Online Bachelor's in Special Education Programs and Majors
Children with learning disabilities and other exceptionalities typically require specific in-school services, accommodations, and interventions by trained professionals in order to thrive in educational settings. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires public schools to provide special education services to elementary and secondary school students who qualify for such services, and states have specific licensure, certification, or endorsement credentials for teachers and paraprofessionals who are trained in the principles and practices of special education. Special education professionals also work in preschool and other early childhood education settings, in private schools dedicated to providing special education services, and in supplemental educational environments.
Teachers trained in special education provide a range of instructional and support services to children and adolescents of various ages who have a range of challenges, including visual and hearing impairments and emotional, cognitive, learning, and physical disabilities. Special education instructors may also focus on teaching students with clinical diagnoses, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other social emotional issues that hinder traditional learning processes. Online bachelor’s in special education programs equip undergraduate students with the skills and knowledge needed to create instructional programs, provide assessments, monitor progress, and foster healthy learning environments for children and adolescents with special needs.
What is a Bachelor’s in Special Education Degree?
A Bachelor’s in Special Education is a degree conferred by an accredited college or university to students who have completed a program of study that includes general education requirements and a designated major in special education. General education requirements include courses in the arts, humanities, and sciences and commonly comprise more than half of the total credits need to earn a bachelor’s degree. Majoring in special education means completing coursework in general teaching methods and theories of learning and development, as well as focused courses in common learning disabilities and the principles and practices used to foster effective learning experiences for students with various diagnoses. Depending on the program, students may also be required to complete a certain number of observation hours or student teaching/practicum experiences in special education settings.
Some bachelor’s degree programs in special education are designed to prepare students for their teaching certification/license, while others are offered as non-licensure programs. Programs that lead to licensure prepare graduates for teaching positions in inclusive classrooms, resource rooms, or self-contained classrooms. Licensure may cover grades K-12 or other grade level combinations. Programs that do not lead to licensure prepare graduates for positions as paraprofessionals, intervention specialists, special education tutors, and special education consultants. Many special education programs are accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) or the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Programs
Online Bachelor’s in Special Education programs are typically designed for working professionals who wish to earn a degree while they continue to work full- or part-time. Online programs allow students to access course work and interact with instructors and classmates without having to commute to a college campus for lectures and discussion sessions. Online bachelors in Special education programs offer the same curriculum as traditional on-campus programs and often follow the standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), a nonprofit advocacy group that promotes best practices in special education.
Online programs, which may also be referred to as distance learning programs, use learning management systems (LMSs) to deliver course materials, recorded or live lectures, syllabi, assignments, assessments, or other instructional activities in an online environment. Through a program’s LMS, students can also contact faculty and peers, and participate in discussion boards. In addition to online courses, students may be required to complete practicum hours or student teaching experiences as part of their degree program. In general, online students complete these requirements in-person at a location within commuting distance to their place of residence. While some programs match students to locations, others expect students to find their own placements that must be approved by their program.
How OnlineEducation.com Identifies and Classifies Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Degree Programs
Bachelor’s in Special Education programs are typically designated as Bachelor of Science (BS) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees. Some programs provide general interdisciplinary training in special education, while others focus on specific aspects of special education like interventions or working with specific learning disabilities. Bachelor’s programs in special education are commonly offered by four-year colleges with education departments and through schools of education or teachers colleges at larger universities. Program names may include BA and BS programs in:
- Special Education
- Special Education (Mild-to-Moderate)
- Special Education, K-12 Generalist (Licensure)
- Special Education and Elementary Education (Dual Licensure)
- Education (B.S.Ed.) – Special Education
- Exceptional Student Education (ESOL)
Through independent research of bachelor’s programs, OnlineEducation.com identifies undergraduate programs that are offered online. While many online Bachelor’s in Special Education programs are offered fully online, students should note that some programs may require a limited number of campus visits while completing the program. Programs that require students to attend more than two campus-based sessions per year are considered hybrid programs and are not currently listed on the site. In addition, programs on the site must be offered by regionally accredited, non-profit colleges and universities.
What Students Learn in Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Programs
At the bachelor’s level, special education majors learn about disabilities, diagnoses, and challenges that can inhibit, delay, or otherwise complicate learning processes for children and adolescents. This includes but is not limited to visual and hearing impairments, cognitive learning disabilities, physical disabilities, behavioral disorders, and social and emotional disabilities. As they cultivate an understanding of various learning disabilities, students learn general theories of learning, language acquisition, and cognitive development, and evidence-based practices for designing special education lesson plans, managing classroom environments, and assessing skill development. Programs may also include courses in professional development, ethics in education, and the role of the special education teacher in the public school system.
Most Bachelor’s in Special Education programs and all programs that are designed to prepare students for licensure, include a secondary curricular component: student teaching experiences, internships, and/or practicums. In an online program, these practical experiences typically take place at program-approved off-campus sites. It is important to note that licensing and certification eligibility requirements vary by state. Students in an online special education bachelor’s program should review their state’s licensing requirements to ensure a program meets those requirements or to determine what, if any, additional preparation they will need before applying for their teaching license.
