Program Overview

The Mild to Moderate Intervention Specialist license qualifies you to work with students who have challenging behavioral, emotional, physical, and adaptive learning needs. Mild to Moderate Intervention Specialists have abundant future employment opportunities in K-12 schools, county programs, and private facilities.

In addition, students who complete the Mild to Moderate Intervention Specialist program at Antioch University Midwest will be able to add the Moderate to Intensive Intervention Specialist as an additional teaching field by completing three additional courses. This 9 semester credit hour program prepares you to work with students who have a wide range of disabilities and/or needs in public, community, or private schools in Ohio (grades K-12). Adding this teaching field does not require a Praxis test or a second student teaching experience.

What is Special Education?

Special Education refers to specialized instruction and services for students with unique learning needs. Special educators are teachers who work collaboratively with families to develop Individualized Education Programs, provide tailored instructional support to students and general education teachers, and use explicit instructional strategies to assist students in acquiring necessary academic and life skills. Special Education is a broad field that serves students with a variety of learning, behavioral, physical, and emotional needs.

What is an Intervention Specialist?

An Intervention Specialist is a current term for a Special Educator or Special Education teacher. This term more adequately represents the roles and responsibilities of a teacher who works predominantly with students who have special needs. Providing intervention through specialized teaching or behavioral strategies, accommodating or modifying curriculum to support student learning, and working as an expert in differentiated instruction are all examples of what a special education teacher would do in a school setting.

Program Features

• an accelerated, prescribed program sequence for candidates to follow
• a cohort model that functions to provide ongoing support throughout the program
• focused field hours attached to courses (5-20 hours per course)
• evening classes so that candidates may continue to work

Cohort Group Model
You will enter as a member of a group and progress together through the program. This provides a structure for ongoing support and unique exchange within the learning experience.

Integrated Curriculum
Consistent with the best practices in education, you will learn through classes conducted in a seminar format and with course work organized in modules. Courses integrate varied learning styles and multiple intelligences.

Technology Oriented to the Educator
You will use Internet technologies to learn, teach, and facilitate networking and communication with your cohort members and your faculty.

Experienced Faculty
Faculty members have extensive experience in K-12 classrooms and higher education. These experiences make the faculty uniquely qualified to combine theory with the reality of practice and provide you with a rich and highly applicable learning experience.

Student Centered, Non-Graded Alternative Evaluation
Your progress is evaluated based on predetermined competencies that must be met in order to receive course credit. In addition, you will produce portfolios that promote self-reflection and serve as valuable ongoing resources as you enter the teaching profession.

Only evaluations equivalent to the traditional letter grades of “A” or “B” will receive credit for the course. Students who require letter grades for tuition reimbursement or employer approval are asked to complete a letter grade equivalency form available from
the program office.

Requirements

All students in the Professional Preparation Program for Teacher Licensure, regardless of the level or area of concentration they wish to teach, must meet the following requirements in order to be recommended for an Ohio Resident Educator License:

• complete and document the required focused field hours.
• complete a minimum of 12 weeks of full-time clinical work in an Antioch University Midwest approved setting.
• undergo Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) and the Federal Bureau of
• Investigation (FBI) mandatory fingerprinting (must have a clear record and be current for supplemental learning activities and license submission-reports are valid for one year). These background checks must be completed at Antioch University Midwest and clear background checks must be returned to us before initial acceptance into the program will be processed.
• pass Praxis II required tests at or above the minimum level established by theOhio Department of Education (ODE).
• successfully complete the Antioch University Midwest Professional Preparation for Teacher Licensure program coursework.
• successfully complete courses that fulfill the State of Ohio content requirements for general education and/or specified teaching concentration(s).
• pay all financial debts to Antioch University.

General Education Requirements
All students, regardless of license being sought, must complete the general education requirements. Typically, general education and content requirements will have been completed as a part of an undergraduate degree program.