Inclusive Education Programs
- Early Childhood, birth-grade 2
- Childhood, grades 1-6
- Adolescence, grades 7-12
Programs of study:
Initial Certification - for students with no prior teacher certification
who seek to obtain their initial teaching certification. The Inclusive Education
Programs lead to two certificates simultaneously: (1) at the early childhood,
childhood, or adolescence developmental level; and (2) teaching students with
disabilities at the early childhood, childhood, or adolescence developmental
level. (see below)
Additional Certification, Same Developmental Level - for students who
currently hold a general education certification at a specific developmental
level and seek to obtain an additional teaching certificate at the same
developmental level for teaching students with disabilities. (see separate
program description)
Additional Certification, Changing Developmental Levels - for students
who currently hold a teaching certificate at one developmental level and seek to
obtain a general education certificate and a teaching students with disabilities
certificate at another developmental level. (see separate program description)
Professional Certification - for students who currently hold teaching
certificates in both Childhood Education and Teaching Students with Disabilities
at the Childhood-level, and seek to obtain professional teaching certificates at
this developmental level. (see separate program description)
Extension and Annotation options are available.
Please see Annotations and Extensions for further information.
Program Philosophy
The Inclusive Education Programs are committed to the preparation of teachers
for all students. We believe that educators can no longer choose to be prepared
to teach only some of our students. Increasing numbers of students with
disabilities are maintaining or regaining access to general education
classrooms, curricula, and statewide assessments. Our programs are designed to
provide systematic teacher preparation for the challenges and opportunities of
today’s diverse classrooms.
Faculty members share an understanding that inclusion reflects, at both the
state and national level as well as within the programs, a shift in philosophy
from earlier models of schooling. We believe that the inclusive classroom is the
best environment for all learners. Inclusion benefits children and teachers
because it mirrors society and encourages learners and teachers to operate from
points of strength, not deficit. In these programs the concepts of diversity and
inclusivity encompass the following areas: cultural/ethnic, linguistic, social
class, learning style and “intelligence/s,” gender, and exceptionalities
(including both students who are gifted and talented and students who have
disabilities). With this as a guiding vision, the following mission statement
frames the programs:
The Inclusive Education Programs seek to prepare teachers who affirm the
membership of all students within increasingly diverse classrooms and who are
skilled at utilizing learning theory and strategies to address the range of
needs of all learners.
The programs prepare educators with:
- the knowledge base necessary to teach in inclusive settings;
- the disposition to value the range of learners in inclusive settings while
striving to meet all learner needs;
- and the skills to implement evolving professional practices based on
current theory and research.
Program Directors
Inclusive Education Programs
Leigh O’Brien, D.Ed.
Inclusive Education Programs, Early Childhood
Kathleen DaBoll-Lavoie, Ph.D.
Inclusive Education Programs, Childhood
James Black, Ph.D.
Inclusive Education Programs, Adolescence
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