SPED 532 01: Visual Impairment/Early Intervention

SPED 532 - Visual Impairment/Early Intervention

2023 Summer Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 9383

You are responsible for knowing this material, so please read carefully. Any changes will be announced in a Blackboard Announcement. You will be responsible for any changes. Your continued enrollment in this course is your implicit agreement to abide by the requirements of this class.

This course covers the purpose and principles of early intervention. It addresses the developmental needs of young children with visual impairments and effective strategies to meet those needs. It also covers the role of teachers of students with visual impairment in the early intervention program as well as key aspects of consultation, interdisciplinary collaboration, service coordination, and culturally sensitive family-centered services.

Whether you’re taking courses in the classroom or online, it’s important to have the right technology and equipment.  Visit the UND Technical Requirements webpage for more information. Students are expected to use their official UND email in the course. For technical assistance, please contact UND Technical Support at 701.777.2222. Visit the University Information Technologies (UIT) website for their hours, help documents and other resources.

Week of	Reading(s):	Agenda/Topic:	Due:
5/15		Introductions ICSI.1.K4 ICSI.1.K6 ICSI.7.K4 BVI.1.K4 BVI.1.K3	Review Course Website Review syllabus & schedule Check out the Resources by clicking on the button on the left side of the screen Discussion Board #1 Thursday May 18 - Initial Post Monday May 22 - Respond to 3 peers Watch Video clip: Smith-Levin Family: Max, Age 2, Bilateral Anophthalmia (located in Lesson 1) Discussion Board #2 Thursday May 18 - Initial Post Monday May 22 - Respond to 3 peers
5/22	Chapter 1 Early Intervention: Purpose & Principles DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education	Early Intervention: Purpose & Principles ICSI.1.K4 BVI.1.K3 ICSI.3.K ICSI.7.K1 ICSI.5.K2	Watch: Early Intervention Educational Slideshow Early Intervention Quiz - Monday May 29
5/29	Chapter 2 Interactions Between Young Children & Caregivers: The Context for Early Intervention Hand under Hand & Hand over Hand Case Study: The TVI’s Story	Interactions Between Young Children & Caregivers: The Context for Early Intervention ICSI.7.K4	Discussion Board #3 Thursday June 1 – Initial Post Monday June 5 – Respond to 3 peers Take Interactions between Young Children & their Caregivers Quiz #2 DUE Monday June 5 Complete Formative Assessment
6/5	Chapter 3 Early Intervention Practices: Effective Strategies & Service Delivery Technical Report #7 CLAS/Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services (located in Lesson 4) Bread Routine (Located in Lesson 4) Case Story: Shawana Routine Based Interview Read Project TaCTICs Kennan	Early Intervention Practices: Effective Strategies & Service Delivery BVI.1.K2 BVI.1.K BVI.1.K4 BVI.1.K6 BVI.1.S1 BVI.1.S2	Watch all 3 of the Early Intervention Routine Based Approach videos & complete Tasks Assignment #1 Family Routines DUE Monday, June 14
6/12	Chapter 4 Clinical Vision Assessments for Young Children	Clinical Vision Assessments for Young Children BVI.1.K1 BVI.1.K3	Watch Video of Nora’s Story (located in Lesson 5) Watch Video of Infant Screening (located in Lesson 5) Watch Baby AJ’s Eye Exam Part 1 & 2 Take Clinical Vision Assessments for Young Children Quiz #3 DUE Monday June 19 Discussion Board Thursday – June 15 Initial Post Monday June 19 - Respond to 3 peers SELFI (watch due dates) Complete SELFI (2 extra credit points
6/19	Chapter 5 Functional Vision Assessment & Early Intervention Practices Fostering Self Determination	Functional Vision Assessment & Early Intervention Practices BVI.2.S2 BVI.4.K3	Watch Video on Cortical Visual Impairment & Evaluation of Functional Vision Take Functional Vision Assessment Quiz #4 DUE Monday June 28 SELFI (watch due dates) Complete SELFI (2 extra credit points
6/26	Chapter 8 Promoting Early Communication & Language Development You Can Say that Again! Echolalia in Visually Impaired Children (Link located in Lesson 7)	Promoting Early Communication & Language Development BVI.1.K6 BVI.5.K10	Watch Pre-Recorded Webinars Communication & Vision When Worlds Collide Part 1 & 2 Take Promoting Early Communication & Language Development Quiz #5 DUE July 10 Due to the holiday, you will have two weeks to complete this assignment. Discussion Board Thursday – Initial Post July 6 Monday – Respond to 3 peers July 10
7/3		No Class
7/10	Infant Teacher of Visually Impaired: Roles & Responsibilities (Located in Lesson 8) Early Intervention Guidelines Take a look at Perkins Scout website	Infant Teacher of Visually Impaired: Roles & Responsibilities BVI.1.S1 BVI.1.K4	Complete Early Intervention/Visual Impairment philosophy Final Paper DUE July 10

