William Hitchings, PhD

Associate Professor, Graduate Special Education and Post Secondary Disabilities
Office: Ambrose Hall 208
Phone: 563-333-6113
Email: HitchingsWilliamE@sau.edu 

Biographical Information

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My Focus: M.Ed. in Post Secondary Disability Services Program

Over the past 10 years, community colleges, 4 year colleges and universities have seen a dramatic increase in the number of students with disabilities seeking to continue their education.  And, this trend is expected to continue for some time.  More and more institutions, both community and four year, are searching for qualified personnel to work with students who have disabilities and who, with additional assistance, can be successful. 

In response to the need for qualified personnel, St. Ambrose University established the M.Ed. in Post Secondary Disability Services Program. This program is a 39 semester hour professional degree program built on the philosophy that special services for individuals should not stop at high school level, but should be available at the university and adult service level.  Individuals can pursue one of  two options: higher education and community agency.  The college/university option addresses those wishing to pursue careers in disabilities service at the community college or four year college level. The second option focuses on providing training for individuals wishing to pursue a career in community services providing assistance to developmentally disabled adults. 

Specific Materials Pertaining to P.S.D.S. Classes:

Sequence of Classes Offered (Not yet available)

SPED 660. Career Management & Transitioning for the Disabled 3 credits
Emphasis is placed on various models used for providing vocational/career education to individuals with special needs. Students study career assessment, programming and various transition models. Prerequisite: SPED 210 or equivalent.

SPED 676. Assistive Technology      2 credits
Designed for graduate students seeking to work in postsecondary institutions with adults with disabilities, this course covers various aspects of assistive technology used for individuals with disabilities. Focus will be on identifying, purchasing, and using various types of assistive devices at the postsecondary level. Prerequisites: SPED 672, 674, or employment in disability services and the consent of the instructor.

EDUC 710. Research Methods    3 credits
This course will provide students with basic skills in conducting educational research including rationale, types of research methodology and ethics.

EDUC 711. Research Statistics       3 credits
This course is an introduction and application of descriptive statistics, correlation estimation, and hypothesis testing through the use of the t, ANOVA, and Chi Square.