About the Program
The Inclusion program unifies Elementary Education and Special Education teacher preparation to prepare future teachers to meet the unique needs of elementary students with and without disabilities. The Inclusion program focuses on the knowledge, disposition, and skills necessary to effectively serve students with various educational needs in kindergarten through 6th grade. This undergraduate program underscores critical thinking and data-driven decision making. The program is grounded in evidence-based practices that emphasizes (a) deep knowledge in all content areas (b) fostering the application of content knowledge to the classroom, (c) differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all students, and (d) understanding the contextual aspects of teaching (e.g., the organizational and policy context).
The program links courses with field experiences in partner school settings. Students are given opportunities to practice specialized skills to meet the individual needs of elementary students with and without disabilities in the classroom; develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); engage in data-driven decision making; and develop instructional, material and environmental modifications to support access to general education curricula. The inclusion program leverages and extends competencies of elementary teachers to build effective instruction and support for all learners.
An Inclusion major graduate is qualified to teach children in general education grades kindergarten through 6 (K-6) as well as special education for students with support needs ranging from mild to intense. Graduates are prepared to support all leaners across a continuum of placements and to collaborate with a variety of professionals to meet the needs of students. The Inclusion Plan of Study outlines the required courses to complete the degree for licensure.
This program meets state and national licensure standards and is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the State of Indiana, State Board of Education. Admission to and successful completion of the Teacher Education Program (TEP) are required.
For more information about the degree program, visit the COE Office of Advising and Recruiting. For teacher licensure information, visit the Office of Teacher Education and Licensure.
Special Education/Elementary Education Major Change (CODO) Requirements
College of Education Pass/No Pass Option Policy
Education majors (which includes the total credit hour requirement to fulfill General Education: Educational Studies and General Education: Curriculum & Instruction) are not eligible to receive P/NP for required courses on your plan of study. Only electives and courses at the 500+ level can have a grade mode change.
Spring 2020 was the only exception approved for the entire campus.
World Language Courses
World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japenese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS=Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish)
Critical Course
The ♦ course is considered critical.
In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program”.
