Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Undergraduate Degree & Program Information
Kaitlin Lindsey
Academic Advising Coordinator
k.lindsey@utah.edu
801-581-4764
Breda O'Keeffe
Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator
breda.okeeffe@utah.edu
801-585-1817
Graduates will be prepared to work with students who have high-incidence disabilities, such as learning disabilities (e.g., reading, writing, math), mild/moderate intellectual disabilities, behavioral and emotional disabilities, and communication disorders. Graduates teach evidence-based academic and behavioral strategies to students in grades K-12 in a continuum of settings.
Mild/Moderate students are encouraged to complete the ESL Endorsement.
Licensure
The Utah State Board of Education grants teaching licenses. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are recommended for licensure. The program requires completion of the teacher education core in special education and a sequence of specialization courses in the mild/moderate disabilities field of study. The teacher education core has been designed to provide the student with skills in essential areas of assessment, instructional design and management, behavior management, collaboration, curriculum, and legal issues in special education.
Specialization courses expand upon the skills and methods that have been introduced through the teacher education core. The courses introduce specific educational strategies that are effective for particular student populations. Each program has been structured to develop the required skills through hands-on, practical learning opportunities; therefore, the program provides multiple field-based experiences. Such experiences within the program area gives students the opportunity to observe, question, test, and modify different instructional techniques under the guidance of a trained cooperating teacher and department faculty.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, Teacher License Requirements, Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT), Foundations of Reading Test (Pearson), and successful completion of background check, students are recommended for licensure to the Utah State Board of Education. Graduates may then opt to complete additional requirements for a master’s degree.
ESL Endorsement
Upon completion of ESL courses, students seeking an ESL Endorsement must take the English to Speakers of Other Languages Praxis Test #5362 in order to receive the Endorsement from the State.