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University Personnel Preparation Programs
University
Personnel Preparation Programs
On this page, you will find a list all of the colleges and universities
in Kentucky that have programs to prepare people to become special education
teachers. Farther down is a list of many of the related service programs.
Finally, at the bottom of the page is information about financial aid
for people going into special education.
You will immediately notice that not every school has a program in every
possible area of special education. In fact, programs to prepare teachers
for “low incidence” disabilities are offered only at a small
number of schools. You should also be aware that some colleges have special
education programs that are only for graduate students. Therefore, if
you are interested in a particular program at a specific school, you need
to contact them or visit the web site for further information.
Every college program will be a little different, but you will find that
there are many similarities. All schools require you to meet the “general
education requirements.” These foundation courses in English, mathematics,
science, arts and humanities, and social science are required of anyone
getting an undergraduate degree. These courses usually make up about one-third
of your course work. Another quarter to one-third of your work is education
courses that all teachers take. These include foundations of education
and method of teaching reading, mathematics, social studies, and other
subjects. This is required because a special education teacher must know
the “general curriculum” for all students. The final third
of your course work, field experiences and student teaching will be in
special education.
The national organization that certifies special education programs requires
that a college assures that all special education teacher are well prepared
to demonstrate knowledge and skills in the following 10 areas:
1. foundations of special education,
2. development and characteristics of learners,
3. individual learning differences,
4. instructional strategies,
5. learning environment and social interactions,
6. language,
7. instructional planning,
8. assessment,
9. professional and ethical practice, and
10. collaboration.
You can review the general overview of these standards at http://www.cec.sped.org/ps/perf_based_stds/standards.html.
These standards are used to design the special education classes you will
take. While you will see variation across colleges in the names and the
number of courses, they must all address these standards.
The final factor that will affect what you will do in college is the
area of special education in which you specialize. While the general standards
are the same, some of the specifics are different for teachers of people
with different kinds of learning needs. In Kentucky, this has led to the
development of the five types of special education certification. The
sensory disabilities of students with visual impairments and hearing impairments
require skills that other special educators will not often need. Certification
of teachers of students with learning and behavior disorders is usually
described as preparing teachers to work with students with “mild”
disabilities. This requires skill in providing accommodations for learning
difficulties that hamper progress in traditional academic subjects. As
a peer tutor, you are familiar with a teacher of students with moderate
and severe disabilities. The skills in this field focus on maximizing
access and participation of students with severe disabilities in school
and practical preparation of adult life. The final area of certification,
Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education, prepares teachers to work
with very young children in early intervention and pre-school programs.
TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
IN KENTUCKY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Teacher of Students with
Learning and Behavior Disorders (P-12)
Asbury College
Bellarmine University
Brescia University
Cumberland College
Eastern Kentucky University
Midway College
Morehead State University
Murray State University
Northern Kentucky University
Spalding University
Union College
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
Teacher of Students with
Moderate and Severe Disabilities (P-12)
Eastern Kentucky University
Morehead State University
Murray State University
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
Teacher of
Visually Impaired Students(P-12)
University of Louisville
Teacher of
Hearing Impaired Students(P-12)
Eastern Kentucky University
~Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (Birth to Primary)
Berea College
Eastern Kentucky University
Kentucky State University
Morehead State University
Murray State University
Northern Kentucky University
Spalding University
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
RELATED SERVICES TRAINING PROGRAM
If you are interested in a field other than special education teaching,
you should be aware that some of these fields require a masters degree
or higher to be a certified professional. You should use the contact information
below or the information provided in the section on related services to
find out about degree requirements. In addition, some of these graduate
programs have very specific entrance requirements. So if you are interested
in a particular field, research the requirements so you can take the needed
courses as an undergraduate.
