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Mission Statement for the Department of Special Education
and Communication Disorders

Our existence as a department is driven by a commitment to the worth and dignity of all persons, in particular to those persons with disabilities, and their rights to access diversity competent, individual and family centered resources and services.

To accomplish this mission, through our teaching, research, service, and staff development our goals are to:

1) Graduate students who are:

• synthesizers of information capable of applying theory to practice without losing the uniqueness of each individual,
• problem solvers and self-reflective decision makers,
• committed to advocacy and the ethics of their profession,
• effective communicators, capable of collaborative efforts,
• skilled to be life long learners who actively seek growth,
• competent users of technology, and
• contributors to the knowledge base of their field.

2) Participate in research that:

• focuses on the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families in our service region
• facilitates the active involvement of students,
• is committed to excellence in program development and implementation,
• seeks to promote and further recommended practices of the profession, and
• produces collaborative contributions to the knowledge base in Special Education and Communication Disorders.

3) Provide service to our consumers, community and profession that:

• includes active involvement in the lives of persons with disabilities,
• extends influence through advocacy,
• provides leadership through involvement in professional organizations,
• includes participation in local, regional and state committees dedicated to our consumers, and
• supports dissemination of information.

4) Maintain excellence in staff and program development through:

• development of a working environment that contributes to and supports the life long learning of faculty, staff and community partners, and
• initiation of innovative and collaborative projects/programs based on needs of the region, VSU and the College of Education.

Vision Statement

To teach and learn to our maximum potential so those with disabilities can achieve theirs...