Online Special Education, M.A.

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“The Masters of Arts in Special Education program has truly transformed the way I instruct and assess students in the classroom. From cross-cutting concepts to real world applications, I feel that the research, application, and real-world experience of faculty enhance the educational program for all students. I have found that when we moved to online instruction was as engaging and supportive as the face to face classroom!” 

“Already having a Teacher of Students with Disabilities teaching certification (TOSD), I was able to complete my M.A. in Special Education at Rider while earning my Reading Specialist Certificate in 30 credits. I found the program both beneficial and rewarding. I had the opportunity to learn about research-based practices and apply them to my teaching. I was also able to compare different field experiences and discuss strategies and methods with peers and the faculty in all my courses. I was able to discuss techniques used in the classroom to help my readers, and was given different formal and informal assessments to better understand my students’ strengths and challenges. I discussed the results with my professors and was able to create plans to better help my readers and students with disabilities. This helped not only myself, but also my students and their parents as I shared the strategies with them. Participating in these programs ultimately allowed me to grow as a teacher and to better understand my students, their needs, and ways to effectively teach them.”

“As a student in the graduate TOSD and M.A. program, I studied in classes that allowed me to understand brain-based learning and how students with special needs differ from their typically developing peers. Support from professors, class discussion, research and collaborating with peers about evidence-based practices allowed me to better my instruction and meet the needs of my students. As an eighth-grade teacher in a vocational school district, I found that the positive behavior support strategies I learned in the program also strongly impacted my students’ motivation and performance in the classroom!”