Special Education Programs - University of South Carolina

05/08/2022

Kristi Benson will get a Mother’s Day gift beyond compare this year as she walks across the Colonial Life Arena stage with her son, Drew.

Drew began his program four years ago with Kristi starting the next year. Drew, a CarolinaLIFE student, is ready to live independently and begin a new part-time job at Nephron Pharmaceuticals. Kristi will head to Bookman Road Elementary with her Master of Arts in Teaching — Special Education to make a difference for the next generation of students like her son.

For more of their story:
https://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/education/about/news/2022/bensons.php

04/06/2022

New cohort starts Fall 2022

02/25/2022

Unexpected and frequent switches between in-person and virtual instruction may lead to teachers experiencing increased difficulty managing student behavior. Check out this article by two of our program faculty members that just hit on a virtual adaptation to a research-based behavioral intervention to help promote continuity in expectations and consequences between in-person and virtual formats.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/01626434211065436

02/14/2022

Check out this new faculty publication- Guiding Gifted Students With Engaging Books: A Teacher's Guide to Social-Emotional Learning Through Reading and Reflection

Thomas P. Hebert, University of South Carolina

"Guiding Gifted Students With Engaging Books supports teachers and counselors in facilitating book discussions designed to guide bright young people to self-understanding through high-quality literature. Engaging lessons and activities support learners as they process their feelings regarding issues highlighted in the selected books and class discussion. The book examines this approach with whole classrooms as well as with small groups of students, and features considerations for special populations of gifted students, including gifted underachievers, twice-exceptional students, and culturally diverse students."

02/04/2022

Want to become a BCBA and NOT pay for your coursework? The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is accepting applications for a limited number of scholarship spots in their next BCBA cohort at the University of South Carolina. Application deadline is February 11. Submit your application today! Use the link to learn more https://msp.scdhhs.gov/autism/site-page/interested-becoming-board-certified-behavior-analyst-bcba

01/19/2022

Check out two recent books published by faculty member, Mitch Yell!

Smith, S.W., & Yell, M.L (2022). Preventing problem behavior in the classroom (2nd ed.). Rowman and Littlefield.

Yell, M.L., Bateman, D.F., Shriner, J.G. (2021). Developing Educationally Meaningful and Legally Sound IEPs. Rowman and Littlefield.

01/18/2022

Congratulations to full-time doctoral student, Rebecca Smith-Hill on her recent SPARC grant award!

Through SPARC, or Support to Promote Advancement of Research and Creativity, graduate students compete for internal funding of up to $5,000 to support their meritorious research, creative and scholarly projects. This round was very competitive, and 52 SPARC grants were awarded in the 2021-2022 cycle.

In her project, Agency and College Students with Intellectual Disabilities: A Photovoice Project, Becca will work with students attending the CL program to conduct a photovoice project to better understand students' understandings and interpretations of how they are able to develop and practice agency while in college. Participants will take a course with Becca in fall 2022 to learn more about the constructs of self-determination and agency and then use cameras to photograph how they exhibit agency over their own lives as college students. The project will culminate in an exhibition of student photographs to the larger UofSC and possibly Columbia, SC community.

Congrats, Becca! 🎉

01/18/2022

JUST PUBLISHED:

A collaboration between three of our faculty members, Drs Samudre, LeJeune, and Ascetta in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions!

https://doi-org.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/10.1177%2F10983007211020784

01/11/2022

ATTENTION ALL HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS!

Check out this FREE opportunity to learn more about postsecondary education and training opportunities from experts in this topic- CarolinaLIFE students themselves!

CarolinaLIFE College Access and Preparation (CAP) is a free instructional opportunity sponsored by SCVRD. Students will be led through two virtual modules to explore and construct their goals related to postsecondary education. This experience will culminate in an immersive day at UofSC learning about IPSE options across the state and country and one-on-one mentoring from CAP Ambassadors.

https://tinyurl.com/37h8ewtf

Spots are limited, so sign up today via the interest form above!

Have questions or want to sign up your entire class? Please reach out to Charles Walters at [email protected].
Please feel free to share!

ATTENTION ALL HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS!

Check out this FREE opportunity to learn more about postsecondary education and training opportunities from experts in this topic- CarolinaLIFE students themselves!

CarolinaLIFE College Access and Preparation (CAP) is a free instructional opportunity sponsored by SCVRD. Students will be led through two virtual modules to explore and construct their goals related to postsecondary education. This experience will culminate in an immersive day at UofSC learning about IPSE options across the state and country and one-on-one mentoring from CAP Ambassadors.

https://tinyurl.com/37h8ewtf

Spots are limited, so sign up today via the interest form above!
Have questions or want to sign up your entire class? Please reach out to Charles Walters at [email protected].

Please feel free to share!

12/15/2021

Congratulations to 4 Ph.D. graduates in special education this semester: Drs. Jennifer Harris Watson, Loreta Dylgjeri, Valerie Bell, and Dottie Brown!

11/04/2021

Do you have a young child with autism? Do you want to learn how to help them communicate? Participate in our parent training research study! You may be eligible if you live in Columbia or Charleston. No need to travel – we’ll come to you!

Email Dr. Katie Wolfe at [email protected] for more information!

09/30/2021

Congratulations to Dr. Valerie Bell who successfully defended her dissertation: SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ INVOLVEMENT IN TRANSITION PROGRAMMING.