Early Childhood Special Education.

The concentration in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is geared towards providing graduate students with the knowledge and skills to become practitioners in the field of early intervention and early childhood special education. Graduates will be able to provide developmental and educational services to children from birth to eight years of age with severe and multiple disabilities, including young children with autism and related developmental disorders. A "theory into practice" teaching model is utilized where the latest concepts related to developmentally and age appropriate practices are applied and evaluated in natural and inclusive settings. A multicultural, 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." This program also meets all the coursework requirements for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) under the 5th Task List, thus, students who complete the program of study will be eligible to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA).

The Master’s concentration in ECSE can be pursued through one of three options, each involving a minimum of 36 semester hours:

• Option 1. This option involves completion of 9 courses plus 3 practical experiences leading to the M.Ed. degree and can be completed in 12 months of full-time study.  
• Option 2. This option (M.Ed. with Report option) is identical to Option 1 but the student may complete a research report that will consist of a systematic review of the literature pertaining to a topic of interest. Option 2 will be available contingent on the availability of a supervising faculty member. 
• Option 3. Students who select Option 3 will pursue a research-based Master of Arts (M.A.) degree including courses, practical experiences, and a research thesis. In most cases, the thesis research will involve an applied intervention study. The M.A. option is intended to provide advanced training in applied intervention research. Option 3 will be available contingent on the availability of a supervising faculty member. 

Components of the two respective degree plans are as follows:

Coursework

A minimum of 36 hours of course work is required for the M.Ed. in ECSE. Required coursework for each program track is as follows: 

Description of Courses

Note: Courses marked with ** are approved as part of our BACB course sequence under the 5th Task List.

SED 388: Theoretical Framework in Applied Behavior Analysis (Fall) **

This is an initial course in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and will introduce students to the history and basic concepts behind the science of behavior analysis. Students will learn the assumptions underlying behavior analysis, and how to distinguish among different branches of ABA. This course will cover how behavior is defined and measured, and provide detailed information on reinforcement and punishment procedures. Students will learn how to manipulate the environment to promote learning, both before behavior and after behavior occurs to make it more or less likely to occur in the future. Applications for these processes will be explored through examining the current body of research.

SED 384: Overview of Early Childhood Special Education (Fall)

This course introduces students to the fields of early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE). The course provides students with an overview of the history, theoretical basis and influential philosophies, legal foundations, and service delivery models of EI and ECSE. Students will be introduced to current research on the best practices for early intervention and special education preschool classrooms on a variety of topics including setting up the environment, language, social emotional development, play, and pre-academic skills. Practical and ethical issues related to service delivery will also be explored. 

SED 384: Instruction and Intervention in ECSE (Fall)**
This course covers assessment and instructional strategies for educating young children with autism and related developmental disabilities. Emphasis is given to developing instructional objectives, and using specific response prompting procedures to create effective learning programs that address the many educational and related needs of young children with developmental disabilities. This course also focuses on the implementation and evaluation of instructional procedures for teaching target behaviors across a range of developmental domains. In addition to describing effective teaching procedures, students will develop an understanding of the basic principles of learning that underlie these strategies and learn how to structure the environment to promote learning.

SED 388 Practicum in SED - Professional and Ethical Practices (Fall)**

This course will provide students with supervised exposure to working with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Students will gain experience in a classroom, clinic, and/or home-based setting that serves this population. The primary focus of this course will be to learn and reflect on professional and ethical practices in working with students with disabilities, as set forth by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB). Students will implement these standards with individuals with disabilities across assessment and instructional practices. As students will be working with individuals and their families, cultural and linguistic diversity will be addressed as a critical part of professional practice. 

SED 380: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Special Education (Spring)

The course provides an overview of issues and emerging practices surrounding the education and transition of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in special education. The goal is to provide an understanding of the history and significant events that have impeded or promoted the acceptance of diversity within the educational system. Students will also learn key concepts related to interpersonal and inter-group communication in culturally diverse settings, and explore the role of culture and language in their ability to communicate effectively with students and families from CLD backgrounds. Implications will be drawn for culturally and linguistically responsive practices in assessment, intervention, home-school collaboration, and transition.

SED 384: Families in Early Childhood Special Education (Spring)

This course introduces students to family-centered practices and parent-mediated interventions in early childhood special education contexts. The course provides the history, theoretical basis and philosophy, legal foundations related to working with families in ECSE. Students will explore issues related to cultural and linguistic diversity, and service delivery models of working with this population. In addition, students will be introduced to current research as well as practical and ethical issues related to the field of early childhood special education.

