Comprehensive Portfolio (High Incidence Program)

Comprehensive Portfolio Overview

The comprehensive exam is an exit requirement for all candidates in the special education programs (degree or non-degree seeking).

Beginning January 2024, the comprehensive exam requirement will be embedded in SPED 822, the final course in the program. Candidates who have already completed SPED 822 will complete the Comprehensive Portfolio (instructions included below) as their comprehensive exam requirement. 

You will begin building your portfolio at the beginning of your program (instructions included below), and will finalize and submit the completed portfolio towards the end of your program. The Comprehensive Portfolio can be submitted in the Spring and Fall semesters. The portfolio will be submitted online and will consist of the following 5 sections:

1. Knowledge of Students

2. Curriculum & Content

3. Instructional Practice

4. Leadership & Professionalism

5. Reflective Profile

Your Comprehensive Portfolio must demonstrate how you have met the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Initial Preparation Standards. The CEC standards are the national guiding principles for acquiring advanced endorsements in the field of special education. These standards serve as the Program Learning Outcomes for all candidates in the high incidence and gifted special education programs.

To begin preparing your Comprehensive Portfolio:

1. Read the overview for each section below.

2. Become familiar with the CEC standards linked above so that you will know how to address them in your portfolio.

3. Start gathering major completed assignments (artifacts) from courses as you complete them. See the suggested artifacts below, but you may use others if you feel they address the CEC standards. Save your selected artifacts immediately in your portfolio. Do not link artifacts from previous courses - make sure that you have revised and addressed any final feedback given to you on the assignment once it was graded. Then, save the clean, revised artifact as a pdf (if possible) and upload it to your comprehensive portfolio. Artifacts may only be used in one section. You cannot use the same artifact to address two different sections of the portfolio. Personal experience may also be used, but not as a primary artifact.

4. For sections 1-4, you will write a 1-2 page narrative reflection. The narrative must clearly connect your selected artifacts to the CEC standards for that section. Your narrative must demonstrate a broader perspective of your growth in this area, based on what you learned in the program.

5. Use person-first language (see Program Policies) in all narratives and in your reflective video.

Building Your Portfolio in Blackboard

You will use Blackboard Portfolio to create your SPED Program Comprehensive Portfolio. Use these Instructions to build your portfolio.

You can also watch this video for help in building your portfolio in Blackboard.

Signing up to Submit your Completed Comprehensive Portfolio

Toward the end of your program, you will need to decide when you will complete and submit your finalized comprehensive portfolio. 

Degree Seeking Candidates

If you are a degree seeking candidate, you must sign up for comprehensive exams, which is the Comprehensive Portfolio, through the Graduate School website at the beginning of the semester in which you plan to submit your portfolio. Be sure to monitor deadlines for signing up for comprehensive exams on that same website, and watch for emails from your advisor with due dates and steps for your final semester.

Non-Degree Seeking Candidates

If you are a non-degree seeking candidate (working only on your endorsement), you will sign up for comprehensive exams by emailing your advisor at the beginning of the semester in which you plan to submit your portfolio. Watch for emails from your advisor with due dates and steps for your final semester.

Peer Review Process

Prior to submitting your portfolio, you will engage in a peer-review process with others who are also submitting their comprehensive portfolios. The purpose of this process is to help ensure that your portfolio is ready for submission by verifying that each section is complete, all links work, and you are meeting the stated expectations. This also gives you a chance to network with colleagues in the program and to share your own accomplishments.

During the semester in which you plan to submit your portfolio - and after you have signed up (see instructions above), you will be assigned to a peer reviewer. Following the timeline provided by your advisor for the peer review process (watch for an email with instructions), you will share your portfolio with your peer, and they will share their portfolio with you. Using the Peer Review Form, you will review their portfolio, emailing them your feedback. They will review your portfolio and email you their completed Peer Review Form. You will then upload both forms (your completed review of your peer, their completed review of you) to Section 5 of your portfolio.

Section 1: Knowledge of Students

Overview

This section of your comprehensive portfolio must reflect evidence of your effectiveness in meeting CEC Standard 1: Learner Development & Individual Learner Differences and CEC Standard 2: Learning Environments. This will demonstrate that you are successful in promoting the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional growth for individuals with exceptionalities with whom you work.

