Program Description
The Learning & Behavior Specialist (LBS1) Endorsement is offered to teachers ― already certified in early childhood, elementary or secondary education ― who have an interest in furthering their professional career goals in the areas of special education. The courses address the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions to prepare certified teachers to work with students with both high-incidence and low-incidence disabilities from ages 5-21 in a variety of settings -- with an emphasis on helping them succeed in the general education curriculum.
Online Learning
Our unique special education program offers the courses online to meet the demands of busy educators. The full-time special education faculty deliver DePaul’s superior instruction and academic standards in the convenience of your office or home. While flexible, this program also reflects the high standards set by DePaul as well as Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the national Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). In our online courses we cultivate a community of lifelong learners who are equipped with the skills needed in today’s information society. Our online courses are backed by the resources of a well established urban university. From our online system of libraries to our career services center and network of nearly 140,000 alumni worldwide you'll have the connections you will need.
Requirements
Endorsement Only: requires a minimum of 6 courses (24 quarter hours)
Courses: Students take the following sequence of courses:
- LSI 440 Survey and the Characteristics of the Exceptional Learner
- LSI 443 Psychological Tests and Methods in Diagnosis
- LSI 458 Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities I (prerequisite: 440)
- LSI 467 Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities II (prerequisite: 440)
- LSI 468 Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities I (prerequisite: 440)
- LSI 469 Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities II (prerequisite: 440)
Field Experiences: Each course requires 10 hours of field experience that can be completed in the candidate’s own school or classroom. These practical field assignments are designed so that students can apply what they are learning online to real educational settings. The assignments are carefully constructed to make connections between theory and practice and to provide opportunities for immediate practice of the assessment and instructional skills being taught. Candidates who are not currently employed in a school will need to make arrangements to have access to a classroom in which they can work with the teacher to practice newly learned skills.
Illinois LBS1 Endorsement
Upon successful completion of the 6 courses and passing the required state tests, candidates are eligible to apply directly to ISBE for an LBS1 endorsement. The LBS1 endorsement is placed on an existing teaching certificate (Illinois Type 03, 04, 09) and the candidate can teach exceptional learners only at the grade levels encompassed by the existing certificate. Applicants from out of state, should contact their own state agency to determine the requirements for special education credentials.
All individuals certified by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) are required to complete certification tests specific to their teaching certificate.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for the LBS1 endorsement online program, students must hold a bachelor's degree conferred by an accredited, recognized institution and a valid teaching certificate.
To apply, please submit the following items to the Office of Graduate Admission:
- A Completed Application
- Application fee ($40.00)
- One official transcript from all colleges and/or universities attended
- Copy of Teaching Certificate
- Two letters of recommendation from professors or employers
- Personal Statement indicating professional goals and related experiences
- Resume showing adequate background for the program.
To view the archived Online Open House for our Special Education Endorsement program, Click Here.
