Sudha Ramaswamy, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Special Education and Educational Leadership
914-674-3058
sramaswamy@mercy.edu
Rose Rudnitski, Ed.D., Program Director
Department of Special Education and Educational Leadership
914-674-7447
rrudnitski@mercy.edu
The 15-credit Advanced Certificate in Teaching Students with Disabilities Early Childhood or Childhood is for qualified applicants who have a Master’s degree and who hold a NYSED teacher certificate who are seeking to add a SWD certification.
The Advanced Certificate in Teaching Students with Disabilities Early Childhood or Childhood Program at Mercy University is designed to prepare critical educators who are:
1. Prepared to teach diverse students in inclusive classrooms and across a variety of settings and service delivery models.
2. Prepared to serve as social justice advocates in order to ensure equity of educational opportunity for all students.
3. Prepared to serve as critical and reflective practitioners who continue to examine, modify, and refine their own teaching practices, philosophies, and assumptions about teaching and learning.
4. Prepared to work collaboratively with families, educators, administrators, and community members in order to support, nurture, and maximize the social and academic potential of all students.
5.Prepared to implement sound pedagogical practices that effectively address the varied academic and social needs of all students.
6.Prepared to develop and disseminate knowledge about teaching, learning, and human differences in order to improve opportunities and outcomes for all students.
Program Objectives:
At the end of this program, beginning special education specialists will be able to:
1. Understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
2. Create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become active and effective learners and develop emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and self-determination.
3. Use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
4. Use multiple methods of assessment and data-sources in making educational decisions.
5. Select, adapt, and use a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
6. Use foundational knowledge of the field and the professional Ethical Principles and Practice Standards to inform special education practice, to engage in lifelong learning, and to advance the profession.
