D766 is a term 6 course in WGU's Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education, listed at 2 competency units.
It introduces evidence-based instructional strategies for students with exceptionalities, with an emphasis on intensifying and individualizing interventions, progress-monitoring decisions, collaboration with general educators and paraprofessionals, and cognitive strategies.
It comes just before the literacy and mathematics strategies courses, so it supplies the toolkit those courses use. Candidates who have taught before sometimes find it easy to describe what they do but harder to justify why, using data and research-based reasoning.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University |
| Program | Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education |
| Code | D766 (check your degree plan) |
| Size and term | 2 competency units, term 6 |
| Follows | Elementary and secondary literacy and mathematics strategies (term 7) |
What D766 Covers
| Competency (WGU wording, summarized) | Key idea |
|---|---|
| Analyses data use to intensify strategies for students with mild to moderate exceptionalities | Progress data decides the next instructional move |
| Applies cognitive strategies for memory, attention, self-regulation, self-determination and independence | Students learn how to manage their own learning |
| Uses systematic instruction, evidence-based strategies and prompting procedures | Planned teaching that maximizes academic gains |
Key Concepts Explained
Reading a Decision Rule
Many teams use decision rules, such as changing instruction when several consecutive data points fall below the goal line. Whatever rule your materials give, apply it as written and say what you did.
Example: Four consecutive points sit under the goal line for a student learning multiplication facts. Possible adjustments: add a concrete-representational-abstract sequence, shorten practice to daily bursts, and add self-graphing so the student sees progress.
Self-Determination
Students become more independent when they set goals, choose strategies and evaluate results. Build these choices into instruction.
Example: A student chooses between two organizers for a writing task, sets a target for the number of complete sentences, then marks whether the target was met.
Teaching to Mastery
Mastery means consistent accuracy that holds over time and in new contexts. A plan should say what mastery looks like before teaching begins.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Data analysis and response | Decision-making from progress data | Describe the trend, name the problem, justify the change |
| Instructional sequence | Explicit teaching design | Show model, guided, independent practice and fading |
| Strategy application | Cognitive and self-regulation supports | Specify the student, skill and teaching steps |
Study Plan for a Two-Unit Course
| Week focus | Activity |
|---|---|
| Data | Practice three graphs and write a decision for each |
| Strategies | Write a teaching script for two cognitive strategies |
| Prompting | Build and test a prompt hierarchy |
| Draft | Write using rubric headings |
These are suggested study blocks, not WGU deadlines. Your pace is your own.
Writing the Plan Step by Step
A strong D766 plan reads like a short teaching script that another teacher could follow. Include each of the following in order.
- The learner and goal. Who the student is and the skill to be taught.
- Baseline data. Where the student is now.
- Instruction. Explicit steps, materials and prompts.
- Cognitive strategy. What the student will be taught to do for themselves.
- Monitoring. How often you will measure and what a decision rule would trigger.
- Collaboration. What the general educator or paraprofessional will do.
- Generalization. Where the student will practice the skill next.
Writing these seven elements in a consistent order makes it easy for the grader to find each rubric point, and for you to check none is missing.
Choosing the Right Lever
Graduate answers explain why one change is better than another. Use the table as a thinking aid when you interpret a data set.
| Pattern in the data | Likely response |
|---|---|
| Flat line, many errors on the same step | More explicit modeling of that step |
| Flat line, accurate but slow | More practice time and fluency building |
| Improvement in class, not elsewhere | Plan for generalization across settings |
| Good accuracy only with prompts | Systematic fading plan |
Whatever you choose, state the next check date so the decision can be tested.
Showing Graduate-Level Reasoning
Graduate answers explain why. After each choice, add a short clause that gives the reason: because the data show errors on one step, because the student's attention drops after ten minutes, because generalization has not yet been tested. Those clauses show the grader that your decisions come from evidence and learner characteristics rather than habit.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Experience instead of evidence. Cite research-based practices and data.
- One-size strategies. Individualize for the learner described.
- No fading plan. State how support reduces.
- Unclear success criteria. Define mastery.
Study Tips for D766
- Pick one skill and carry it through all three competencies.
- Write plans in numbered steps.
- Define each strategy in one sentence before applying it.
- Keep the rubric next to your draft.
How We Help with D766
Send the instructions, rubric and your draft. We explain strategies, prepare custom plans or give feedback. The strategies are applied next in D767.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Our work is a study and reference aid: use it to understand the method, then write and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity policy.
Every order is written from scratch, plagiarism-checked, includes free revisions within the scope of your original request, and is refunded in full if it is late.
Sharpen Your D766 Plan
Share the task and draft. We prepare a custom plan or give feedback so you can see exactly how precise to be.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The MAT Special Education guidebook lists 2 competency units, in term 6.
Same description. D758 is undergraduate at 3 units; D766 is the master's version at 2 units.
Teaching until a student performs a skill accurately, consistently and in new settings.
A planned way of helping a student respond correctly, with prompts reduced over time.
Yes, using progress-monitoring data to make instructional decisions is central.
No. We tutor and give custom plans and feedback. You submit your own work.