This certificate prepares educators to be leaders in Inclusive and Special Education in their schools and districts by humanizing students with dis/abilities and the systems designed to support them, by gaining valuable knowledge about legal, historical and social precedents in special education, and by expanding their instructional toolkit. 

You will examine federal, state and local policies and will also learn practical strategies you can use to plan instruction and to support students in general education and intervention settings. Each course will draw upon culturally and linguistically appropriate practices that attend to the needs and strengths of all students, with an emphasis on creating equitable learning environments. Course content and assignments consider dis/ability to be one of multiple identities that makes each of us human, rather than a defect or problem in need of a cure. We use the term dis/ability, choosing purposefully to place a slash between dis and ability.

At the end of this certificate, you should:

  • build an understanding of the historical, political and social influences on the education of students with dis/abilities;
  • plan for and engage with creative, flexible and supportive inclusive learning environments for students with and without dis/abilities; and
  • learn instructional strategies for including students with learning dis/abilities and those with a range of learning strengths and challenges in curriculum and school structures.

We strongly encourage students to take the core courses in sequence.

Course Descriptions

Asynchronous Subject Courses (2 Credits Each)

Build understanding of the historical, political and social influences on the education of students with dis/abilities. You will explore culturally sustaining multi-tiered systems of support and special education identification practices.

Plan for and engage with creative, flexible and supportive inclusive learning environments for students with and without dis/abilities. You will learn about a variety of program options and service delivery models, explore universal design for learning and leverage relationships with colleagues and families to provide equitable learning opportunities.

Learn instructional strategies for including students with learning dis/abilities and those with a range of learning strengths and challenges in curriculum and school structures. This course will also address issues related to the intersections of race, culture, language and dis/ability.

Synchronous Capstone Course (4 Credits)

Synthesize understanding and prepare for application of ideas from previous courses. Develop leadership skills in inclusive and special education by applying learning in a self-selected and designed advocacy project.