SPED 438 Collaborating with Families

Department of Special Education

Summer 2013

July 8 – August 1

MTWR 9:00am-11:50am

 Course Description

This course examines the impact of disabilities on families of individuals with special needs and explores strategies for establishing a partnership with families and accomplishing family-centered interventions. A family systems perspective will be introduced and applied to understanding families of all children, including infants and toddlers, adolescents, and adults with special needs. In particular, this course requires that students reflect on their own experiences and family members, that they challenge their assumptions about families of individuals with special needs, and that they actively practice strategies that take the perspective of families of individuals with special needs and understand forming positive relationships with families. Understanding diversity in values, beliefs, and traditions will be emphasized in the course.