Students With Disabilities CST NYSTCE (060)

Tahira verbally and physically assaulted her teacher, Mrs. Cummings. The verbal assault is against district policy and is regarded as a grave infraction. Tahira's parents and a team of school personnel are meeting to determine: (1) the relationship of Tahira's disability and the circumstances of the attack and (2) the disciplinary action to follow. This meeting is called a A. manifestation review B. disciplinary meeting C. emergency CSE meeting D. school board review meeting

(A) (A) is the correct choice because a manifestation review deals specifically with the manifestation of the student's actions and how it relates to their disability. In addition, a disciplinary action will be considered. This distinguishes a manifestation review from choices (B), (C), and (D).

Can a district evaluate a student for an initial referral without the parents' consent? A. no, a district must have the parents' written consent B. yes, the district can at any time evaluate a student without parental consent. C. maybe, if the district has verbal consent. D. possibly, if the parents do not respond in 30 days

(A) A New York State( school district must have written parental permission to evaluate a student for an initial referral.

On Keisha's IEP there is a statement of Placement Recommendations stating where her IEP will be implemented. Which one of the following choices is not a probable location? A. self-contained class B. approved private pre-school C. public school D. residential care facility

(A) A self-contained class is a program service and not a placement recommendation location of where the IEP will take place. The IEP must state where the plan is to be executed. Choices (B), (C), and (D) are all probable locations.

Piper has severe hearing loss. When she communicates she uses a combination of oral speech and sign language. This method is referred to as cued speech. Why would using speech and sign language together benefit some students? A. some words look similar when they are spoken, so a sign helps differentiate similar words B. sign language benefits some students who have difficulty communicating C. using sign language and speech make communication more inefficient D. using speech and sign language together ensures that the student can remember what he is trying to communicate

(A) Sign language with speech helps students to identify words when they are reading lips. The signs cue the students to understand the spoken word.

Which is the best example of an IEP Annual Goal? A. Scott will solve math problems that involve addition and subtraction of three- and four-digit numbers with 90% accuracy on 7 out of 10 tests, in which he will be assessed weekly through the use of classroom assessment and classwork worksheets. B. Scott will solve math problems that involve addition and subtraction of three- and four-digit numbers with 80% accuracy on 9 out of 10 tests, in which he will be assessed weekly. C. Scott will solve math problems that involve addition and subtraction of three- and four-digit numbers with 70% accuracy on 8 out of 10 tests. D. Scott will solve math problems with 90% accuracy on 7 out of 10 tests, in which he will be assessed weekly through the use of worksheets.

(A) According to the NYS Department of Education and the recommended statewide IEP, an annual goal must contain four components. 1: a description of what the student will be expected to achieve by the end of the year. (Scott will solve math problems that involve addition and subtraction of three- and four-digit numbers) 2: a criteria which is a measure to determine if the goal has been achieved (with 90% accuracy) 3: The method how the progress will be measured (Scott will meet the criteria on no less that 7 out of the 10 tests) 4: The schedule by which progress will be measured (Scott will be assessed weekly) Choice (A) is complete, whereas the other choices are missing a component.

Willow is not successful at manipulating the blending and segmentation of phonemes used in speech. Which is the best next step that her teacher could implement to address this specific need? A. work on activities to develop Willow's phonemic awareness. B. devise vocabulary study guides to increase word knowledge. C. orally read passages to Willow so she can develop her listening skills. D. provide Willow with a graphic organizer during reading instruction.

(A) Although all of the choices could be implemented, the best next step would be to work with Willow on developing her phonemic awareness.

According to New York State Department of Education regulations, which of the following best represents the membership of the special education committee? A. the parents, regular education teacher, special education teacher, school psychologist B. special education teacher, school nurse, principal, school counselor C. assistant principal, regular education teacher, parent member, reading teacher D. the parents, reading teacher, principal, school social worker

(A) Although it is recommended to have any professionals who are knowledgeable about the student, their learning needs, and the services provided by the district, New York State policy mandates that certain professionals be a part of the committee. Choice (A) is the best representation of that membership.

Emily suffered an accident and sustained memory and hearing loss. She was evaluated by a physician and also received an education evaluation that measured learning and adaptive behavior. As a result of a CSE meeting, Emily was classified with Traumatic Brain Injury. Emily is in your class and you have determined that she would benefit from curriculum overlapping in which she will participate in A. the same activities but have different goals from her classmates B. different activities and goals from her classmates C. the same activities and have the same goals as her classmates D. none of the class activities and use only IEP goals

(A) By definition, curriculum overlapping is defined as a strategy in which students with disabilities participate in the same activities as their classmates, but the goals and objectives may be different.

Mrs. King has fifteen students in her class. Most have been classified with high-incidence disabilities. When planning instruction, Mrs. King uses strategies that will benefit all students in her class although they have varying classifications. This approach to making instructional adjustments for her students is called a A. cross-categorical approach B. cross-classification approach C. category approach D. high-incidence approach

(A) Choice (A) defines the approach that Mrs. King has implemented.

