
With a bachelor’s degree in Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions from Ball State University, you will be well prepared to teach K-12 students with mild to moderate intervention needs, including students with specific learning disabilities, behavior disorders, and developmental disorders.
In addition to rigorous academics, our program emphasizes real-world field experiences. Beginning early in the program, you will engage in school-based field experiences and service-learning activities. As you near the end of your program, you will complete two semesters of mentored practicum experience where you will work directly with elementary and secondary students with mild to moderate intervention needs. Your coursework will culminate in an 8-week student teaching experience in an elementary setting and a second 8-week student teaching experience in a secondary setting.
What you Will Learn
Through the Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions program, you will learn methods and best practices in assessment and intervention for students with mild to moderate needs in K-12 settings. Our program emphasizes data-based decision making utilizing Response to Intervention (RI) as both an assessment and an intervention framework. You will also explore adaptive technologies and accommodations designed to support learners with mild to moderate intervention needs in K-12 settings.
Working with a variety of learners in elementary and secondary settings, you will have the opportunity to
- Administer and interpret norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments
- Teach lessons and implement interventions
- Make data-based decisions about students’ response to intervention
Program Benefits
Our program emphasizes real-world field experiences. Beginning early in the program, students are immersed in field experiences and service-learning activities. Our program offers multiple, mentored practicum experiences working directly with students with exceptionalities. Our program culminates in a 16-week student teaching semester working with elementary and secondary students with mild intervention needs.
Our special education program in Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions is nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children and Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
The national demand for qualified special education teachers continues to increase along with the number of students with exceptionalities in schools. This demand continues to outpace the number of qualified special educators.
On top of the dozens of scholarships the university offers its students, our department gives awards every year to its own students to recognize them for their achievements. Learn more.
Questions?
For questions about our progams, get in touch with us!
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Take the Next Step
If you’d like to learn more about our Teaching Major in Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions, complete our online form. Or one of the best ways to get a true feel for Ball State is to see it for yourself, so schedule a visit today! And if you’re ready to apply, review our admission requirements and complete our online application.