“Special education degree, endorsement available online” plus 1 more

Special education degree, endorsement available online

Posted: 17 Jan 2011 07:01 PM PST

After babysitting a child with Down syndrome, postgraduate student Vy Nguyen was inspired to become a special education teacher.

"They're constantly overlooked," she said. "They're constantly held at lower expectations, so they don't achieve as much as they can."

More students now have access to special education degrees and endorsements because of a new online program offered at MSU.

The university now offers a Master of Arts in Special Education online. Students can earn endorsements in either learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorders, or ASDs, the most widely available positions in the area of special education, said Cindy Okolo, professor and faculty coordinator of the special education master's program.

The degree program allows students either to earn their master's degree, just an endorsement or both, she said.

"There's been a really substantial increase in number of kids diagnosed (with) ASDs," Okolo said.

"Learning disabilities is a high-demand area. In many places when we look at special education, learning disabilities is their largest category of kids who need special services."

The Deaf Education Program recently was cut to reduce budget expenses, Okolo said.

The stronger need for teachers with specializations in learning disabilities might have influenced the learning disabilities program's survival, she said.

Whereas students with hearing disabilities are becoming integrated into general education, students with autism are becoming more
prevalent, which might have influenced the decision to
end the deaf education program, said Lisa Plascencia, special education instructor and counselor.

Although students currently are taking online courses in the program, the endorsement in ASDs still is pending state approval.

Plascencia said she is "99 percent sure that it will go through."
An endorsement in ASDs would be beneficial for many teachers, even those without degrees in special education, Nguyen said.

"Even being a general education teacher, you're going to have an autism kid," she said. "No one's ever going to be able to avoid it."

Offering the program online enables students who are teaching full-time to take these classes and earn their master's degree or an endorsement in their spare time, Okolo said.

"These are courses taken mostly by full-time teachers," she said.
"They're in their class every day — it's hard to work full time in a very demanding job and to come to campus at night."

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St. Philip’s offers new online degree

Posted: 16 Jan 2011 11:42 PM PST

St. Philip's College is enrolling students in a new online associate's degree program in early childhood studies.

Established in 2001, the early childhood and family studies program is one of the college's 10 most popular majors, program director Pamela Ray said. In 2008, the program began offering additional specializations in language and literacy as well as leadership accreditation, she said.

Graduates seek jobs in the early care and education professions, or transfer to a four-year institution for a bachelor's degree in early childhood education.

"Professionalism in early childhood education is very important in strengthening our image as educators of young children," Ray said in statement.

For more information, call 210-486-2654 or go topray2@alamo.edu

Online Education

Monday, January 17, 2011