September 24, 2007

Teacher Preparation Programs for educating disabled children are closing faster than they are opening, but the state-wide need for special education teachers continues to increase. This year, Alliant’s Graduate School of Education (GSOE) has implemented a credential program for teachers of students with mild to moderate disabilities, preparing interns to enter their special education classrooms with a full arsenal of knowledge  and best practices .

Last Spring GSOE Assistant Dean and System-wide Program Director for Teacher Education Dr. Trudy Day, Assistant Professor Irving Leung and consultant Dave Gilbertson developed the program, according to the standards put forth by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

“We were reviewing the need and capacity for more programs,” said Dr. Day. “Special needs students are approximately 12-15% of the population. It was a portion we were not serving directly. This program expands our services to our ultimate clients, k-12 students.”

Students take a full course load for three consecutive month-long semesters, completing the program in 1.5 years. The first class began this fall, with 27 students, at an off-site location in Hayward, which accommodates many of the students who are currently interns in k-12 resource specialist programs in the East and South Bay.

Irving Leung, Director of the Program, taught the first semester. He is responsible for establishing and managing the pedagogy for the special education Interns throughout their training. Dr. Nina Ghiselli, Director of Disability Services at Alliant International University, will teach the second session class, which begins Monday, September 24th. The final session will be taught by adjunct faculty member Jim Mitchell.

Dr. Ghiselli, who has a language-based learning disability, is a professional advocate for students with disabilities, working at Alliant with students who have a variety of disabilities including deafness, blindness and ADHD. She also teaches parents how to get the services needed to give students full access to the curriculum.

“If my teachers had taken this course, it would have been much better for me in school,” said Ghiselli, who has a learning disability and stutters. “This program gives students a better understanding of non-apparent disabilities beyond a text book understanding. They will develop empathy for the cognitive process.”

GSOE plans to grow the program to include classes in San Diego and Sacramento

“This program is a natural component of teaching education,” said Dr. Day. “At Alliant all schools incorporate psychology, partnering with the concepts of CSPP, which helps us understand the needs of students.  That is a natural part of what we are doing.”