The Program
The Master's degree program in Special Education with an emphasis in Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) at The George Washington University was developed in 1992 to address a national shortage of special education and related service personnel qualified to meet the needs of students with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and their families. Graduates are uniquely prepared to be educators and systemic improvement specialists in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, advocacy programs and related organizations. At this time the GW program is the only complete degree program in the country that offers specialized training in serving students with brain injuries and their families.
The program is offered in collaberation with GW's Center for Education and Human Services in Acquired Brain Injury (CEHSABI).
The multidisciplinary coursework is combined with guided field experiences and internships to give students an opportunity to develop competencies in teaching students with brain injuries as well as an understanding of systems change to better serve these students and their families. Internships are offered in a variety of settings in national agencies/organizations, state-of-the-art medical and rehabilitation programs, progressive school districts and advocacy organizations. Students also have opportunities to interact with leading experts in the field and to participate in faculty-student collaboration for research and other projects.
We also offer a certificate program in Special Education and Brain injury in both a classroom and distance format.
The Curriculum
Most courses are offered in the evening to allow students to work during the day. A multi-disciplinary core curriculum addresses four competency areas:
- Foundations of special education and brain injury
- Comprehensive educational programming for students with brain injuries
- Service coordination and interdisciplinary collaboration
- Leadership and professional practice
Students may concentrate their elective coursework in one of two specializations:
- Inclusion in the general secondary education and transition services
- Interagency coordination, systemic improvement and family partnerships
Degree / Certification
- Master of Arts in Education and Human Development
- Optional Teaching Certification
- Optional Certification as a Brain Injury Specialist (From the American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists)
Courses
|
SPED 223 |
Introduction to Acquired Brain Injury: Programs, Policies, and Resources |
|
SPED 224 |
Brain Function and Impact of Brain Injury on Learning and Education |
|
SPED 225 |
Family Partnerships for Systems Change (Focus on ABI) |
|
SPED 222 |
Accessing Community Systems for Individuals with Disabilities |
|
SPED 201 |
Overview of Special Education |
|
SPED 295 |
chool- and Community-Based Internship in Special Education and Transition |
|
SPED 296 |
Teaching Internship in Transition Special Education |
|
SPED 260 |
Developmental Assessment in Special Education |
|
EDUC 295 |
Quantitative Methods II: Research Design and Data Analysis |
|
TRED 226 |
Diagnostic Teaching of Reading in Secondary School |
|
SPED 233 |
Curriculum in Transition Special Education |
|
SPED 231 |
Instructional Methods in Special Education and Transition |
|
SPED 236 |
Introduction to Career, Vocational, and Transition Services |
|
SPED 255 |
Interdisciplinary and Interagency Services Coordination for Special Populations |
|
SPED 290 |
Affective Development and Behavior Management in Special Education
|
Total Program Hours: 45 (48 WITH PRE-REQUISITE)
Tuition Assistance
The ABI Program has received generous financial support and advocacy from the Jason Foundation in Radford, Virginia, as well as a federal grant. Because of this funding, student financial support is available for:
- Student scholarships for up to 80% of tuition
- Research assistantships that offer salary plus tuition support to RA's as employees of the University
Application & Admission
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in education, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy or a related field and be able to demonstrate interest in and commitment to working with individuals with brain injuries. Admission requirements include an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher include and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores. Applicants must also complete a personal interview with program faculty and staff. Telephone interviews may be arranged under special circumstances. To Apply, please visit the school's Admissions page.
Faculty / Staff
Dr. Janis Ruoff, Program Director and Co-Principal Investigator
(202) 973-1032
Janiskr@aol.com
Dr. Carol Kochhar, Principal Investigator
(202) 994-1536
Kochhar@gwu.edu
Dr. Celeste Campbell, Research Scientist
celestec@gwu.edu
Return to the
Transition Special Education M.A. page.
