progress checks during the semester. These progress checks will be opportunities for students to receive feedback on the work they have completed on their project so far. Progress check grades will be based on completion of the work. |
20 points (10 points each) |
| Guest Speaker Reflection Papers | Students will write a one-page paper for each guest speaker presentation reflecting on how they could apply what they learned to their own work as a future special education teacher. |
25 points (5 points each) |
| Reading Checks | For each class with assigned reading, students will complete on online reading check consisting of 5 multiple choice questions. |
70 points (5 points each) |
| Philosophy of Transition Reflection |
At the beginning of the semester, students will submit a reflection on their knowledge of and philosophy of transition. |
25 points |
| Philosophy of Transition Paper/Project (Final Exam) |
In place of a final exam, students will submit a project explaining their philosophy of transition. The project can take the form of a paper (4-6 pages) or an audio/video recording (5-10 minutes) detailing the student’s philosophy of transition and providing evidence to support their position. |
60 points |
| Total | 380 points |
Course Assignment Details
Practice Assignments
Students will complete a variety of short assignments throughout the semester (typically 1 per week). The goal of these assignments is to provide students with the opportunity to apply what they are learning in class to a real-life situation or scenario. The schedule of assignments can be found on the class syllabus or on Canvas. Each assignment will have an individual assignment description and rubric which can be found in the ASSIGNMENTS tab on Canvas.
Transition Plan Project and Presentation
Students will complete one (1) cumulative project to show understanding of material and ability to develop a quality transition assessment.
- Students will conduct a transition battery with an *actual* student of transition age (age 14+, or middle school+), consisting of: (a) self-determination, (b) career, and (c) independent living assessment. They will write up a comprehensive assessment report detailing the results of the assessments. (30 points)
- Ideally, students will work with a someone from their practicum placements. Students must get supervising teacher, parent, and student consent before conducting the assessment. If students are not able to work with a student at their placement, they should inform me as soon as possible so that I can give them an alternative assignment.
- Students will develop and submit an entire IEP, including a robust transition assessment using information gained from the completed transition battery. (50 points)
- Students will create a PowerPoint presentation detailing the assessments used, reasons for assessment selection, summary of assessment results, sample of goals created, and personal reflection of what they learned working on this project. (10 points)
- Students will present the PowerPoint presentation in-class. (10 points)
Rubrics and samples for the assessment write-up and IEP will be posted to the MODULES tab.
Progress Checks: Students will have two progress checks during the semester. These progress checks will be opportunities for students to receive feedback on the work they have completed on their project so far. Progress check grades will be based on completion of the work; however, students are still encouraged to turn in their best work to receive the most helpful and comprehensive feedback.
Guest Speaker Reflection Papers
Students will have the opportunity to learn from several guest speakers during the course of the semester. In response to each speaker, students will write a one-page reflection paper responding to the following prompts:
- Provide a brief synopsis of the speaker and the purpose of the presentation.
- What new things did you learn from the speaker's presentation?
- Describe at least one thing the speaker talked about in their presentation that you would like to learn more about.
- How will you use the information provided by the speaker in your future career?
Students will submit the reflections through Canvas. A rubric for the reflection papers can be found in the MODULES tab.
Reading Checks
For each class with assigned readings, students will complete a 5-question reading check. The reading checks include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and/or true or false questions. Students will complete the reading checks in Canvas. Each reading check should be completed BEFORE the class for which the reading is assigned.
Retake Policy: Students will have the opportunity to improve quiz grades by retaking their reading checks. Each reading check will be open for retake after class. Students will have as many opportunities to retake reading checks between the time they are reopened and the final day of classes (December 10).
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 where you found correct answer
Philosophy of Transition Reflection
At the beginning of the semester, students will complete a 2-3 page reflection paper describing their knowledge of and philosophy regarding postsecondary transition. This paper should be a reflection of the student’s thoughts, perspective, knowledge, and experience. More information, including reflection questions, can be found on Canvas in the MODULES tab.
Philosophy of Transition Paper/Project
Students will complete the Philosophy of Transition project in place of a final exam. For this project, students will articulate their philosophy of transition and provide an academic argument, with citations, supporting their position. The project can be completed as a paper or audio/video project (e.g., vlog, podcast).
General requirements for the project include:
- a 4-6 page paper or 5-10 minute audio/video project describing and defending your philosophy of transition
- A minimum of 5 references from any of the following acceptable sources:
- Refereed/scholarly journal articles (including articles referenced in class)
- US federal government websites/documents
- National membership organizations (e.g., Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Career Development and Transition)
- Use of APA 7th edition formatting for
- Font style and size (11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 10-point Computer Modern)
- 1-inch margins
- In-text citations
- References on reference page
- Running head, headers, and page numbers
- Correct level headings
- Correct spelling and grammar
A rubric for the paper with specific writing prompts can be found on Canvas in the MODULES tab.
Course Policies
Attendance
This course is part of your professional training. As such, professional behavior is expected throughout the semester. You are expected to participate in class every session, as appropriate. A significant amount of learning takes place in the classroom through interactions between classmates; to not miss out on this opportunity, it is within your best interests to attend every class. If you need to be absent from class, you should reach out to me (Dr. Barczak) as soon as possible to discuss missed content or assignments.
There may be times during the semester that you will need to attend class via Zoom instead of in person. This is a perfectly legitimate way to attend class, and anyone who needs to attend class via Zoom can do so without asking previous instructor permission.
