DESCRIPTION
The physical and Health Disabilities Program (formally known as the Orthopedic Impairments program) prepares teachers to instruct students in the special education category of orthopedic impairments. This includes students with a wide range of physical impairments, neuromotor impairments, degenerative diseases, and severe health impairments who may have additional cognitive/learning or sensory impairments. To prepare teachers to instruct students with orthopedic impairments, a wide range of coursework is provided which includes such areas as characteristics, specialized instructional strategies to teach academics, specialized curricular areas, physical and health management, and assistive technology.
Certification only students complete a planned program that leads to the College of Education recommendation to Professional Standards Commission for certification in Special Education Physical and Health Disabilities (P-12). This certification will make these teachers eligible to instruct students who are in the special education category of orthopedic impairments. They will have also met the highly qualified standards and be eligible for a reading endorsement.
COURSE OF STUDY
The planned program form you fill out with your advisor is the official list of courses you must take in order to meet certification requirements. Your acceptance letter to GSU will inform you of an advisement time to meet with your advisor. Following initial advisement you will receive in the mail a copy that has your signature, your advisor's signature, and the department chairperson's signature.
Any changes to the courses indicated on the planned program form must be approved in advance by your advisor. A revised planned program form will have to be written, signed, and sent to the Office of Academic Assistance so that it is available for your final audit of coursework in your planned certification program by that office.
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
| Praxis I or GACE | Current Certification, Exam Passed or Exempted |
PREREQUISTE COURSES (for individuals who have
not taken these courses in an undergraduate program)
| COURSE No. | COURSE NAME |
| EXC 4020* | Characteristics and Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities |
| EDRD 6600 | Introduction to Materials and Methods in Reading Instruction |
| EDMT 7400* | Mathematics Concepts for Special Learners |
| EPY 2050 | Human Growth and Development |
| EXC 7030 | Applied Behavior Analysis |
| EXC 7927 | Practicum |
*PLU credit may substitute for university courses
PROGRAM COURSES
| EXC 7260 | Characteristics of Severe Physical and Multiple Disabilities |
| EXC 7330 | Physical and Health Management of Students with Disabilities |
| EXC 7290 | Methods for Teaching Students with Physical and Multiple Disabilities: Reading and Academics |
| EXC 7300 | Assistive Technology: Reading and Academics |
| EXC 7937 | Practicum |
Contact person: Dr. Kathryn Heller, 404-413-8040, spekwh@langate.gsu.edu