College of Education > News > 2012 > July > Collaboration enhances services for students with disabilities

Extended school year program provides valuable experience for preservice teachers and graduate students

Individualized Education Plans help elementary school students with developmental disabilities retain existing content knowledge and acquire new social, language arts and mathematics skills.

Undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation and Counseling recently gained valuable classroom teaching and supervisory experience through a program serving children with autism and other development disabilities.

The 2012 Summer Program for Students with Disabilities provides extended school year services for elementary school students ages 3 to 12 from Auburn, Lee County and Chambers County schools. Pre-service teachers from the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation and Counseling provided instruction in nine classrooms serving nearly 70 students who have developmental disabilities affecting social interaction, communication, behavior and academic learning. Doctoral students Shaunita Strozier, LaTonya Terry and Regina Kearley put their mentorship skills into practice by supervising the classroom teachers.

The College of Education pre-service teachers and graduate students, working under the direction of faculty members Margaret Flores and Doris Hill, utilize technological tools like the iPad2 to foster communication skills and literacy-based learning. Some of the preservice teachers evaluated a direct instruction, computer-based reading program for students with limited verbal communication skills, and conducted research on written expression, the Picture Exchange Communication System and video stories aimed at teaching social skills.

Hill, the Auburn University Center for Disability Research and Service’s coordinator of educational and community supports, and Flores, an associate professor of special education, provide research practice mentorship for doctoral students.

Auburn City Schools provides classroom space at Richland Elementary School, a school system teacher and a school nurse. Each of the participating school districts identifies students who are in need of extended school year services and facilitates transportation.

The summer program adheres to best practices outlined by the National Autism Center. Auburn University’s preservice teachers develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for students outlining growth goals relative to language arts, mathematics and social skills.

Last Updated: Jul 18, 2012