Remember, begin selecting major assignments from your very first course that seem to appropriately fit this section. Once the class is over, make final revisions based on the final feedback you were given, and then immediately upload to save in your portfolio. Then, in the semester when you will finalize your portfolio, you can decide which artifacts best meet each section. Artifacts may only be used in one section. You cannot use the same artifact to address two different sections of the portfolio.

Instructions

• Select 2-5 artifacts that you feel demonstrates your success at meeting the identified CEC standards above.

• Write a 1-2 page narrative reflection to explain how each artifact represents that you have met the identified CEC standards above. Your narrative will be uploaded as the main text of this section in your portfolio, so you can be creative (selecting clip art, photos, images) as long as you write the narrative at an expected graduate level and cite your sources (including images) using APA formatting for citations/references. Please do not upload photos of students which would violate their privacy.

Suggested Artifacts

These suggested artifacts are just suggestions and are not expected as requirements. You must decide which major assignments you have completed in coursework best represent how you meet the identified CEC standards.

• SPED 801 Child Find Project

• SPED 802 Understanding Students with Exceptionalities

• SPED 804 Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan

• SPED 805 Portfolio Assignment

• SPED 810 Final Research Project

• SPED 860 (previously SPED 861) Transition Plan 

Section 2: Curriculum & Content

Overview

This section of your comprehensive portfolio must reflect evidence of your effectiveness in meeting CEC Standard 3: Curriculum Content Knowledge. This will demonstrate that you are successful in knowing and using general and specialized curricula to individualize and improve the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional outcomes of students with exceptionalities with whom you work.

Remember, begin selecting major assignments from your very first course that seem to appropriately fit this section. Once the class is over, make final revisions based on the final feedback you were given, and then immediately upload to save in your portfolio. Then, in the semester when you will finalize your portfolio, you can decide which artifacts best meet each section. Artifacts may only be used in one section. You cannot use the same artifact to address two different sections of the portfolio.

Instructions

• Select 2-5 artifacts that you feel demonstrates your success at meeting the identified CEC standards above.

• Write a 1-2 page narrative reflection to explain how each artifact represents that you have met the identified CEC standards above. Your narrative will be uploaded as the main text of this section in your portfolio, so you can be creative (selecting clip art, photos, images) as long as you write the narrative at an expected graduate level, and cite your sources (including images) using APA formatting for citations/references. Please do not upload photos of students which would violate their privacy.

Suggested Artifacts

These suggested artifacts are just suggestions and are not expected as requirements. You must decide which major assignments you have completed in coursework best represent how you meet the identified CEC standards.

• SPED 805 CBM, or Norm Reference, or Informal Assessment Testing

• SPED 805 Portfolio Assignment

• SPED 806 Instructional Plan

• SPED 810 Student Technology Paper

• SPED 810 Assistive Technology Research Project

• SPED 822 Case Study

• SPED 832 Reading Curricula Comparison 

Section 3: Instructional Practice

Overview

This section of your comprehensive portfolio must reflect evidence of your effectiveness in meeting CEC Standard 4: Assessment and CEC Standard 5: Instructional Planning & Strategies. This will demonstrate that you are successful in conducting research and evaluating and using evidence-based practices to improve the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional outcomes of students with exceptionalities with whom you work.

Remember, begin selecting major assignments from your very first course that seem to appropriately fit this section. Once the class is over, make final revisions based on the final feedback you were given, and then immediately upload to save in your portfolio. Then, in the semester when you will finalize your portfolio, you can decide which artifacts best meet each section. Artifacts may only be used in one section. You cannot use the same artifact to address two different sections of the portfolio.

Instructions

• Select 2-5 artifacts that you feel demonstrates your success at meeting the identified CEC standards above.

• Write a 1-2 page narrative reflection to explain how each artifact represents that you have met the identified CEC standards above. Your narrative will be uploaded as the main text of this section in your portfolio, so you can be creative (selecting clip art, photos, images) as long as you write the narrative at an expected graduate level, and cite your sources (including images) using APA formatting for citations/references. Please do not upload photos of students which would violate their privacy.

