This course provides an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Participants will review the purpose of IDEA and the definition of all of the disabilities categories defined in the law. Additional information will be provided on some of the more common disabilities special education staff may encounter including autism, speech or language impairment, emotional disturbance, other health impairment, specific learning disability, multiple disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. Lastly, basic strategies will be introduced that can be utilized across disability categories. (60 minutes)

Module 1 - Introduction to IDEA:
1. Explain the purpose of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how students can qualify for special education.

Module 2 - Emotional Disability, Intellectual Disability, and Other Health Impairments:
1. Describe the characteristics of Emotional Disability, Intellectual Disability, and Other Health Impairments
2. Describe the educational challenges and needs associated with each disability.

Module 3 - Specific Learning Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Speech and Language Impairment, and Multiple Disabilities:
1. Describe the characteristics of Specific Learning Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Speech and Language Impairment, and Multiple Disabilities
2. Describe the educational challenges and needs associated with each disability

Module 4 - Effective Teaching Strategies for Students with Disabilities:
1. Describe strategies for building rapport,communicating effectively, providing reinforcement, and behavioral supports.
2. List and describe commonly used proactive/antecedent based interventions, characteristics of “good teams”, 3 types of group contingencies, the benefits of self-monitoring, goal setting, and reinforcement and characteristics of effective instruction.