Common Courses in Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Programs
The table below provides an overview of coursework that is typical of a Bachelor’s in Special Education curriculum. The courses and their descriptions are drawn from actual undergraduate programs in special education.
| Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|
| Professional, Ethical, and Legal Practices for Special Education | Preparation for classroom teaching following ethical and legal guidelines and addressing complex situations; includes an overview of the CEC standards; and prepares students to act professionally in the classroom and other special education settings. |
| Introduction to Education and Lab | Introduction to early childhood through secondary education; study of historical and social foundations of education; and includes teaching and learning processes, multicultural and diverse societies, and principles of cooperative group learning. |
| Behavioral Support Strategies for K-12 Learners with Mild to Moderate Exceptionalities | Prepares students to work effectively with special needs students; includes an overview of behavioral disorders, their causes, and research-based intervention strategies; and outcomes include the ability to recommend learning environment adjustments for exceptional students. |
| Technology: Classroom Applications & Portfolio | Educational uses of technology, including computer applications as tools for personal learning and classroom applications; and students develop a Teacher Education portfolio through LiveText software. |
| Collaborating with Partners for Students Success | The study of communication strategies and team processes used to collaborate with families, educators, and other paraprofessionals; includes strategies to increase parent involvement and advocacy; and covers Individualized Education Program (IEP) components and transition planning. |
| Classroom Management Theories and Practices + Lab | Explores the principles of effective classroom management, positive relationship strategies, cooperation, and purposeful learning; covers how to create positive learning environments; and prepares teachers to lead with confidence, commitment, compassion, and creativity. |
| Educational Psychology: Learning and Human Abilities | Study of the teaching of diverse populations using instructional theory and application; explores the psychological foundations of behavioral and cognitive learning theories, information processing, and evaluation of student learning; and covers current best practices in teaching and learning environments. |
| Psychology of Students with Special Needs | Study of the mental, sensory, communicative, social, emotional, and physical development of special needs students; covers topics related to family life, education, and current laws; and focuses on the 13 disabilities in law and student accommodations. |
| Current Issues in Special Education Law, Services, and Leadership | Review of legal requirements for special education and related services for students with disabilities; exploration of historical and current service provisions for individuals with disabilities; and covers several acts, including the Disabilities Education Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, and Free and Appropriate Education. |
| Assessment of Special Needs | Study of the terminology associated with the assessment of special needs persons and formal and informal measures of assessment leading to referral for special education; and covers basic screening methods, referral, and placement of individuals with disabilities. |
Admissions to Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Programs
While admissions requirements for online Bachelor’s in Special Education programs vary, the minimum eligibility requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent. Some programs are also designed for students who have already completed their general education requirements and may require a specific number of college credits (typically somewhere between 30 and 60 credits) or an associate’s degree for admission. These programs may be referred to as bachelor’s completion programs, although not all schools use this terminology. Applicants should review admissions requirements carefully to see if a program requires transfer credits for admission.
Programs generally require the submission of an online application, application fee, and high school transcripts. Applicants who have a profession resumé are encouraged to submit a CV and some programs ask applicants to supply two or three recommendations or references, and/or a goals statement or personal essay. Additional requirements may include ACT or SAT test results, a minimum high school GPA, or a high rank in the student’s graduating class. Applicants who already have post-secondary credits or an associate’s degree should contact an admissions counselor about potentially transferring some or all of those credits towards a bachelor’s degree in special education.
Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Format Options
Online bachelor’s programs seek to provide flexibility to professionals and other students who may work and/or have family obligations. Outlined below are structural and instructional variables that students should consider as they explore online programs. These variables include online instructional methods, enrollment options, and required campus visits.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction: Synchronous online instruction involves live, real-time courses where students interact with faculty and peers through a program’s LMS or video conferencing software. These may include live lectures, discussions, breakout groups, or question-and-answer sessions, and are typically held in the evening or on weekends. Other coursework is completed outside these synchronous class times, and students may also participate in discussion boards and online chats. Live classes provide more of a traditional feel to online programs and offer students more structure than programs that only use asynchronous instruction. Live courses are typically recorded for later viewing should students miss a session; however, prospective students should know their time commitments and ability to attend live class sessions before choosing a program that utilizes this type of online instruction.
Alternatively, asynchronous instruction offers students the opportunity to study on their own time and at their own pace, assuming they meet deadlines set in the course syllabus. Course materials may include recorded lectures, readings, projects, case studies, assessments, discussion boards, and online chats. Although synchronous instruction may also include these components, programs that mainly use asynchronous instruction do not include live, online classes. Because of this, asynchronous instruction typically offers more flexibility to working students or those with family and other obligations. However, students who enroll in an online program that uses asynchronous instruction must be highly motivated, well-organized, and able to manage their time well to keep up with course requirements.
Part-Time vs. Full-Time Enrollment: Both part-time and full-time enrollment have their place in online learning due to the flexibility of time to completion offered to students. Those who work full-time should consider leaning towards part-time programs with the knowledge that it will take longer to finish their degree, but will be more manageable with work and school commitments. Full-time enrollment allows students to finish their degrees in less time but requires a greater time commitment per week since full-time students take multiple courses per term. Full-time students can typically graduate in two years for a bachelor’s completion program and four years for a full bachelor’s program.
Part-time students typically take one or two courses at a time and may take five or more years to graduate. Some online bachelor’s programs include options for accelerated courses or use non-traditional academic calendars that allow students to take one course at a time, but complete two courses in a semester. Each program will have different completion plans, some of which will be more flexible than others, and prospective students should carefully evaluate their current commitments in light of the online degree requirements.
Campus Visits: Campus visits may include orientations, intensives, immersions, or residencies designed to practice teaching skills, work with children and adolescents in a supervised special education setting, or understand key concepts in special education. However, most often, Bachelor’s in Special Education programs are fully online, but require observation hours, practicum hours, or student teaching experiences in special education settings. Through these experiences, students gain hands-on experience in the actual setting in which they will work, can develop relationships with future colleagues, and can define more closely what types of disabilities or classroom settings best suit their skill set.
Students who cannot or would prefer not to have to travel to a college campus for in-person instruction should seek programs that can be completed fully online, and that allow practicums to be completed near where they live or work. OnlineEducation.com does not currently include online Bachelor’s in Special Education programs that require more than two campus visits per year.