Overview of AASEP Certificates of Advanced Professional Development

An AASEP Certificate of Advanced Professional Development is a voluntary choice on the part of the candidates. The candidate for a Certificate of Advanced Professional Development wishes to demonstrate a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, administrators, other professionals, and parents. A Certificate of Advanced Professional Development establishes an advanced knowledge in a specific area of special education which will enhance the candidate’s  work with exceptional children.

A Certificate of Advanced Professional Development represents a professional’s qualifications in a specific field of professional practice in special education. It demonstrates the individual's knowledge and expertise and signifies his or her commitment to continued excellence in professional practice.

While a Certificate of Advanced Professional Development is not a degree, it is an indication of the willingness of the professional to advance their base of knowledge and commit themselves to advance the field of special education.

Benefits of Certificates of Advanced Professional Development

There are numerous reasons why professionals in the field of special education should attain AASEP Certificates of Advanced Professional Development:

• Signifies expertise, experience and commitment to continuing education and professional development.
• Lends credibility and prominence to the profession
• Exemplifies a dedication to the field of special education, above and beyond what is required
• Enhances marketability in one’s professional career
• Distinguishes individuals as leaders both in the field and the community
• Provides the perception of excellence and a competitive edge
• Exemplifies a dedication to continued excellence in professional practice

Eligibility Criteria for AASEP Certificates of Advanced Professional Development

To be eligible to enroll for an AASEP Certificate of Advanced Professional Development the candidate must meet the following criteria:

I.  Possession of a minimum of a Bachelors degree or better from any of the following:

• United States or Canadian institution of higher education fully or provisionally accredited by a regional, state, provincial or national accrediting body
• An institution of higher education located outside the United States or Canada that, at the time the applicant was enrolled and at the time the applicant graduated, maintained a standard of training equivalent to the standards of training of those institutions accredited in the United States.

II. The Bachelor level degree or higher attained by the candidate must be in a field involved with students with special needs.  These include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Adaptive Physical Education Teachers
• Administrators of Special Education 
• Art Therapists 
• Audiologists 
• Counselors 
• Dance Therapists 
• General Education Teachers
• Guidance Counselors 
• Inclusion Teachers 
• Music Therapists 
• Nurses 
• Occupational Therapists 
• Para-educators 
• Physical Therapists 
• Psychologists/ School Psychologists 
• Recreation Therapists 
• Social Workers 
• Special Education Teachers 
• Speech and Language Therapists

Get Application - Click Here

Courses Offered for AASEP Certificate of Advanced Professional Development
There are five courses available that can be completed to attain an AASEP Certificate of Advanced Professional Development.  These include:

• REVIEW OF THE MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
• PRINCIPLES of IEP DEVELOPMENT
• UNDERSTANDING ASSESSMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
• UNDERSTANDING RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI)
• SPECIAL EDUCATION ELIGIBILITY 

The candidate may take any or all courses to attain a Certificate of Advanced Professional Development. If the candidate wishes he/she may apply for AASEP Board Certification in Special Education upon the successful completion of Courses 1 through 5 above. To learn more about AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - CLICK HERE

 

Course Materials

For each of the five Certificates of Advanced Professional Development, the candidate will have online access* to the following:

• An outline of the policies and procedures for completion of the course
• Course content (Also available in a binder - Optional) 
• 100 multiple choice review questions (50 of which will be used on the examination)
• Directions for taking the 50 question multiple choice examination

* (All course materials are also available in a PDF format for offline viewing and printing)

 

Course Requirements for AASEP Certificates of Advanced Professional Development

Upon completion of each Certificate of Advanced Professional Development , a candidate must take a 50 question multiple choice examination to denote his or her competency on the area of professional development being assessed. 

Preparation for Examinations

In order to adequately prepare for each of the 5 Certificates of Advanced Professional Development examinations, the candidate has access to all course materials, 100 multiple choice review questions on the content of the course.  The 50 questions on the examination are selected from the 100 that the candidate already has had an opportunity to review in the course area. 

 
Passing Scores for Each Examination

A passing score on the 50 question examination is 80%.  A candidate has the opportunity to take an examination up to three different times.

 

Fee for AASEP Certificate of Advanced Professional Development

Our ability to provide the Certificate of Advanced Professional Development at a fee far less than other professional groups is also due to our extensive use of an online environment to present the certificate course materials, thereby avoiding the costs of producing printed materials along with the associated shipping and handling costs. For those individuals who prefer a hard copy book for study, we do provide the opportunity to purchase a certificate course binder.

In addition to an online presentation of the certificate course materials, each course is also available as a PDF file for downloading and printing offline in the comfort of your own home or office. Members of the American Academy of Special Education American Academy of Special Education Professionals (AASEP) and National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) are entitled to discounted pricing for all certificate courses.

                                                                 Member**                 Non-Member
Course Fee (Each) -                                   $95.00                       $125.00
Certificate Course Binder – (Optional)       $35.00                         $45.00
Application Fee – No Charge                         N/C                              N/C

** Members of American Academy of Special Education Professionals (AASEP) and National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)

Applicants for Certificates of Advanced Professional Development should download both the Handbook and the Application. The application can be filled in on your computer then printed for your signature. Instructions for submitting the application are included on the application.

To Download and Save - Right Click and "Save" or "Save Target As" 

CLICK HERE for APPLICATION

 

 CLICK for HANDBOOK

 Please note that the application and handbook can also be used for Board Certification.