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a serious matter, and any deviations from appropriate behavior will be dealt with strongly. At the discretion of the professor, situations of concern may be dealt with as a scholastic matter or a disciplinary matter.

As a scholastic matter, the professor has the discretion to determine appropriate penalties for the student’s workload or grade, but the situation may be resolved without involving many individuals. An alternative is to treat the situation as a disciplinary matter, which can result in suspension from the University, or have lesser penalties. Be aware that I view this as a very serious matter and will have little tolerance and/or sympathy for questionable practices. A student who attempts to obtain credit for work that is not their own (whether that be on a paper, quiz, homework assignment, exam, etc.) will likely receive a failing grade for that item of work, and at the professor’s discretion, may also receive a failing grade in the course. For more information read the Code of Student Life.

Access and Opportunity, Disability Support, & Medical Services

The University of North Dakota is committed to providing equal access to students with documented disabilities. To ensure access to this class and your program, please contact Disability Services for Students (DSS) to engage in a confidential discussion about accommodations for the classroom and clinical settings. Accommodations are not provided retroactively. Students are encouraged to register with DSS at the start of their program. More information can be obtained by email UND.dss@UND.edu or by phone at 701.777.2664.

COVID-19

UND is committed to maintaining a safe learning environment while providing quality learning experiences for our students. COVID-19’s continued presence within our UND community may necessitate changes in classroom management as the academic year progresses. As such, UND asks students and instructors to be flexible when necessary to promote a safe environment for learning. Please do not attend an in-person class or lab if you are feeling ill, particularly if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been directed by health professionals to quarantine or isolate. If you are not able to attend class or lab, please notify your instructor as soon as possible and discuss options for making up any missed work in order to ensure your ability to succeed in the course. If you will have an extended absence due to serious illness or other uncontrollable circumstances, you may request an absence notification through the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Similarly, if your instructor is ill they may need to cancel class or temporarily move your course to online delivery to ensure that you are able to complete the course successfully.  Instructors may require students to wear masks in the classroom or in the laboratory as a preventative measure designed to facilitate uninterrupted classroom engagement and to facilitate health and safety in the classroom.   If your instructor does require masks in class or in a laboratory, you are expected to comply with that request.

UND also strongly encourages all members of the University community, including students, to get vaccinated, seek out testing when needed, and model positive behavior both on- and off-campus to foster a healthy and safe learning environment for all students. Individuals who would like to discuss disability accommodations regarding masks should contact the Disability Services for Students (DSS) office at 701.777.2664 or UND.dss@UND.edu. Individuals who are unable to wear a mask due to a sincerely held religious belief should contact the UND Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office at 701.777.4171 or UND.EO.TitleIX@UND.edu.

Religious Accommodations

UND offers religious accommodations, which are reasonable changes in the academic environment that enable a student to practice or observe a sincerely held religious belief without undue hardship on the University. Examples include time for prayer or the ability to attend religious events or observe a religious holiday. To request an accommodation, complete the student religious accommodation request form. If you have any questions, you may contact the Equal Opportunity & Title IX Office.

Pregnancy Accommodations

Students who need assistance with academic adjustments related to pregnancy or childbirth may contact the Equal Opportunity & Title IX Office or Academic Affairs to learn about your options. Additional information and services may be found at Pregnancy Resources.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

It is the policy of the University of North Dakota that no person shall be discriminated against because of race, religion, age, color, gender, disability, national origin, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, veteran’s status, or political belief or affiliation and the equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all. Concerns regarding Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADA, and Section 504 may be addressed to Donna Smith, Assistant Vice President for Equal Opportunity & Title IX and Title IX/ADA Coordinator, 102 Twamley Hall, 701.777.4171, UND.EO.TitleIX@UND.edu or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education, 230 S. Dearborn St., 37^th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604 or any other federal agency.

