What is the difference between the different emphasis areas in special education?
The mild/moderate degree prepares teachers to work with students (kindergarten through twelfth grade) with high incidence disabilities such as learning disabilities, mild/moderate behavior and emotional disorders, mild/moderate mental retardation and communication disorders. Teachers usually work in a resource room setting. Mild/moderate teachers typically teach academic skills. The severe degree prepares teachers to work with students (kindergarten through twelfth grade) with low incidence intellectual and physical disabilities such as severe mental retardation, autism, traumatic and acquired brain injury, and multiple disabilities. Severe teachers typically teach functional and life skills. The Early Childhood Degree prepares teaches to work with young children with disabilities (birth to age 5). For children birth to 3 years, the early childhood teacher typically works in early intervention programs. For children 3-5 years old, the early childhood teacher teaches in public preschool
