History
The College of Education’s Special Education program has been in existence since the mid-1970’s. Since 1990, the College of Education at Seattle University has only prepared teachers at the graduate level. Prior to 2002, the Special Education program was a specialization within the Curriculum and Instruction program. In Summer 2002, the Special Education program became a stand-alone program in the Department of Teaching and Learning. By making the program a stand-alone program (outside of the Curriculum and Instruction program) more courses could be offered in specialized subject areas.
The Special Education program was developed to meet the needs in Washington State. In the 2000 executive summary of the Educator Supply and Demand in Washington (April 2000), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction identified special education and reading as professional roles in which there are shortages of qualified teachers. In practice, this shortage puts students with special needs at a disadvantage. Aligning the Special Education program and the literacy program prepares our students to meet those needs. In most cases, the special educator's preparation has not included specialized work in literacy development, instruction and assessment. This program provides highly trained special education teachers that have a solid background in disability and literacy with the skills to work collaboratively with reading specialists in the schools.