One essential skill taught in self-determination is A. setting goals B. counting C. recognizing the alphabet D. memorizing historical dates

(A) Choice (A) is the only choice that is a component of self-determination.

During a discrete trial, Emily is learning to make a request. Emily needs some help so Mr. Nigel, her teacher, models the behavior. Mr. Nigel is A. providing Emily a prompt through modeling B. showing Emily how to make the request C. reinforcing Emily's positive behavior D. withholding the reinforcer

(A) Mr. Nigel is modeling the behavior through prompting. Although he is showing her the behavior as he prompts, some aspects of the behavior will not be modeled so that Emily will need less prompting to engage in the behavior. Choice (A) is precise and accurate and a part of our academic vocabulary as Special Education Teachers.

Mr. Tsu is planning a reading unit for his 7th grade science class. Assessment from the last unit shows that the majority of the students scored above 75%. Mr. Tsu begins to analyze the other 25%. Before he begins his planning, he uses this information to make a(n) A. data-based decision B. individualized assessment plan C. individualized education plan D. unit plan

(A) Mr. Tsu uses data to inform his planning of instruction. Using data to make these decisions is referred to as a data-based decision.

Mrs. Alverez and Mrs. Chen are co-teachers. While Mrs. Alverez teaches, Mrs. Chen gathers data. This collaborative approach is called A. one teach, one observe B. one teach, one drift C. cooperative learning D. station teaching

(A) Mrs. Alverez is teaching while Mrs. Chen observes students and collects data.

For purposes of progress monitoring as part of the RTI process, which type of assessment would be the least useful? A. norm-referenced test B. curriculum-based assessment C. universal screening measures D. class tests

(A) Norm-referenced tests are not recommended to be given as frequently as you would need to test for progress monitoring. In addition, norm reference tests are used to compare the student's performance against a sample of the population which is not the assessment question in progress monitoring. The desired data is to compare the student's performance against himself over time.

To enhance students' memory of various steps in a process, you could teach them to A. create a mnemonic for the steps B. study the information by reading it multiple times C. research the steps and write a paragraph about each step D. write the steps ten times each night

(A) Research shows that teaching students to create mnemonic devices will aid in retention and also activate recall.

Jonathan has been diagnosed with autism. He often does not understand social expectations. To teach Jonathan how to respond in social situations, Mrs. Mohammad, Jonathan's teacher, uses examples and situations known as A. social stories B. social studies C. social dynamics D. social relationships

(A) Social stories are used to teach children with disabilities appropriate social expectations through reading examples of social situations.

Measurable Annual Goals must include all of the following except A. testing modification B. criteria C. evaluation method D. evaluation schedule

(A) Testing modifications is a separate section of the IEP. and not a part of the measurable annual goals. The annuals goals must have information on what the student will achieve, the criteria, an evaluation method, and an evaluation schedule of progress monitoring. Testing accommodations are not a part of that statement.

Gloria is beginning her special education program services next week. To prepare Gloria for the program, what three essential parts about her services does she need to know which are also required on the IEP? A. the program's location, frequency, and duration B. the program's student roster, duration, and teacher's name C. the program's location, student roster, and school name D. the program's duration, location, and teacher's name

(A) The program's location, frequency, and duration are all required and necessary information that Gloria needs.

A classroom setting in which a General Education Teacher and Special Education Teacher work together with student who are typical and have disabilities is best described in Part 200 of the Regulations of the New York State Commissioner of Education as a(n) A. integrated co-teaching class B. resource room class C. special education class D. inclusion class

(A) The question describes best the integrated co-teaching class setting. Choice (D) is not defined in part 200.

Ms. James uses the Strategic Intervention Model (SIM) mnemonic PIRATES for test taking. She tells the students to write PIRATES on the top of the page. The first step "P" stands for "prepare to succeed." Ms. James knows that this is important because research advocates that A. having a positive mental attitude before taking a test may increase the student's accuracy rate B. writing something down before taking a test causes students with disabilities to become motivated C. thinking about this mnemonic will activate the student's prior knowledge on the subject matter D. engaging in the strategy will cause students to sustain attention for more than two hours

(A) This is the only choice that is supported by research or evidence.

A strategy used to teach individuals with low-incidence disabilities to communicate with another person through the structured use of pictures is known as A. PECS (picture exchange communication system) B. PMS (picture memory system) C. PMDS (picture memory decoding system) D. PRTS (picture recall to tell system)

(A) This system uses pictures to elicit communication.

Claire's behavior in class is very disruptive. Claire blurts out an answer before being called on and before the speaker finishes asking the question. She can never wait for her turn and interrupts conversations and games as if she has no mediated thoughts. Ms. Simmons has used an ABC analysis to determine the function of her disruptive behavior. Ms. Simmons has determined that the negative peer attention that occurs after her disruptive behavior increases the frequency of Claire's disruptive behavior. In this analysis, negative peer attention A. is an antecedent of Claire's disruptive behavior B. is a consequence to Claire's disruptive behavior C. is a behavior that is disruptive D. has a negative effect on the frequency of Claire's disruptive behavior

(B) A consequence is what happens following the behavior.

