Welcome to the Department of

Early Childhood, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling
 

We welcome you to the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling. This website showcases the outstanding accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. We prepare educators and rehabilitation counselors, conduct research, develop best practices, and participate in service-related activities that positively impact individuals in Kentucky and around the globe. The department offers degree programs at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. We offer certification programs in interdisciplinary early childhood education, learning and behavior disorders, moderate and severe disabilities, and rehabilitation counseling. In addition, we offer graduate certificate programs in assistive technology and distance education. Rank II and Rank I programs are also offered.   

The Department of Early Childhood, Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling consists of 18 tenure- track faculty, 1 clinical faculty, 5 adjunct professors, and 6 support staff. We offer on-campus and distance learning courses and degrees. Our department is active in service-learning, practicum, and fieldwork experiences. We pride ourselves on having a top-20 Rehabilitation Counseling Program, and numerous state and federal grants, including funding from the Institute for Educational Sciences, Offices of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education.

We are proud to be the home of an endowed chair in technology, an endowed professor in service-leaning, a provost distinguished service professor, an endowed chair in rehabilitation counseling, an alumni great teacher award recipient, a provost outstanding teaching award recipient, and recipients of multiple national awards. Among our alumni is a Paul Kevin Blueberry award recipient, a Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. distinguished professor endowed chair, a Kentucky Teacher of the Year and a Kentucky Educational Administrator of the year. Our staff members have been recognized with the college outstanding staff award and service awards.

The Department of Early Childhood, Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling is committed to continuing a tradition of excellence. We invite you to explore this site and learn more about the people, programs, research activities, and initiatives that shape and guide our mission of providing education and service.       

Dr. Belva Collins
Department Chair

Mission and Vision Statement

The mission of the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling is to prepare special education personnel and rehabilitation counselors to provide the best educational and rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities across the lifespan directly, through collaboration with other professionals and agencies, and through research.

The department subscribes to the concept of the teacher and rehabilitation counselor as an informed and reflective decision maker who collects and analyzes data regarding the person with disabilities, the pertinent variables, and the effectiveness of the interventions. We strive to meet the goals and objective of the College of Education and the University of Kentucky as a land grant and research extensive institution.

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