SDSU

Department Mission

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Principles Guiding the Department's Mission

The primary objective of the Department of Special Education is to train highly motivated, qualified and competent special education professionals and teachers with the knowledge and experience to employ effective evidence-based practice and research in their work with youth with disabilities and who are gifted and talented.

The Department of Special Education is committed to,

• acquiring and expanding the resources necessary to recruit and support qualified candidates through the duration of their program enrollment and completion of a program of study;
• acquiring and expanding resources and services that will support students for a period of time following the completion of their program of study;
• ongoing program development and improvement based on an evaluation of the performance of program completers and the satisfaction of key stakeholders with program design and implementation;
• program improvement and expansion to meet identified needs of schools, local educational agencies, long distance program candidates, and learners with disabilities and who are gifted and talented;
• support and collaboration among department faculty focused on producing significant contributions to teaching, research, and service to the community specific to its mission;
• contributing to local and state initiatives and activities focused on improving and expanding educational services, supports and resources for learners with disabilities and who are gifted and talented and their families;
• support of leadership and collaboration by faculty with key educational, community, local, state and federal agencies serving youth with disabilities and who are gifted and talented; and,
• collaboration with and outreach to special education teachers and professionals, learners with disabilities and their families, the disability community, and local education agencies.

The Department of Special Education is dedicated and committed to the professional preparation of teachers and professionals who work with youth with disabilities and who are gifted and talented with the knowledge and experience to effectively demonstrate.

• cultural competence and proficiency to work effectively with and on behalf of youth and families from culturally, linguistically and other diverse populations;
• a commitment to social justice and equality that includes effective advocacy in concert with and on behalf of youth with disabilities and who are gifted and talented and their families;
• collaboration with general education teachers to promote full inclusion and access to the general education curriculum and all educational and school activities and services;
• the use and application of innovative information and computer technologies for the professional practice and development;
• a commitment to life-long learning that includes critical thinking and reasoning skills and the ability to consume and produce evidence-based research;
• the application of innovative technologies that employ the principles of universal design to promote and support increased access and opportunities for learning and navigating a variety of environments by persons with diverse abilities;
• the ability to organize communities of practice through collaboration with families and representatives from educational and community, schools, businesses, community organizations, and other private and public local, state and federal agencies;
• and implement the activities required to support and improve the quality of life and the successful achievement of postsecondary transition outcomes that facilitate movement from school to adult life for all youth with disabilities and youth who are gifted and talented;
• the professional competencies and standards established for their profession and specific area of specialization established by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the Council for Exceptional Children and other appropriate accreditation and certification entities;
• the application of family-centered practices that promote and support family involvement, preferences and interests in the education of their child;
• an ongoing commitment to professional and educator identity development;
• the leadership, character, ethical values, disposition and integrity required to be an effective teacher;
• a commitment to promote and support the development of character, ethical values and integrity among all youth including youth with disabilities and who are gifted and talented;
• cultural competency and knowledge of disability and deaf culture and history, the contributions of persons with disabilities to their own advancement and the perspectives of persons with disabilities and who are gifted and talented about their own experience;
• the skills required to promote effective collaboration with local educational agencies, community organizations, and state agencies; and,
• effective leadership and contributions within educational agencies and communities and the field of special education.

Core strands in SPED