This course focuses on evidence-informed inclusive teaching and learning strategies for special populations in different school and classroom settings. Students will develop leading-edge and practically useful knowledge relevant to further developing culturally responsive, effective teaching and support for students with exceptionalities. Students will develop up-to-date research-informed teaching and assessment skills useful for identifying and building a routine practice of effective strategies to support students with special learning needs (e.g., students of determination, students who are gifted and talented). Students will develop knowledge and skills for practising research-informed, culturally responsive pedagogic strategies for enhancing learning processes, engagement and outcomes for all learners in inclusive classrooms. This course will introduce the principles of effective adapted curriculum design and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development relevant for students from diverse backgrounds and with different characteristics, as well as tools for critically reflecting on and enquiring into practice. Implications of using pedagogic strategies for the classroom roles and relationships among students and between students.
Exceptional Children
by
Week 1
Introduction to special populations and characteristics
Prescribed readings
Supplementary reading
Week 2
Local and international laws/policies supporting the education of special populations
Prescribed readings
Supplementary reading
O’Connor, E. A., Yasik, A. E., & Horner, S. L. (2016). Teachers’ knowledge of special education laws: What do they know?Insights into Learning Disabilities, 13(1), 7-18. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1103671.pdf
Gaad, E. (2019). Educating learners with special needs and disabilities in the UAE: Reform. Education in the United Arab Emirates: Innovation and Transformation, 147. https://doi.10.1007/978-981-13-7736-5_9
MoE (n.d). General Rules for the Provision of Special Education Programs and Services (Public and Private Schools) https://www.moe.gov.ae/English/SiteDocuments/Rules/SNrulesEn.pdf
Week 3
The individualized education planning (IEP) process
Prescribed readings
Heward, W. L., Alber-Morgan, S., & Konrad, M. (2016). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Pearson. (Chapter 2)
Waterfield, D. A., Coleman, O. F., Welker, N. P., Kennedy, M. J., McDonald, S. D., & Cook, B. G. (2025). IEPs in the age of AI: Examining IEP goals written with and without ChatGPT. Journal of Special Education Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434251324592
IRIS Module: Designing High Quality IEP’s https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/iep01/
Timothy, S., & Agbenyega, J. S. (2018). Inclusive school leaders’ perceptions on the implementation of individual education plans. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 14(1), 1-30. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1170727.pdf
MacLeod, K., Causton, J. N., Radel, M., & Radel, P. (2017). Rethinking the Individualized Education Plan process: voices from the other side of the table. Disability & Society, 32(3), 381-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2017.1294048
In-Class Activity:
Using an AI tool to generate an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); critiquing the AI-generated IEP
Week 4
Assessment 1 Presentations
Understanding Exceptionality: Group Dissemination Project
Assessment 1 is due
Week 5
Instructional and classroom management practices with special populations
Prescribed readings
Martínez, Y. M., & Porter. G. L. (2020). Planning for all students: promoting inclusive instruction. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(14), 1552-1567. https://doi.10.1080/13603116.2018.1544301
IRIS Module: Universal Design for Learning https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/udl/#content
Supplementary readings
Mitchell, B. S., Hirn, R. G., & Lewis, T. J. (2017). Enhancing effective classroom management in schools: Structures for changing teacher behaviour. Teacher Education and Special Education, 40(2), 140-153. https://doi.org/10.1177/0888406417700961
Nagro, S. A., Fraser, D. W., & Hooks, S. D. (2019). Lesson planning with engagement in mind: Proactive classroom management strategies for curriculum instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic, 54(3), 131-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1053451218767905
Week 6
Teaching students with high-incidence disabilities
Prescribed readings
Heward, W. L., Alber-Morgan, S., & Konrad, M. (2016). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Pearson (Chapter 2)
Collins, L. W., Cook, S. E., & Sweigart, C. A. (2025). Practices you can trust in special education: Making research accessible for special educators. TEACHING Exceptional Children, https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599251328371
IRIS Module: Accommodations https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/acc/#content
Supplementary reading
Mahoney, J., & Hall, C. (2017). Using technology to differentiate and accommodate students with disabilities. E-Learning and Digital Media, 14(5), 291-303. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753017751517
Week 7
Teaching students with low-incidence disabilities
Prescribed readings
Heward, W. L., Alber-Morgan, S., & Konrad, M. (2016). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Pearson. ( Chapters 5 and Chapter 11).
Collins, L. W., Cook, S. E., & Sweigart, C. A. (2025). Practices you can trust in special education: Making research accessible for special educators. TEACHING Exceptional Children, https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599251328371
Supplementary reading
Capin, P., & Vaughn, S. (2017). Improving reading and social studies learning for secondary students with reading disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 49(4), 249-261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059917691043
Week 8
Adapting and modifying curriculum/teaching/assessment and special populations
Prescribed readings
Heward, W. L., Alber-Morgan, S., & Konrad, M. (2016). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Pearson ( Chapters 4, Chapter 7 and Chapter 12)
Supplementary reading
Week 9
Programming and teaching gifted and talented students
Prescribed readings
Supplementary reading
Week 10
Preparing Students of Determination for Independence: Sustainable Development for Lifelong Wellbeing
Collaborating and Engaging Professionals and Families for Lifelong Learning
Prescribed readings
Supplementary reading
Week 11
In-Class Summative Quiz