EDU-685 Special Education: a Diverse Society
Students develop an understanding of the societal, economic, political and philosophical influences that brought reforms to the education of students with disabilities. The course reviews New Jersey School Law; NJAC; and Federal Laws as they pertain to the education of students with disabilities and examines the rights of parents in special education. This course will also examine significant sections of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA/ IDEIA) and relevant portions of the NJ Administrative Code as they pertain to the education of students with disabilities. Changes in the structure of schools, the expectations for student learning, and the subsequent legal implications for this population will be studied. A deep understanding will be gained regarding the various influences from outside the school environment that bring shifts to the demands placed on educators of students with disabilities. The evolution of the various legal mandates, funded and unfunded, the causes for them and the responsibilities and/or obligations imposed upon school personnel by these legal mandates will be studied.