Managing the Environment for Students with Disabilities

Course Description

This course prepares the special educator to manage learning environments and student behaviors in the special education classroom as well as the inclusive classroom setting. This includes focusing on the theoretical foundations of classroom management and providing a physical, emotional, and social environment that is safe, supportive, and conducive to learning. This course emphasizes positive behavior interventions and supports, or PBIS, is an umbrella term that refers to a wide array of individual and systemic strategies to teach and strengthen appropriate behavior and to reduce challenging behavior. Abundant research supports the effectiveness of these techniques with all types and ages of students in all types of situations. For the most part, these techniques are relatively easy to use, mesh seamlessly with instruction, can be used with minimal training, and can be expected to produce desirable outcomes when used correctly.

Textbook

Scheuermann, B., & Hall, J. A. (2016). Positive behavioral supports for the classroom (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

Course Objectives

1. Recognize models that explain challenging behavior.

2. Evaluate positive behavior interventions and supports.

3. Describe rules and procedures to prevent challenging behavior.

4. Recommend effective use of scheduling, climate, and classroom planning and organization to prevent challenging behavior.

5. Explain high-quality instruction to prevent challenging behavior.

6. Describe behavioral monitoring to prevent challenging behavior.

7. Justify reasons to implement functional assessment.

8. Summarize how to effectively implement social skills instruction.

9. Explain how to effectively prevent challenging behavior through reinforcement strategies.