Support for Students with Special Needs

The Support for Students with Special Needs Certificate is designed to prepare students with knowledge, skills, and resources to address the diverse needs of children and adolescents with special needs. Students are offered intervention strategies, adaptive curriculum, and tools to both support and empower educators and families in both natural and/or inclusive education settings. 

The projected number of students to earn the certificate annually is 15.  

Students will demonstrate analysis and knowledge of the personal and teamroles and responsibilities of the Special Education provider in the publicschool which includes diagnosis and implementation strategies for students withspecial needs.

This Support for Students with Special Needs certificate corresponds to the SAC mission of inspiring, transforming, and empowering a diverse community of learners.  Specifically, it prepares our students to work in a setting that supports the needs of students with special needs and their families.   Students gain practical strategies and tools to help them support and empower students with special needs along with their families. This helps the students to pursue work in an educational related setting as a special education aide or childcare worker.  Students can continue to pursue their educational career options by obtaining the Emphasis in Infant/Toddler Care and Development Degree (36.5 units), Emphasis in Preschool Age Care and Development Degree (33.5), Emphasis in School-Age Care and Recreation Degree (32.5-35.5 units), or Elementary Education (Pre-Professional) Degree (25-26 units).

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
CDEV 205 or EDUC 203	Introduction to Children with Special Needs	3	Y1, Summer or Fall
CDEV 206	Curriculum and Intervention Strategies for Children with Special Needs	3	Y1, Fall
CDEV 207	Supporting and Empowering Families of Children with Special Needs	3	Y1, Spring

Education/Special Education

Long Beach City (Los Angeles county) and Santiago Canyon also offer programs within the special education field. SAC has the largest certificate program to prepare future educators to work with students with special needs.

The projected annual enrollment is 15 students.