University of Maine Launches Online Associate Degree in Special Education

Fall 2010 –students with special need will be given the chance to be taught by special kind highly trained yet kind hearted teachers through a newly established associate degree program.

The University of Maine launched an Associate Degree in Special Education aimed towards training future special education professionals with maximum efficiency and providing them the essential skills in handling gifted students. The online program will also be an educational tool for persons aspiring to be qualified special education teacher of the state.

Individuals who will undergo the university’s associate degree will be working as special education paraprofessionals or teacher aides-educational technicians. They will teach all levels from the kindergarten through grade 12 all throughout the Maine state. The degree is ensured to bring satisfaction to the Federal mandate in employing highly trained personnel in the special education area of specialization which is under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

While some paraprofessionals in the sate claimed that they are ill prepared to handle kids with disabilities, the new associate degree in Special Education will entirely focus on the appropriate methods of teaching special children, the use of educational technology in the classroom, and the utilization of effective classroom management principles and personalized behavioral interventions.

Administrators expects to enticed different aspirants with the associate program; mainly –students who graduated in high school and hoping to teach special children, underemployed workers aspiring to be special education teachers, and current paraprofessionals who are eager to learn more about the efficient techniques on handling special kids.

The associate course will be offered in a hybrid type of education; online education and campus based learning. If UMPI observes greater interest regarding the degree program, they are planning to develop regional programming such as in Houlton outreach center.