ZOOM Attendance Rules: You will need to keep your video on at all times, unless given explicit permission from the instructor. Please do not put a picture in your place or turn your video off for an extended period of time. A brief time (e.g., 1-2 minutes) turning off your video to move between rooms or to block visual distractions is fine. 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 the issues presented in class 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 reaching out to the instructor to obtain information from any missed class period and find out about any missing assignments from class. If students are not able to make up an assignment from class, they may be asked to complete an alternative assignment to display mastery of the content.
Assignments should be handed in via Canvas by the day/time they are due in the format requested. The assignments assigned in this class are intended to evaluate your ability to apply what you learn in class to a real world situation/scenario. Meeting deadlines helps me to be able to respond to assignments in a timely manner. However, there are times when students are not able to meet deadlines and will need an extension for an assignment in order to do their best work. It is recommended that students ask for extensions BEFORE assignments are due; however, this is not required.
The following policy is applied to late work in this class:
- Students have 48 hours after a due date to turn in an assignment.
- If a student does not turn in an assignment within 48 hours of the due date, and they have not contacted me to ask for an extension, I will contact them with an email stating that the assignment is missing and informing them that a zero (0) will be entered into Canvas gradebook as a placeholder until the assignment is turned in.
- If a student has still not responded within one week of the due date, they will receive an email requiring them to attend office hours to work with me to develop a schedule for turning in the missing assignment. Both the student and I will complete a form stating the schedule for the assignment and the consequences for not meeting the schedule, which will be filed in my office.
- If a student is late turning in a second assignment, even if they turn it in within one week of the deadline, they will also be required to schedule a meeting with me to discuss the remaining course requirements and determine a plan of action for completing future assignments on time. Both the student and I will complete a form which will be filed in my office.
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 university guidelines will be followed: (a) a passing grade must be earned at the time the request is made (this is based on the work the student has already completed); (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.
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 multiple opportunities for students to ask these kinds of questions.
First, I will review the rubric(s) for any upcoming assignment(s) during 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 and 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 an alternate meeting time. Finally, there are two discussion boards that students can use to ask questions about assignments. The first is the COURSE HELP BOARD. The course help board is reserved for questions about the administrative functioning of the course that may be relevant to the whole class. You can also share resources or post helpful tips or strategies. I will check the board daily to respond to your questions, but your classmates may get you an answer even faster. The second is the ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK BOARD. The assignment feedback board is a place for you to receive feedback on assignments from me or your classmates. I will also check this board daily.
Questions about assignment due dates and class logistics will not be answered via email. I do this for two reasons. One, the discussion boards provide a permanent product for the entire class to refer to. Two, I often get the same emails from multiple students asking the same questions. Answering the same question multiple times via email is a waste of time both for me and the students writing the emails.
If you have specific questions about your grades, need to ask for an extension, or have a question about feedback that I provided on an assignment, you can contact me individually through OU email or Canvas messenger. Depending on the question, I may ask you to schedule a time to meet with me in person/over Zoom to discuss your question.
Technology in Class
Students are encouraged to use laptops or tablets for purposes of note-taking or other class-related activities. However, once a student demonstrates that they intend to use a laptop or tablet for purposes that are unrelated to class (e.g., checking e-mail, social networking, surfing the Internet), they 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.
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 Observance
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.
Final Exam Policy
Pre-finals week will be defined as the seven calendar days before the first day of finals. Faculty may cover new course material throughout this week. For specific provisions of the policy please refer to OU’s Final Exam Preparation Period policy.
Emergency Protocol
During an emergency, there are official university procedures that will maximize your safety.
Severe Weather: If you receive an OU Alert to seek refuge or hear a tornado siren that signals severe weather.
- Look for severe weather refuge location maps located inside most OU buildings near the entrances
- Seek refuge inside a building. Do not leave one building to seek shelter in another building that you deem safer. If outside, get into the nearest building.
- Go to the building’s severe weather refuge location. If you do not know where that is, go to the lowest level possible and seek refuge in an innermost room. Avoid outside doors and windows.
- Get in, Get Down, Cover Up
- Wait for official notice to resume normal activities.
Additional Weather Safety Information is available through the Department of Campus Safety.
Armed Subject/Campus Intruder
If you receive an OU Alert to shelter-in-place due to an active shooter or armed intruder situation or you hear what you perceive to be gunshots:
- Avoid: If you believe you can get out of the area WITHOUT encountering the armed individual, move quickly towards the nearest building exit, move away from the building, and call 911.
- Deny: If you cannot flee, move to an area that can be locked or barricaded, turn off lights, silence devices, spread out, and formulate a plan of attack if the shooter enters the room.
- Defend: As a last resort fight to defend yourself.
For more information, visit OU’s Emergency Preparedness site.
Shots Fired on Campus Procedure – Video
Fire Alarm/General Emergency
If you receive an OU Alert that there is danger inside or near the building, or the fire alarm inside the building activates:
- LEAVE the building. Do not use the elevators.
- KNOW at least two building exits
- ASSIST those that may need help
- PROCEED to the emergency assembly area
- ONCE safely outside, NOTIFY first responders of anyone that may still be inside building due to mobility issues.
- WAIT for official notice before attempting to re-enter the building.
Mental Health Support Services
If you are experiencing any mental health issues that are impacting your academic performance, counseling is available at the University Counseling Center (UCC). The Center is located on the second floor of the Goddard Health Center, at 620 Elm Rm. 201, Norman, OK 73019. To schedule an appointment call (405) 325-2911. For more information, please visit University Counseling Center.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|