Education Specialist Credential in Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Click on the appropriate links for detailed student teaching expectations and guidelines for each of the credential pathways in Mild/Moderate disabilities.
ACT (Accelerated Collaborative Teaching Program)
ACT is a post-baccalaureate accelerated credential pathway, specially designed as a one-year program. ACT student teachers participate in an intensive two-semester fieldwork and student teaching experience. Students are part of a cohort that works collaboratively with students in the elementary and secondary teaching options.
Interns
The Intern Program is a post-baccalaureate pathway designed for students holding full-time employment as special education teachers under an intern credential. Interns participate in 4-semester supervised experience while teaching in their own classrooms. They participate in a cohorted seminar throughout their internship.
ITEP (Integrated Teacher Education Program)
ITEP student teachers are undergraduates who participate in a two-semester student teaching experience. In the first semester, students are part of a cohort that works collaboratively with students in the elementary teaching option. ITEP students receive their Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and their special education teaching credential at the same time.
Traditional Student Teaching
The traditional pathway is a post-baccalaureate pathway for students who are at the end of their program; they do a full-time student teaching experience for one semester after finishing all of their credential coursework (one course may be taken concurrently with student teaching). Traditional student teaching may be completed in one of two ways:
- Traditional Student Teaching with a Cooperating Teacher
These students complete their semester of student teaching under the mentorship of a cooperating teacher. They student teach full-time in the classroom of the cooperating teacher for a minimum of 15 weeks. - On-the-Job Student Teaching
On-the-Job student teachers complete their student teaching experience while teaching in their own classrooms. They are supervised for a minimum of 15 weeks of full-time teaching, and have a supporting teacher at their school site who provides guidance and feedback.