Loyola University of Chicago has an effective program for helping general education teachers develop skills for working with students with special needs. It includes the convenience of online learning and the connection of face-to-face interaction.
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Program benefits
- Earn your endorsement while working full time, through convenient class-times and blended online formats.
- Eligibility for Learning Behavior Specialist I endorsement. The endorsement will cover the same grade range as your first endorsement.
- Study at a respected program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
- Gain experience working with diverse student populations through field-based courses.
Why Become a Learning Behavior Specialist?
The Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBSI) is designed specifically for candidates who are full-time teachers and desire to expand their working knowledge base for students with exceptionalities. This program trains teachers to meet the multiple and unique needs of students with learning, behavioral/emotional, mental, and/or physical disabilities at the elementary-, middle-, and high-school levels. Teachers trained through a non-categorical model are better prepared to work with students’ complex and multiple needs.
The LBSI Endorsement Only Program
The LBSI Endorsement Only Program will focus on building capacity for licensed teachers to become true advocates for students with disabilities, and those at risk of developing them. Practicing teacher will gain an increased understanding of academic, behavior, and quality of life supports for their students to increase their efficacy in the classroom and to build their capacity to problem solve issues related to the needs of their communities. Instructional formats include both in-person and blended online formats. Classes are delivered in a hybrid of face-to-face at convenient times to allow travel from schools and in online blended formats. The goal of the program is that up to 40% of classes are delivered online. The program is accredited by CAEP and ISBE. With additional course, candidates also can earn a masters degree.
After completing this series of courses and passing the Illinois State Board of Education LBSI Content Exam (155) candidates will be eligible for LBSI Endorsement on their current Professional Educator License.
For more information on the endorsement program, please see http://bit.ly/1Y4HGTl.
For more information on completing the full masters degree for licensed teachers with this program, please see http://bit.ly/1LarG9k
If you have specific question about the program, please contact Hank Bohanon, professor in the school of education (hbohano@luc.edu; 312-915-7099).
If you are interested in information on supports for students with special needs (e.g., positive behavior support, response to intervention, multi-tiered systems of support), you can follow Hank on Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. Or sign up for emails about supporting students with special needs at his website.