General Catalog 2025-2026

Special Educational Services Assistant (AA)

The Associate Degree Program in Arts in Special Educational Services Assistant aims to train an educational assistant who possesses the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will allow him to adequately assist a student with learning difficulties. To achieve this goal, the Program proposes:

  • Enrich the knowledge and skills of students in the area of ​​special education through the provision of basic and intermediate level courses.
  • Train students to perform in educational environments that serve students with learning difficulties.
  • Develop in the student competencies that allow him to assist students with learning difficulties to maximize their academic achievement.

This Program does not lead to a teaching certification from the Department of Education.

The Ponce Campus is authorized to offer this program.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

This program is designed to develop the skills that allow the student:

Knowledge

  1. Identify the fundamental concepts of human learning.
  2. Recognize the difficulties in learning in the population of special education students.
  3. Define the basic concepts related to special education.

Skills

  1. Apply learning compensation techniques.
  2. Assist the student in his academic progress.
  3. Facilitate the participation of the special education student in the general curriculum.
  4. Promote the participation of the family in the teaching-learning process.

Attitudes

  1. Demonstrate sensitivity towards students with learning difficulties.
  2. Value educational and social equity.

Requirements for the Associated Degree in Arts in Special Educational Services Assistant

General Education Requirements 24 credits
Major Requirements 36 credits
Total 60 credits

General Education Requirements - 24 credits

Twenty-four (24) credits are required as set forth in the General Catalog in the General Education Requirements for Associate Degrees section. Students of this program will take GEMA 1001 in the Basic Math Skills category.

Major Requirements - 36 credits

EDUC 1080Field Experiences in The Educational Scenario I

1

EDUC 2021History and Philosophy of Education

3

EDUC 2022Society and Education

3

EDUC 2031Developmental Psychology

3

EDUC 2053Nature and Needs of Students with Autism

3

EDUC 2055Psycho-Social Aspects of Students with Autism

3

EDUC 2057Communication Aspects of Students with Autism

3

EDUC 2870The Exceptional Student Population

4

EDUC 2890Field Experiences in The Educational Scenarios Ii

2

EDUC 2905Nature and Needs of Students with Intellectual Disability and Mental Disorders

3

EDUC 2906Nature and Needs of Students with Specific Learning Problems, ADD And ADHD

3

EDUC 3015Clinical Experiences in The Educational Scenario I

2

EDUC 3054Methodology of Teaching for the Student with Autism

3

EDUC 3420Curricular Content, Diagnosis and Treatment of Learning Problems in Mathematics

3

EDUC 3440Curricular Content, Diagnosis and Treatment of Literacy Problems

3