Supporting Students with Diverse Learning Needs

The Mild to Moderate Intervention Specialist (MMIS-K12) Non-Degree Licensure Program at Lake Erie College is a 100% online, 18-credit licensure program that prepares educators to support students with diverse learning needs in inclusive and specialized classroom settings. 

The program emphasizes evidence-based instructional strategies, assessment, and data-driven decision-making, curriculum adaptation, positive behavior supports, and collaboration with families and professionals. Through focused coursework and field-based experiences, candidates learn to design individualized instruction, monitor student progress, and create supportive learning environments that promote both academic and personal success.

This program is designed for licensed educators who wish to add the Mild to Moderate Intervention Specialist (K–12) license in Ohio, expanding their ability to serve students with disabilities across a variety of educational settings.

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Program Structure & Timeline

The MMIS program can be completed in as little as one year, depending on course load and prior coursework.

Students complete:

• 18 semester hours of graduate coursework, including:
   

  • Introduction to Mild to Moderate Intervention

  • Evidence-Based Strategies

  • Assessment and Data-Based Interventions

  • Curriculum Planning and Strategies for Mild to Moderate Disabilities

  • Positive Behavior Supports and Intervention

  • Collaboration with Families and Professionals
     

• Reading coursework (if not previously completed)
  Ohio requires 12 semester hours of coursework in reading instruction, including phonics and the science of reading, for MMIS licensure.

  • Candidates who have already completed this requirement as part of a prior program do not need to repeat it

  • For those who still need it, Lake Erie College offers these courses fully online

  • Reading coursework may be taken before, during, or after the MMIS program

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Students who need both MMIS and reading coursework can still complete requirements in about one year, though this may require taking multiple courses at once.

Field Experience

Students complete 50 hours of field experience, embedded across coursework throughout the program.

• Field hours are flexible and can be completed in a setting of your choice

• Many candidates complete hours within their current roles (e.g., teachers, paraprofessionals, tutors, substitutes)

• Others arrange placements through local schools, colleagues, or personal connections

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Licensure & Testing Requirements

To add the MMIS (K–12) license in Ohio, candidates must:

• Provide evidence of passing a pedagogy exam (e.g., Praxis II or OAE)

• Pass the following Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE):

  • Special Education Content Exam (#043)

  • Foundations of Reading Exam (#190)

While testing may be completed at any time, most candidates choose to take the content exams after completing most or all of their coursework.

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