Suggested Artifacts

These suggested artifacts are just suggestions and are not expected as requirements. You must decide which major assignments you have completed in coursework best represent how you meet the identified CEC standards.

• SPED 804 Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan

• SPED 805 Portfolio Assignment

• SPED 806 Instructional Plan

• SPED 810 Student Technology Plan

• SPED 810 Assistive Technology Research Project

• SPED 822 Case Study 

Section 4: Leadership & Professionalism

Overview

This section of your comprehensive portfolio must reflect evidence of your effectiveness in meeting CEC Standard 6: Professional Learning & Ethical Practice and CEC Standard 7: Collaboration. This will demonstrate your effectiveness in communicating and collaborating with colleagues, parents, and community members and that you are successful in demonstrating your knowledge and skills in exhibiting leadership (in your school, in external organizations) and professionalism to improve academic, behavioral, and social/emotional outcomes of students with exceptionalities with who you work.

Remember, begin selecting major assignments from your very first course that seem to appropriately fit this section. Once the class is over, make final revisions based on the final feedback you were given, and then immediately upload to save in your portfolio. Then, in the semester when you will finalize your portfolio, you can decide which artifacts best meet each section. Artifacts may only be used in one section. You cannot use the same artifact to address two different sections of the portfolio.

Instructions

• Select 2-5 artifacts that you feel demonstrates your success at meeting the identified CEC standards above.

• Write a 1-2 page narrative reflection to explain how each artifact represents that you have met the identified CEC standards above. Your narrative will be uploaded as the main text of this section in your portfolio, so you can be creative (selecting clip art, photos, images) as long as you write the narrative at an expected graduate level, and cite your sources (including images) using APA formatting for citations/references. Please do not upload photos of students which would violate their privacy.

Suggested Artifacts

These suggested artifacts are just suggestions and are not expected as requirements. You must decide which major assignments you have completed in coursework best represent how you meet the identified CEC standards.

• SPED 801 Changes in Education

• SPED 801 Comparison Concept Map

• SPED 802 Roles of Special Education

• SPED 810 Final Project Option #6

• SPED 822 Ethics Assignment

• SPED 867 Parent Partnership Poster 

Section 5: Reflective Profile

Overview

This section of your comprehensive portfolio must demonstrate your ability to critically reflect on your growth and development as a special education specialist. In this section, you are required to develop and submit the following:

1. Teaching Philosophy: A teaching philosophy is a reflective piece about your beliefs related to teaching and learning. For this section, you are required to explain your beliefs about teaching students with exceptionalities. Your teaching philosophy needs to be 1-2 pages in length, double spaced, and in correct APA 7 format. 

2. Professional resume: Design a professional resume to reflect your background, qualifications, skills, and accomplishments.

3. Future Contact Information: Include in your portfolio contact information for how we can reach you in the near future (other than through your FHSU email). Please provide for us: (1) email other than FHSU, and (2) mailing address with zipcode.

4. Demographic Information about yourself: For our accreditation processes, we need to collect some demographic information. If you are willing, please let us know your (1) gender and (2) race/ethnicity.

5. Complete Dispositions Self-Assessment:  Complete the SPED Program Dispositions survey, reflecting on your own dispositions as you end the program. When the survey ends, print the page that shows you have completed the survey, and upload this document to your portfolio.

6. Video Critical Reflection: Create your video using VidGrid. Record your responses to the 3 prompts below in an 8-15 minute video. Please note: we will only watch 15 minutes so say what you need to say in 15 minutes or less. 

• Reflect on preconceived ideas and assumptions - the belief system you held at the beginning of the program about working with students with exceptionalities.

• Analyze how those assumptions and beliefs have been transformed. What happened to challenge those beliefs and assumptions? What changed? Discuss CEC standards and how accomplishing them helped transform your beliefs.

• Project forward new ideas and directions. What changes have you made/will you make based on what you have learned from this program and why? 

7. Peer Review: Submit 2 forms for this section. The first is your review of your peer’s work. The second is the form you receive as feedback from your peer.