About the Program

The online Graduate Certificate in Multilingual Special Education equips school professionals to understand and apply evidence-based practices and educational policies to support multilingual learners with disabilities and other culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities.

You’ll learn how to:

• Understand and address the individual and developmental needs of each student
• Use assessment to understand the learner and the learning environment
• Understand current issues and challenges related to implementing effective practices and policies for multilingual learners with disabilities
• Apply the latest research in effective instructional practices and interventions
• Promote inclusive education and stakeholder collaboration
• Develop knowledge and skills to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of students and their families

This certificate can also be a stepping stone into the M.Ed. in Special Education program.

You’ll learn to implement assessment procedures and pedagogical practices that enhance the school climate, social-emotional growth, and academic achievement for multilingual learners with disabilities.

The demand for educators who can support multilingual learners with disabilities is growing. The National Education Association (2020) predicts that by 2025, 25% of U.S. school-age students will be a multilingual learner. According to the Office of Special Education Programs, as of 2020, over 3% of students with disabilities in Maine are multilingual learners. This student population has grown by 52% between 2012 and 2020.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are projected to be about 35,900 openings for special education teachers each year, on average, from 2022 to 2032. The median annual wage for special education teachers was $65,910 in May 2023, higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $48,060.