Within the Federated States of Micronesia there is an urgent need, in addition to AA/AS degree and 3rd year certificate training for teachers, to focus the provision of BA degree training for teachers.
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Welcome to our latest Pacific students in the all new 3D-SPED Bachelors program!
Most students are teachers and are based in Pohnpei and Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). This Bachelors program places an emphasis on Special Education, and is designed to increase the number of highly qualified teachers serving children with disabilities in the public schools of the FSM. |
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The Department of Health, Education, and Social Affairs (HESA), Special Education Program has awarded a contract to San Diego State University to provide an Interdisciplinary Bachelors Degree program with an emphasis is training special education teachers. Currently, there are 261 special education teachers in the FSM. Of these teachers, 134 have no degree, 108 have an AA/AS degree, and 19 have a BA degree. It is the goal of this project to provide a high quality special education training program that will result in a bachelor’s degree for sixty three incumbent FSM teachers. This project is designed to increase the number of highly qualified teachers serving children with disabilities within the public schools of the FSM.
The HESA will provide sixty-three full scholarships to eligible teachers. The scholarships will pay for all tuition, books, and fees associated with the program. Funding for the program will come from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The program will start in June, 2006 and be completed in December, 2008. The program is designed to be delivered using a blended distance learning model that will allow students to stay in their current teaching position and complete all degree requirements without having to leave their island. All course meetings will be held during non-instructional time for teachers.
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Palau 3D student practice reading assessment techniques with children for the course |
The SDSU undergraduate degree offered in this program is the major in interdisciplinary studies in three departments through the College of Education and the Division of Undergraduate Studies. This interdisciplinary degree has been specifically designed with coursework that will provide special education teachers in the FSM with a strong foundation in research-based education philosophy and instructional methods. The degree is 120 semester units. Eligible applicants must have an earned AA/AS degree from an accredited college or a minimum of 60 semester hours of lower division credit that meets general education course transfer requirements. SDSU will accept up to 69 credits of transfer credit into the program. The program will offer 17 three-unit courses (51 credits) to complete the upper division course requirements for the BA degree. Additionally, all students will be required to pass a writing competency test and an American Institutions and California Government Test. Students may be conditionally admitted to the program with some lower division general education course requirements needing to be completed. It will be the responsibility of the student to complete these requirements within one semester of being enrolled in the program.
The degree blends courses from three different disciplines into a unified theme. A minimum of three courses in each of the three departments will be offered from the list of potential courses that have been identified for the program. Under this program, courses will be offered from four departments within the College of Education. Courses will be delivered from the School of Teacher Education (TE), The Department of Special Education (SPED), the Department of Educational Technology (ET) and the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education (ARPE).
Steve Spencer
3590 Camino Del Rio North
San Diego, California 92108
619-594-0139
Email: steve.spencer@interwork.sdsu.edu
