Special Education Strategies to Improve P-16 Teaching and Learning

· Our Masters program in Special Education is designed to assure professional development as part of the degree program for practicing teachers. In 2002-2003, about 35 teachers enrolled in coursework.

· Rebecca Cook has developed and implemented a supplementary on-line mentoring program to Eastern Special Education majors in their first through fourth year of teaching. The program is called TIPS: Technology Based Induction Process Support. Approximately 25 teachers are involved.

· Kathlene Shank presented in Fall 2002 on certification to the State Directors of Special Education. There were about 100 participants in each of these presentations.

· The Department of Special Education has an on-going partnership with Sangamon Area of Special Education. This partnership involves provision of the Special Education approved Standard Special Option and post-baccalaureate certification coursework on-site in Springfield, Illinois. In 2002-2003, there were 22 students enrolled in the provided coursework.

· In Spring 2002 a partnership was reinitiated with Wabash Ohio Valley Special Education Cooperative. In Summer 2002, 50 files of individuals interested in beginning coursework to earn certification Fall 2002 were reviewed; 18 students continue to be enrolled in this project: Project 30.

· A new partnership with LaSalle Area Special Education Cooperative was initiated Spring 2002. This partnership will offer coursework to post-baccalaureate certified regular classroom teachers who wish to also be certified in Special Education Fall 2002, Spring 2003 and Summer 2003. 12-15 teachers enrolled in each of the courses offered.

· Janice King, as instructor of one of our initial Special Education courses, piloted use of “Live Text,” an electronic portfolio, Fall 2002 and Spring 2003. The pilot was designed to see if “Live Text” would be helpful in enhancement of student learning and as a department assessment strategy.

· Linda Kirby serves on the Charleston Community Unit Technology Committee. The goal of this committee is to enhance student learning through technology. Learners across the Charleston District are affected.

· Rebecca Cook was the outside evaluator of community based mentoring programs in the Effingham schools.

· Joy Russell chairs the State of Illinois LBS I Design Team to develop training to remove limitation on LBS certificates.

· Melissa Jones provided the following workshops in 2002-2003: “Just Like Us” disability awareness presentation at the Fall Regional Institute Day; “Reading Fun for Everyone” workshop presented at the Illinois Reading Association Conference in Springfield, IL; and “Adaptations: Low and High Tech” inservice for Cumberland Unit #77 Teachers.

· Joy Russell presented inservices to the following across 2002-2003: Strategies for Success, Lake Land; No Child Left Behind, New Leaders Program, EIU; Initial to Standard Certification, Local Association Presidents & Local LPDC Chairs; Accommodations/Modifications in General Education Settings for Students with Disabilities, Stewardson-Strasburg School District; No Child Left Behind, Martinsville School District; and Higher Order Thinking Skills Okaw-Valley School District.

· Rebecca Cook serves on the Child Care Resource and Referral Committee

· Christy Hooser conducted an inservice on adapting curriculum for student with disabilities for three rural school districts in Bethany, IL January 2003.

· Georgia Burtard gave a presentation at the ROE 2003 Teacher’s Institute: Teachers and Paraprofessionals: Working Together to Improve Student Outcomes (K-12)

· Georgia Burtard serves on the Board of Directors of the Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Service.

· Mark Brown presented on: Using laptime activities to facilitate learning in preschoolers with delays at the Tazewell-Mason Counties Special Education Association, Pekin, IL.