Independent Study Course Descriptions

Below is a list of currently available courses. Note: If you need inservice credit to recertify by June 30^th of the current year, please familiarize yourself with your district deadlines.

• Battelle Developmental Inventory - Second Edition Normative Update

  This course provides information about the use, administration, scoring, and interpretation of the Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd Edition (BDI-2).

  Suggested Inservice Points: 10

• DeafEd Express

  This course provides a foundation for educators working with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The purpose of this course is to increase the range and depth of best practices used by educators and other professionals in order to positively impact the achievement of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 6, Offered for 0.5 ASHA CEUs

• Effective Teaching Practices for Students with Disabilities

  This course provides educators with appropriate instructional practices for teaching students with disabilities, specifically in the content areas.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Elementary K-6 Content Review

  This self-study course helps educators review and refresh their knowledge base in the areas of language arts and reading, math, science, and social science, as required in Florida’s Elementary K-6 certification exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• English Language Learners for Therapists

  This course is designed to provide speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists information to ensure English Language Learners in Florida's public schools receive appropriate delivery of services per the requirements under the Florida Consent Decree. It is comprised of six content units – ELLs in Florida, Cross-Cultural Communication, Assessment and Evaluation, Current Methods, Curriculum and Materials, and Therapy Practices.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 18, Offered for 1.6 ASHA CEUs, 0.6 OT/PT CEUs

• ESE Foundations Content Review

  This self-study course enables participants to review core content outlined in the teacher competencies required in the exceptional student education certification exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Excellence in School Nursing

  This course was developed by Florida school nurses to facilitate safe and effective school nursing practices in Florida schools. This course provides a foundation in the laws and rules that pertain to the Florida school health services program, incorporates the national scope and standards of school nursing practices, and utilizes a multi-tiered public health approach to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based school health services to support positive health and education outcomes for all students in Florida schools.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Graduation Requirements

  This course on Florida's high school graduation requirements describes the various high school completion options available to public school students in Florida. Specific emphasis is placed on options for students with disabilities. The course also provides additional resources for those who are interested in further information.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Inclusive Practices for the Developmentally Appropriate Pre-K Classroom

  This course provides early childhood educators with information and instructional practices that support young children with special needs in an inclusive environment. It focuses on three developmental domains; communication, social-emotional, and adaptive which are the three prekindergarten indicators from the FLDOE/BEESS Strategic Plan.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 10

• Integrating Standards Aligned Instruction Across Tiers

  This course is intended to be completed AFTER the Multi-Tiered System of Support: An Introduction course, also available here in the PDPortal. This course outlines how educators can link the Florida Standards, Florida's Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), together to help every student experience academic success and full inclusion in the educational process. It will present effective and efficient strategies to ensure that all instruction, regardless of the tier of delivery, is aligned with the scope, sequence, and pacing of instruction in Tier 1 and is aligned with grade-level standards. The course contains many resources and references to provide more information, examples or models and tools that can be used in one's own educational setting.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 15

• Job Development

  This course introduces transition staff and exceptional student education teachers to the basics of evidence-based strategies for job development for students with disabilities. The course includes background information on job development, discusses work incentives and covers national, state, and local movements that support interagency collaboration and employment efforts for individuals with disabilities.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Language Reading Connection

  This course provides in-depth information and resources for school-based SLPs to assist then in performing their role in reading intervention for elementary level students in the areas of phonological awareness, oral language development, vocabulary, and comprehension.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 10, Offered for 0.5 ASHA CEUs

• Language Reading Connection for Deaf/Hard of Hearing

  This course provides educators working with students who are deaf or hard of hearing with the research, strategies, and resources to deliver specially designed literacy instruction.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 10

• Leadership for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities

  This course provides research-based information, best practice, and specific resources and examples for participants related to school leadership that supports the learning of students with disabilities within effective inclusive schools. The course addresses the varied dimensions of school and collaborative leadership necessary to foster collective responsibility for students with disabilities, including the important partnerships with parents and families. In addition, it addresses the role of district leaders in supporting effective instruction for students with disabilities.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Leading Within an MTSS

  This course provides leaders with the context of Florida Department of Education’s Multi-tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) by leveraging the learning standards to assure all students succeed. It provides many resources and references, examples or models, and tools that can be used in your leadership role.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 5

• Math Difficulties, Disabilities, and Dyscalculia

  This course provides information for K-12 classroom teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, pre-service teachers, and college/university faculty to gain a better understanding about students with math challenges and their instructional needs. It describes the assessment process used to identify a student’s math disability and how to use resulting data to select appropriate interventions. Additionally, the course includes information about evidence-based instructional practices and strategies that are beneficial for all students and especially for students with math challenges.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 7

• Middle Grades 5-9 Online Content Review - English

  This self-study course helps educators with an overview of the content, competencies and skills tested on the Florida Middle Grades 5-9 English educator certification exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Middle Grades 5-9 Online Content Review - General Science

  This self-study course helps educators with an overview of the content, competencies and skills tested on the Florida Middle Grades 5-9 General Science educator certification exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Middle Grades 5-9 Online Content Review - Social Science

  This self-study course helps educators with an overview of the content, competencies and skills tested on the Florida Middle Grades 5-9 Social Science educator certification exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Middle Grades Math Content Review

  The Middle Grades Math Content Review course replaces the Middle Grades 5-9 Online Content Review - Math course. All content has been updated to assist educators in reviewing the information needed to pass the Florida Department of Education Middle Grades Mathematics 5 - 9 Subject Area Exam (SAE).

