Learning and Behavior Specialist I (LBS-I) Undergraduate

UNDERGRADUATE

LBS-I Philosophy        LBS-I Requirements        LBS-I Course Sequence      

Philosophy

The Learning & Behavior Specialist I Program (LBS-I) at the University of Illinois is a field-based professional preparation program designed to prepare teacher candidates to work with individuals with varying disabilities including: learning disabilities, social or emotional disorders, cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities and other health impairments, autism and traumatic brain injury. Candidates are prepared to work with students from kindergarten through age 21 in a range of settings.

The LBS-I Program is based on the belief that teachers must maximize opportunities for all students to learn and succeed in all settings. Central to the program's philosophy is the concept of inclusion of individuals with disabilities in educational, community, employment, and residential settings and the provision of appropriate supports and assistance to be successful academically and socially in those environments. At the core of the LBS-I program are a number of theoretical and applied concepts:

Inclusion in Educational, Community, Employment, and Residential Settings

Candidates must advocate and facilitate inclusion into educational, community, residential, and employment settings. This program incorporates a commitment to inclusion through the selection of practicum sites, implementation of program activities, design of course and practicum assignments, and development of standards that reflect opportunities for positive interactions between children and youth with disabilities and their typical peers.

Emphasis on Behavioral Principles

Behavioral principles describe the relationship between behavior and environmental events that influence behavior. This program embraces the belief that all students can learn and that behavioral learning principles provide educators with strategies that facilitate productive outcomes for all students.

Individualized curricula promoting high expectations

This program emphasizes the development of challenging, culturally sensitive, and individualized curricula that can be implemented in general education settings. High expectations are promoted for all students with disabilities and with significant emphasis on access to the general education curriculum.

Positive behavioral support for individuals with challenging behavior

This program promotes the use of functional assessment and the development of positive behavioral support plans that reflect the respect and dignity that should be accorded all persons. This approach calls for use of strategies that are educative in nature and that serve to enhance quality of life by increasing the opportunities and choices available to persons with challenging behavior.

Curriculum and performance-based assessment

To determine directions for instruction, this program emphasizes the use of performance-based and authentic assessment to assure that students acquire skills necessary for achieving productive outcomes.

Cultural Diversity

Candidates are prepared for the demands of a diverse society by creating environments that are culturally supportive and appropriate for all children.

Collaboration and teaming

With the move to inclusive education, special educators must be able to work collaboratively with general educators, support personnel, administrators and other service providers. This program embraces the belief that professionals must share expertise in designing and implementing cohesive student programs.

Partnerships with parents, families and guardians

Whether a student is at the beginning or end of his public school education or is involved in post-school programs, parents or guardians are more constant factors in the student's life than teachers. Therefore, this program will emphasize the need for close partnerships between parents and professionals.

This program focuses on building teacher competencies across a number of areas including: foundations, characteristics, assessment, instructional planning and delivery, managing the learning environment, collaborative relationships, professional conduct and leadership, and reflection and professional growth. The preparation program is designed to be experimental and experiential in its approach; teaching skills and competencies delineated in this document are subject to continuous evaluation and re-evaluation. The field-based practices that are an integral part of the program, provide opportunities in multiple contexts for teacher candidates to apply and practice skills and knowledge important to teaching individuals with disabilities. Faculty in the LBS-I Program are committed to ensuring that teacher candidates are prepared to be strong advocates for students with disabilities, dynamic change agents of their school communities, and leaders in the field of special education.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Requirements

The three-year curriculum is designed to prepare individuals to teach students with learning and behavior problems ages 5-21.  To allow completion of degree requirements within three years, applicants must have learned 30 hours and must have fulfilled all or most of the following general education requirements identified for the first year of study prior to enrollment.  Admission is made by formal application during the spring semester of the freshman year.  A Program of Studies form is included in Appendix A so that teacher candidates and their academic advisors can record the advisement process.

General Education Requirements

All courses must be selected from the campus general education approved course list (http://courses.uiuc.edu/cis/gened/urbana/).