Reporting of Discrimination, Harassment, or Sexual Misconduct

If you or a friend has experienced sexual misconduct, such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, please contact the Equal Opportunity & Title IX Office or UND’s Title IX Coordinator, Donna Smith, for assistance: 701.777.4171; donna.smith@UND.edu; or visit the Title IX webpage. You may also contact the Equal Opportunity & Title IX office if you or a friend has experienced discrimination or harassment based on a protected class, such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, pregnancy, marital or parental status, veteran's status, or political belief or affiliation.

Faculty Reporting Obligations Regarding Discrimination, Harassment, or Sexual Misconduct

It is important for students to understand that faculty are required to share with UND’s Title IX Coordinator any incidents of sexual misconduct or of discrimination or harassment based on a protected class that they become aware of, even if those incidents occurred in the past or are disclosed as part of a class assignment. This does not mean an investigation will occur if the student does not want that, but it does allow UND to provide resources to help the student continue to be successful at UND. If you have been impacted by discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct, you can find information about confidential support services on the Equal Opportunity & Title IX webpage..

UND Cares Program

How to Seek Help When in Distress

We know that while college is a wonderful time for most students, however, some students may struggle or have issues that arise. You may experience students in distress on campus, in your classroom, in your home, and within residence halls. Distressed students may initially seek assistance from faculty, staff members, their parents, and other students. In addition to the support we can provide to each other, there are also professional support services available to students through the Dean of Students and University Counseling Center. Both staffs are available to consult with you about getting help or providing a friend with the help that he or she may need. For more additional information, please visit the UND Cares Program Webpage.

How to Recognize When a Student is in Distress

The term “distressed” can mean any of the following:

• Student has significant changes in eating, sleeping, grooming, spending, or other daily activities.
• Student has cut off or minimized contact with family or friends.
• Student has significant changes in performance or involvement in academics, sports, extracurricular, or social activities.
• Student describes problems (missing class, not remembering, destructive behavior) that result from experiences with drinking or drugs.
• Student is acting withdrawn, volatile, tearful, etc.
• Student is acting out of character or different than usual.
• Student is talking explicitly about hopelessness or suicide.
• Student has difficulty concentrating or difficulty carrying on a normal conversation.
• Student has excessive dependence on others for company or support.
• Student reports feeling out of control of one’s emotions, thoughts, or behaviors.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

Today, the University of North Dakota rests on the ancestral lands of the Pembina and Red Lake Bands of Ojibwe and the Dakota Oyate - presently existing as composite parts of the Red Lake, Turtle Mountain, White Earth Bands, and the Dakota Tribes of Minnesota and North Dakota. We acknowledge the people who resided here for generations and recognize that the spirit of the Ojibwe and Oyate people permeate this land. As a university community, we will continue to build upon our relations with the First Nations of the State of North Dakota - the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Nation, Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

Additional Resources

It is my goal to foster an environment of mutual respect in which everyone feels comfortable voicing their opinions, sharing their stories, and learning about potentially heavy or personally relevant material. If, at any point, you feel like the information covered in this class elicits thoughts, feelings, or concerns that you would like to discuss further, don’t hesitate to reach out to me, or the UND Counseling Center (701-777-2127).

Further, if you experience extenuating circumstances, sexual violence, identity-based harm, or any other personal crisis during the semester, don’t hesitate to reach out to me so we can provide academic assistance and help you in this course, and put you in contact with the appropriate resources and services (if needed).

• UND Care Team: 701-777-2664 (8:00 AM to 4:30 PM M-F) or 701-777-3491 (evenings and weekends)
• UND Campus Police: 701-777-3491·UND Student Health: 701-777-4500 
• UND Title IX Resources
• Abuse and Rape Crisis Hotline (CVIC): 701-746-8900 (24 hours)
• Grand Forks Police Department: 701-787-8000 (24 hours)
• Emergency Room: 701-780-5280
• UND Student Diversity and Inclusion: 701-777-6985
• Food For Thought Pantry: (Wilkerson Commons Room 169; 701-777-4200) 
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (1-800-273-8255)