The purpose of the Specialist in Dyslexia Therapy is to train candidates to meet the needs of students with dyslexia in public schools, non-public schools, and private centers. The program provides instruction in Structured Literacy, a proven approach that is based on current reading research. The Dyslexia Therapy techniques are based on the works of Samuel Orton and designed for students with dyslexia and related disorders.
Upon completion of the program, the candidate will have met the requirements for attaining a state AAA license in dyslexia therapy.
Candidates who successfully complete the program will be eligible to sit for the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) examination for the opportunity to gain national certification as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and the International Dyslexia Associations examination KPEERI.
The Specialist in Dyslexia Therapy program is accredited through the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA).
The program is designed to be in compliance with the 2012 Mississippi Dyslexia Law (MS Code Sec. 37-173-1). The specialist degree meets the MDE licensure requirements and has been approved by the Mississippi Department of Education and the State Board of Education.
Students who currently hold an M.Ed. in Dyslexia Therapy are not eligible for this program.