 

HOURS	GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
4-6 0-3 1 4-10 Hours	COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Composition I Advance Coposition EDUC 101 Total Communication Skills Requirements
3 6 9 Hours	NATURAL SCIENCES/TECHNOLOGY: MCB 103-Introduction to Human Physiology Life and/or Physical Sciences Total Natural Sciences/Technology Requirements
3-4 3 6-7 Hours	QUANTITATIVE REASONING: MATH 103-Theory of Arithmetic (or other course satisfying Quantitative Reasoning I) Elective (selected from either the Quantitative Reasoning I or Quantitative Reasoning II) Total Quantitative Reasoning Requirements
3 6 9 Hours	HUMANITIES/ARTS (at least one 3-semester hour course in humanities or social sciences must be taken in Non-Western/U.S. Minority culture and at least one 3-semester hour course must be taken in Western/Comparative culture.) SPED 117-The Culture of Disability Across the Lifespan Electives Total Humanities/Arts Requirements
0-12 Hours	Foreign Language Three years of one foreign language in high school or completion of third semester of college-level foreign language.
4 3 3 10 Hours	Social/Behavioral Sciences PSYC 100-Introduction to Psychology PSYC 216-Child Psychology (or EDPSY 236) KIN 262-Motor Development, Growth and Form Total Social/Behavioral Sciences Requirements

HOURS	PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
3 3 3 2 6 6 4 4	EPS 201 or 202-Foundations of American Education SHS 320-Develoopment of Spoken Language SPED 312 - Technology Course EDPR 250 LBS-School and Community Experience EDPR 420 LBE-Education Practice Students with Special Needs (Elementary) EDPR 420 LBS-Education Practice Students with Special Needs (Secondary) CI 475-Teaching Elementary Reading and Language Arts, I CI 431 -Development of Math Programs
31 Hours	Total Professional Education Requirement Credit Hours

HOURS	SPECIAL EDUCATION CORE REQUIREMENTS
3 2 4 2 3 4 4 1 4 4 4 2 2 3 3	SPED 317- Characteristics and Eligibility SPED 424- Formal Assessment in Special Education SPED 426- Collaboration and Teaming SPED 431- Assistive Tech & Physical Disabilities SPED 438- Collaborating with Families SPED 440- Instructional Strategies, I SPED 441- Instructional Strategies, II SPED 444-Career Development & Individuals with Disabilities SPED 446- Curriculum Development, I SPED 447-Curriculum Development, II SPED 448-Curriculum Development, III SPED 450- Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education SPED 461-Augmentative Communication SPED 470-Learing Environments, I SPED 471-Learning Environments, II
45 Hours	Total Special Education Core Requirement Credit Hours

125 Hours

Total Undergraduate Credit Hours (Total hours for the degree may be higher for students who do not complete the foreign language requirement in high school.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Course Sequence

Following is a possible course sequence for an LBS-I undergraduate program of study:

Semester 1		Semester 2
RHET 105  Western/ Hum/Arts  Nat Sci  Quant I (Math 103)  SP ED 117  EDUC 101  Total Hours	3 3 3 3 (4) 3 1 (16 or 17)	PSYC 100  NW Hum/Arts  Nat Sci  MCB 103  EPS 201 or 202  Total Hours	3 3 (4) 3 3 3 (15 or 16)
Semester 3		Semester 4
PSYC 216  Quant II  SHS 320  KIN 262  Total Hours	3 3 3 3 (12)	CI 475 or equivalent  CI 431 or equivalent  SPED 424  SPED 317  SPED 312  Total Hours	4 4 2 3 3 (16)
Semester 5		Semester 6
SPED 431  SPED 446  SPED 440  SPED 470  EDPR 250 (LBS)  Total Hours	2 4 4 3 2 (15)	SPED 447  SPED 448  SPED 441  SPED 438  EDPR 250 (LBS)  Total Hours	4 4 4 3 2 (17)
Semester 7		Semester 8
SPED 450  SPED 471  SPED 461  SPED 444  EDPR 420 (LBE)  Total Hours	2 3 2 1 6 (14)	SPED 426 EDPR (LBS) EDPR (LBT)   Total Hours	4 6 6 (16)

 

RETURN TO:           LBS-I Philosophy          LBS-I Requirements            LBS-I Course Sequence

RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE