1. To satisfy minimum entrance requirements for admission to the course for the Graduate Diploma in Special Education a candidate must have:
(a) (i) successfully completed a degree or diploma of at least three years duration post-HSC or equivalent from an approved institution plus at least one year teacher training and appropriate experience;
or
(ii) successfully completed an approved diploma including teacher training, of at least three years duration post-HSC, or equivalent, and appropriate experience;
or
(iii) a qualification and/or expenence approved by the Academic Board as equivalent to (i) or (b) suitable personal qualities.
- 2. To be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Special Education a student shall have pursued his/her studies in the course for the equivalent of one full academic year.
3. The subjects of the course and the conditions on which subjects may be taken shall be as prescribed - from time to time by the Academic Board.
4. The regulations of the course, together with the details of subjects and their prerequisites and special entry conditions shall be published in the Handbook of the Melbourne College of Advanced Education or supplements thereto.
5. No student may pursue a course of study or receive credit for subjects taken unless his/her proposed selection of subjects has been approved by the Academic Board. It is the responsibility of each student to obtain this approval before embarking on subjects.
6. A student, who, having completed part, or all, of another course of study at tertiary level, enrols in the course for the Graduate Diploma in Special Education, may, with the approval of the Academic Board, be given credit for subjects the equivalent of which have been passed in the other course.
7. The maximum amount of credit awarded under Regulation 6 shall be 40 per cent of the course, except that those students who possess either the Trained Homecrafts Teacher's Certificate, and/or the Trained Special Teacher's Certificate, may be awarded credit in up to 70 per cent of the course.
8. The Academic Board may allow a student to include in his/her course subjects offered by another institution which are, in its opinion, of an appropriate standard and relevant to the candidates course of study.
9. Students enrolled in the course may undertake studies on either a full-time or part-time basis, provided that the total duration of such studies does not exceed three years.
10. The Graduate Diploma in Special Education may be awarded to a student who has fulfilled the prescribed conditions and who has gained a cumulative score of at least 36 points provided that:
(a) at least 8 points have been gained in Group 1;
(b) at least 16 points have been gained in Group 2;
(c) at least 4 points have been gained in Group 3; and (d) at least 6 points have been gained in Group 4,
11. The subjects in the Graduate Diploma in Special Education shall be:
Group 1: Special Education Studies Points
SPF59 Studies of Children and Adolescents with Special Needs 2
SPF60 Assessment Approaches and Practices 2
SPF61 Cumcutum and Teaching Approaches and Practices 2
SPF62 Systems of Support for Exceptional Children and Adolescents 2 Group 2: Practicum
SPF07 School Experience Practicum 9
SPF09 Research Method in Special Education 4
SPF63 Special Assistance Practicum 3
Group 3: Area Studies
SPF20 Education of the Mentally Retarded 2
SPF21 Education of the Physically Handicapped 2
SPF40 Education of the Socially Disadvantaged 2
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SPF50 Education of the Emotionally Disturbed 2
SPF53 Education of Children and Adolescents with Learning bifficutties 2 Group 4: Specialisation Studies
A. Curriculum
SPF11 Art and the Exceptional Child (Advanced) 2
SPF12 Art and the Exceptional Child (Basic) 2
SPF13 Assessment and Remediation of Difficulties in Language 2 SPF16 Instructional Approaches for Teaching Reading to the Handicapped 2
SPF18 Drama and the Handicapped Child 2
SPF19 Early Childhood Development and Education 2
SPF23 Homecraft Curriculum in Special Education Settings 2
SPF24 Food Study and Health Education 2
SPF25 Giftedness 2
SPF28 Independent Study 2
SPF32 Motor-Sensory Programs 2
SPF38 Mathematics Education for the Handicapped 2
SPF43 Socialisation, Employment and Independence for the Handicapped 2
SPF47 Threads and Textilecrafts for Handicapped Persons 2
SPF51 Assessment and Remediation of Difficulties in Reading 2 SPF52 Assessment and Remediation of Difficulties in Mathematics 2
SPF57 Instructional Technology in Special Education 2
B. Support Services
SPF14 Behaviour Methodology in Special Education 2
SPF17 The Culturally Different Child 2
SPF27 Human Sexuality 2
SPF28 Independent Study 2
SPF33 Organisational Procedures for Special Settings 2
SPF34 Introduction to Parent Counselling 2
SPF42 Social Work in Education 2
SPF48 The Teacher and Human Relations 2
SPF55 Law and the Handicapped 2
Notes
1. A student enrolling in the General strand must enrol only in:
(a) All Group 1 subjects (b) All Group 2 subjects (c) Three of the Group 3 subjects
(d) Three of the Group 4 subjects, arranged in one of the following combinations:
(i) one curriculum subject and two support services subjects Or
(ii) two curriculum subjects and one support services subject.
2. A student enrolling in the Learning Difficulties strand must enrol only in:
(a) All Group 1 subjects (b) All Group 2 subjects
(c) Subject SPF53 and one other 'area' subject in Group 3
(d) Subjects SPF13, SPF51 and SPF52 from Group 4A and one other subject from Group 4B.
3. A student enrolling in the Social-Emotional strand must enrol only in:
(a) All Group 1 subjects (b) All Group 2 subjects
(c) Subjects SPF50 and SPF40 in Group 3
(d) Subjects SPF42 and SPF55 from Group 4B and two subjects from Group 4A.
4. A student enrolling in the Integrated Studies (Homecrafts) strand must enrol only in:
(a) All Group 1 subjects (b) All Group 2 subjects
(c) Two subjects from Group 3 .
(d) Subjects SPF23, SPF24 and SPF47 from Group 4A and one subject from Group 4B.
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5. A student enrolling in the Intellectual Disabilities strand must enrol only in:
(a) All Group 1 subjects (b) All Group 2 subjects
(c) Subject SPF20 and one other subject from Group 3
(d) Subjects SPF16 and SPF38 from Group 4 together with two of the following Group 4 subjects:
SPF13, SPF14, SPF43 and SPF34.
6. A student undertaking the. Integrated Studies (Art and Crafts) strand must enrol only in:
(a) All Group 1 subjects (b) All Group 2 subjects (c) Two subjects from Group 3
(d) Subjects SPF11 and SPF12 from Group 4A and one other subject from each of Groups 4A and 4B.
7. A student may undertake only one Independent Study.
8. A student must complete Group 1 before proceeding to other Groups.
9. Group 4 can only be taken concurrently with, or subsequent to, completion of Group 3 studies.
10. The offenng of the above subjects in any one year will depend on staff availability.
These regulations should be read in conjunction with all documents relating to procedures of the Academic Board.
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Advice to StudentsAdvice to Students
The Graduate Diploma in Special Education is a one year post-graduate course which provides an introduction to all areas of teaching handicapped children, with the exception of children with a hearing deficit.
The course aims to prepare the student to:
(a) acquire a general understanding of the total special educational field;
(b) act as an educational consultant in his/her field;
(c) administer, evaluate and interpret selected tests;
(d) develop programs to assist the educational progress of handicapped children;
(e) understand his/her role in an inter-disciplinary approach with professional colleagues and in relation to other community organisations, institutions and agencies;
(f) plan and implement in-service and support programs;
(g) design and conduct educational research;
(h) investigate and evaluate the outcomes of relevant educational systems, practices and innovations;
(i) be informed about current issues and trends in special education.