Communication Disorders (P-12)
Speech Therapist
Eastern Kentucky University
Murray State University
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
Occupational Therapist
Eastern Kentucky University
Spalding University
Physical Therapist
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville/Bellarmine
Assistive Technology
University of Louisville
University of Kentucky
School Psychologist
Eastern Kentucky University
Murray State University
University of Kentucky
Western Kentucky University
School Nurse
Western Kentucky University
Audiologist
University of Louisville
Orientation and Mobility Specialist
University of Louisville
Rehabilitation Counselor
University of Kentucky
Kentucky Colleges and Universities with
Special Education and Related Services Programs:
University of Kentucky
College of Education
Lexington, KY 40506
(859) 257-2813
Morehead State University
University Boulevard
Morehead, KY 40351
(606) 783-2040
Other Kentucky Colleges that offer Service Programs Related to
Special Education:
Asbury College
1 Macklem Drive
Wilmore, KY 40390
(859) 858-3511
Midway College
512 E. Stephens Street
Midway, KY 40341
(859) 846-4421
Union College
310 College Street
Barbourville, KY 40906
(606) 546-1216
Bellarmine University
2001 Newburg Road
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 452-8216
Brescia University
717 Frederica Street
Owensboro, KY 42301
(270) 685-3131
Murray State University
College of Education
Murray, KY 42071
(270) 762-3829
University of Louisville
School of Education
Louisville, KY 40292
(502) 852-6411
Cumberland College
6191 College Station Drive
Williamsburg, KY 40769
(606) 549-2200
Northern Kentucky University
Nunn Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41076
(606) 572-5365
Western Kentucky University
1 Big Red Way
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 745-4662
Eastern Kentucky University
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 622-3515
Spalding University
851 South Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 40203
(502) 585-7121
If you are interested in a field other than education, remember that those
programs are often in different departments of the university or college
than the special education courses.
FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS PURSUING
SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATION
IN KENTUCKY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Of course, students who are going to major in special education are eligible
for all of the various forms of financial aid that any other college student
can use. The State of Kentucky has set up a special website to help all
students find out about financial help for college. The
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority website is the place
for Kentucky students to look for assistance to attend college.
Several of its programs are of special interest to students planning to
pursue a degree in teaching and especially in special education:
The first program is the KHEAA
teacher scholarship
Additionally two federally funded student loan programs provide for loan
payment deferment and forgiveness of people who teach in high-need fields
(including special education) or in low-income areas. This is explained
in the following press release from KHEAA:
"Some teachers may be able to get student loans forgiven
Frankfort, Kentucky (December 10, 2001) -- Kentucky teachers and college
students studying to become teachers may be able to get some or all of
their student loans forgiven, according to the Kentucky Higher Education
Assistance Authority (KHEAA). KHEAA is the state agency that administers
grant, scholarship, work-study, savings, and loan programs to help students
pay for college or technical training.
Whether teachers can get loans forgiven and how much will be forgiven
depends on several factors, including what kinds of loans they have, when
they got the loans, and what and where they teach.
In the case of Federal Perkins Loans, all of the amount borrowed may be
forgiven for five years of teaching service in certain low-income schools,
special education, and fields with a shortage of teachers. Fifteen percent
of the loan balance will be forgiven after each of the first and second
years of qualified teaching service. Twenty percent will be forgiven after
each of the third and fourth years, and the remaining 30 percent will
be forgiven after the fifth year.
Borrowers should check to see if they received Perkins Loans. If they
did, they should contact the financial aid office at the school they attended
about the forgiveness program.
In the case of Federal Stafford Loans, borrowers who had no outstanding
federal student loans as of October 1, 1998, are eligible. To qualify,
they must teach at least five consecutive complete school years in a designated
eligible low-income school. At least one of those years must be after
the 1997-98 school year. Elementary teachers must demonstrate knowledge
of and teaching skills in the elementary curriculum. Secondary teachers
must teach in a subject area relevant to their major (Note: the guidelines
specifically mention teaching in special education as qualifying at both
levels). After the fifth consecutive year of qualified service, borrowers
can have up to $5,000 in Stafford Loans forgiven.
Borrowers should contact the holder of their Stafford Loan if they think
they are eligible.
Other eligibility conditions may apply. For more information, borrowers
should contact their lender or call KHEAA at (800) 928-8926, extension
7273.
Information about these options can be found by visiting the U.S.
Department of Education Web site."