LD Concentration

Completion of the concentration in learning disabilities (LD) can lead to the Illinois Type 10 Special Education Certificate endorsed for Learning Behavior Specialist I Unlimited (LBS-I Unlimited). Our graduates may participate in multi-disciplinary diagnostic teams, provide remedial services for children, adolescents, and adults with language, learning and behavior problems, and work collaboratively with other professionals, teachers and parents.

The LD concentration typically involves seven quarters of full-time study, but may vary somewhat depending on the student's educational background. Many students pursue Illinois Certification as a Learning Behavior Specialist I. Those wishing to receive certification may need one or more additional quarters of study (including a student teaching practicum), depending on their previous course work in psychology or education. No thesis is required, but students complete a year-long case study and take a comprehensive examination during their final quarter of study.
Some features of the curriculum include:

• Course work emphasizing both normal and atypical development
  • Sample Quarterly Plan
• Coverage of all major areas of cognition and achievement, including reading, writing, mathematics, oral language, nonverbal behavior, and social perception
• Special courses related to preschoolers, adolescents, and adults with learning disabilities
• Extensive clinical practica that provide supervised diagnostic and remedial experience in the Learning Clinic on the Evanston campus and in area schools
• Extensive coverage of other exceptionalities through an emphasis on differential diagnosis
• Nationally prominent faculty with research labs investigating both basic and clinical questions in learning disabilities and related disorders Interdisciplinary opportunities through campus programs in psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, education, and language and cognition through both elective course work and numerous colloquia series

Northwestern University Conceptual Framework
As active participants in the field of education, our candidates will strive for improvement and innovation, based on inquiry that is grounded in reflection and research. Diagram of conceptual framework [pdf]