Special Education: Specialist in Learning and Behavior

As teacher candidates in the largest specialty program in the college, Specialists in Learning and Behavior are prepared to teach children with a range of special needs, such as learning, emotional, and intellectual disabilities, orthopedic impairments, autism spectrum disorders, multiple disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries. Specialists in this field are found at all grade levels (from early childhood through high school) and are qualified to assess the needs of all students and to design and modify lessons to meet those individual needs.

Licensure and Endorsements Earned:

Learning Behavior Specialist 1, K-21

Program Features

• Ranked by College Factual as the number one school for special education in Illinois
• One of the largest undergraduate special education programs in the nation
• Opportunities available for Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver
• A job market currently experiencing a shortage of teachers
• More than 600 hours of clinical experience prior to student teaching
• Experience in various diverse settings serving learners with a range of disabilities
• Strong partnerships across the state utilized for placements and collaboration in program refinement
• Hands-on experiences with assistive technology skills in our Special Education Assistive Technology (SEAT) Center
• Service opportunities through multiple registered student organizations
• Option to add bilingual and/or ESL endorsements to this program