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Multi-Tiered System of Support: An Introduction

  This course provides an introduction to a Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Specifically, the course provides an overview of an MTSS, describes the critical components of multi-tiered instruction and intervention for academics (e.g., reading) and behavior, describes the problem-solving process and how it used to make data-based decisions about instruction and intervention, and discusses how an MTSS relates to special education eligibility and processes. Additionally, case studies are provided for participants to apply what they learned about an MTSS.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 6, Offered for 0.65 ASHA CEUs

• Paraprofessionals Supporting Students with Disabilities

  The purpose of this course is to provide paraprofessionals with the fundamental skills to support their work in Exceptional Student Education throughout the state of Florida. While procedures may vary from school district to school district, the information provided in this course is consistent throughout Florida and applies to the federal laws, as well.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Positive Behavior Intervention Support

  This course provides an overview of Tier 1 PBIS systems with a focus on effective classroom PBIS systems and describes the problem-solving process and how it's used to design classroom PBIS systems that are responsive to students and teachers within each classroom. The course reviews foundational information regarding best practices for classroom behavioral systems and provides participants with an opportunity to practice each step of the problem-solving process using case study data.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Reading Difficulties, Disabilities and Dyslexia - Revised

  This course provides information for K-12 general education and ESE teachers of students who face challenges with the mastery of reading skills. It clarifies the difference between various types of reading challenges and disabilities, including dyslexia. It provides information on assessment, data-based decision making and how teachers use those data to select appropriate interventions matched with student need. The course also includes information about multisensory and structured literacy approaches to instruction and other learning supports that can be implemented to ensure students access to standards-based content.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20, Offered for 0.95 ASHA CEUs

• Secondary Biology Content Review

  This course was developed to assist educators in reviewing the content necessary to pass the Florida Department of Education Biology 6 - 12 subject area exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Secondary Math Content Review

  This course was developed to assist educators in reviewing the content necessary to pass the Florida Department of Education Mathematics 6 - 12 subject area exam.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.

• Secondary Transition

  This course provides secondary transition staff and other exceptional student education teachers with information and activities on all aspects of transition. The course covers transition activities, assessment, the transition IEP, the summary of performance, self-determination and self-advocacy.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 12

• Strategies to Support PreK Activities and Routines

  This course focuses on the interrelatedness of skills in developmental domains along with suggestions for observing, planning, and implementing supports for all children in Pre-K. It provides an overview of developmental skills and milestones as they relate to children’s participation in pre-kindergarten classrooms.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 10

• Student Services for Inclusive Schools

  This course examines the role of the student services professional in regard to the advancement of all students, including students with disabilities through an integrated student services model. Collaborative efforts within the school, alongside families, and through the community while supporting students with disabilities in the general curriculum is discussed. The course also presents specific tools and strategies for meaningful participation of student service professionals as a part of school-based problem-solving teams.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Teaching Students with Disabilities

  The focus of this course is to provide all educators with information about the foundations of exceptional student education in Florida, the provision of services and appropriate instructional practices for students with disabilities.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Teaching Students with Disabilities for Physical Education

  This course provides physical educators information about the foundations of exceptional student education; the provision of services for students with disabilities; and instructional practices that can be used not only for students with disabilities, but with all students.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Teaching Students with Disabilities in the Fine Arts

  This course provides educators of music, visual arts, dance and theatre information about the foundations of exceptional student education; the provision of services for students with disabilities; and instructional practices that can be used not only for students with disabilities, but with all students.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 20

• Universal Design for Learning K-12 Lesson Plans

  This course is designed to provide educators with introductory information about the foundations and essential components of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, as well as strategies, and tools related to designing lesson plans within a UDL framework. It is comprised of three units – UDL Foundations, Planning Lessons, and Creating Lessons.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 5, Offered for 0.5 ASHA CEUs

• Usher Syndrome Screening

  This course is designed specifically to help school personnel in conducting screenings for Usher syndrome per rule 6A-6.03013(6), F.A.C. It provides information on Usher syndrome; instructions on how to conduct a screening, including the actual forms needed to conduct a screening; and guidelines pertaining to the next steps after the screening.

  Suggested Inservice Points: 5

• Using Data to Increase Graduation Success

  This course provides instruction for district and school based staff regarding the use of early warning system (EWS) data to increase the likelihood of the on-time graduation of high school students. Information on how to access and utilize data to determine which students require interventions to stay on track is included and effective practices implemented in Florida districts are shared.

  This course is for informational purposes only. Inservice points are not available.