SED 384: Communication Intervention (Spring)

This course introduces students to issues of communication intervention as they relate to the field of early childhood special education (birth to eight years). The course provides an overview of typical language development, as well as characteristics for young children with primary and secondary developmental language disorders. Students will also get an overview of relevant theories of language development, and current language development and language intervention research in the fields of special education, speech and language pathology, and developmental psychology. This course will explore structured and naturalistic aspects of assessment and intervention practices for young children with complex communication needs.

SED 384: Advanced Practicum in Early Childhood Special Education (Spring)**

Assessment is a key component of any behavioral or educational program. It is also a critical part in determining the function of any challenging behaviors, the skill level of the student, and in writing goals for that student. This course explores various assessment procedures related to behavior and current skills, as well as strategies for on-going progress monitoring and evaluation of intervention effectiveness. Students will learn how to implement a variety of assessments appropriate for young children with disabilities in an early childhood education context. As assessment is directly tied to programming, this course will also focus on linking assessment to intervention, in order to set up successful, data-driven programs for young learners.

SED 388: Practicum in SED - Professional Development in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online; Summer)**

Through continued supervised work in practicum sites, this course will explore aspects related to becoming a professional behavior analyst. Students will discuss and practice key skills such as leadership, interpersonal communication, assertiveness, conflict resolution, and critical thinking, among others. This course will allow students opportunities to apply these skills to a variety of advanced contexts such as parent training and supervising others. Students will learn how to manage a case from start to finish, including setting up a case, creating programs, dealing with insurance, training team members, supervising team members, and evaluating progress of both the programs and staff implementation of those programs.

SED 396R: Single-Subject Research Design (Online; Summer)**

This is an initial course in the use of single-subject research methodology within special education. Single-subject research designs are empirical designs rooted in the field of applied behavior analysis and are regularly used in the study of individuals with low incidence disabilities, although the methods are also appropriate for the study of other populations. This class will provide a detailed study of the characteristics of single-subject research, the use of single-subject designs within educational settings, and of single-subject research designs. The role of single-subject research in the move toward evidence-based practice in educating students with special needs will also be discussed.

SED 386: Foundations of Positive Behavior Support and Classroom Management (Online; Summer)**

This course provides students with an understanding of the basic principles of human behavior and how these are applied in group and school settings. Students will develop a foundational knowledge of Positive Behavior Supports, including both early childhood and school-age models. These will serve as the basis for further exploration into effective classroom management procedures that support students with and without disabilities. Students will learn to effectively assess and evaluate behavior within a classroom context, and write successful behavior intervention plans to manage identified target behaviors. 

SED 388 Advanced Concepts in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online; Summer)**

In this course, students will explore more advanced concepts and applications of basic behavior principles for teaching new behaviors and decreasing unwanted behaviors. The course will explore histories of reinforcement and how this affects current behavior through stimulus control. Students will learn about various schedules of reinforcement and how these can be implemented in order to reach behavioral goals. This course will cover additional content on motivating operations, verbal behavior, extinction, and rule-governed behavior. Students will learn instructional strategies based on the principles of behavior that can be used to increase learning outcomes and promote generalization and maintenance of those outcomes in the natural environment.

Post-baccalaureate Texas Teacher Certification 

Students may pursue teacher certification in Texas, but this requires an additional semester (Fall) of coursework and a semester (Spring) of student teaching experience. Spots in the post-baccalaureate teacher certification program are limited and not guaranteed. Students interested in completing the post-baccalaureate teacher certification should contact the Certification Officer:

            Dr. Kathryn Klinger Tackett • SZB 440J • 512-475-6566

            e-mail: katietackett@austin.utexas.edu

Concentration Area Point of Contact

For more specific information about the Early Childhood Special Education area contact Area Co-Coordinators: Dr. Micheal Sandbank at msandbank@austin.utexas.edu or Dr. Laura Rojeski at lrojeski@utexas.edu.

BCBA Certification

The program in Early Childhood Special Education includes BACB-approved coursework that meets the requirements under the 5th Task List. Students who complete this program of work will take all necessary coursework for the BCBA exam. The practicum courses will allow students to begin accruing supervised experience hours also required to take the exam.

For students who may wish to explore licensing in other states, please note that our course sequence is in line with Texas licensing: https://www.bacb.com/u-s-licensure-of-behavior-analysts/

For questions regarding Board Certified Behavior Analyst certification, contact:

Dr. Laura Rojeski • SZB 532G • 475-6585• e-mail: lrojeski@utexas.edu

More information is available from the Board’s website, at http://www.bacb.com