Faculty Fellow:
Chris Cheney

Course:
CI 410 Special
Education Curriculum: General Methods

Course Description:
Special instructional methods for students with cognitive and behavioral disorders. Includes instruction in I.E.P. goals and objectives.

Improvements to the Course:
During the spring and summer of 2001, Chris Cheney developed a web-based tutorial that teaches future special education teachers how to develop Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) for students with mild to moderate disabilities. This tutorial has been used in CI 410 Special Education Curriculum: General Methods. Interested viewers can see the tutorial at http://online.unr.edu/classes/ci410.

With the in-class time saved by the tutorial, Chris has been able to add more extensive coverage on the uses of both "high-tech" and "low tech" options for assistive technology to improve the educational experiences of students with disabilities. These activities have been developed with the help of Liz Isaacs, Master Teacher for Project Learning Links.

In addition, Chris developed a "Cyberpals" activity, in which future special education teachers set up an e-mail exchange with students at a local elementary school. The prospective teachers use the students' written responses to analyze their needs for instruction in spelling and written expression.