Which is the best example of the information concerning a related service found on an IEP? A. speech language, Individual delivery, 30 minutes, in the classroom B. physical therapy, small group delivery, twice a week, 40 minutes, in the therapy room, beginning 10/2015 C. occupational therapy, twice a week, 30 minutes D. adaptive physical education, 45 minutes, in the gym, beginning 3/2015

(B) According to NYS policy and the recommended statewide IEP, service delivery must be reported to include: the type of service, the frequency, the duration, where the service will be provided, and the projected start date. Answer (B) is the only choice that fulfills the complete state criteria.

Once a school district is in receipt of a request for an initial referral, the school district has A. forty days to request parent consent to imitate the evaluation B. ten days to provide the parent with a copy of the referral and to inform the parents of their rights C. forty days to begin the evaluation D. fifty days to implement the IEP

(B) According to New York State policy, districts must inform parents of the referral and their rights within ten days.

To begin his class, Mr. Deeds has his students read a list of questions that help to activate prior knowledge and encourage students to make predictions about what they will learn. Mr. Deeds is using a(n) A. graphic organizer B. anticipation guide C. a think sheet D. brainstorming strategy

(B) An anticipation guide activates prior knowledge and has been evidenced as an effective teaching strategy.

The multidisciplinary team is creating Jenna's IEP. In regards to placement in general education, the team must A. place Jenna in a general education class B. justify her placement if she is not participating in general education C. explain her placement to the Board of Education D. report her placement in special education to the Board of Cooperative Educational Service

(B) As part of the IEP process, a justification statement must be made that explains the considerations of the students to participate in regular education. If a decision is made that the student will not participate in general education, the rationale must appear on the document.

Courtney is an active and engaged reader, but often does not fully understand a passage. You observe that Courtney does not understand that word endings such as "-s" and "-ed" change the meaning of a word. You also observe that Courtney struggles with understanding prefixes such as "pre-" or "mis-." For example, Courtney explains a paragraph incorrectly because she defines misfortune as "something good that happens." The first strategy you will implement to address this need will be to A. color-code all of Courtney's spelling words before the next test B. provide direct instruction in word structure or morphology to Courtney C. give Courtney a dictionary and instruct her to use it while reading D. provide a behavior chart to keep Courtney on task while reading

(B) By teaching word structure and morphology, Courtney will be able to detect prefixes, root words, and suffixes.

Behavioral Intervention Plans are required for all except A. students that exhibit persistent behaviors that impede their learning or are disruptive to the class and impede the learning of others, despite school wide interventions such as Positive Behavioral Supports or class wide interventions such as behavioral contracts. B. students who are in special education classes and are classified with a low-incidence disability or a learning disability C. students whose behavior places themselves or others at risk of harm or injury D. students being considered for more restrictive placement as a result of the students' behaviors

(B) Choices (A), (C), and (D) are based on New York State policy and reasons for mandating a Behavior Intervention Plan. Choice (C) does not apply and students are not mandated nor do they need a Behavior Intervention Plan based on the classification of their disability.

Victoria is severely disabled. You are working with Victoria and want her to tell you about what she did over the weekend. Which strategy could you use to get Victoria to share this information? A. instruct Victoria to write a paragraph B. provide precut pictures and have Victoria point to the picture that best shows what she did over the weekend C. ask Victoria to give a five minute oral speech about her weekend D. direct Victoria to write three sentences about her weekend

(B) For students with severe disabilities, choice (B) is the most appropriate answer.

Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Kendall are co-teachers. Their classroom students are divided into three groups. One group works with Mrs. Smith and one group works with Mrs. Kendall. The third group works on a group project based on pre-planned activities designed by the teachers. This collaboration approach is called A. cooperative learning B. station teaching C. parallel teaching D. alternative teaching

(B) In station teaching, the class is divided into groups that are teacher- and student-facilitated.

Madison was assessed and it was determined that she is unable to perceive the differences in vowel and consonant sounds. This is a problem with A. visual perception B. auditory discrimination C. hearing D. figure-ground discriminations

(B) Madison is unable to distinguish or discriminate the different phonemes.

Mrs. Raymond and Mr. Devon are co-teachers. Mr. Devon takes the lead and teaches students how to use the order-of-operation strategy known as PEMDAS. While Mr. Devon teaches, Mrs. Raymond walks around the room helping students and making sure they are following the correct order. This collaboration approach is called A. one teach, one drift B. one teach, one assist C. one teach, one score D. one teach, one alternate

(B) Mr. Devon teaches and Mrs. Raymond assists students one on one with the order of operations.

Mrs. Kelly asks the class to repeat and recall sentences. Each day the sentences become longer. She does this every day as an exercise to improve the students' A. auditory skills B. auditory memory C. auditory blending D. auditory discrimination

(B) Mrs. Kelly is teaching students to remember longer sentences. Doing this orally taps into the skill of auditory memory. To improve upon the skill set needed for choices (C) and (D), memorizing sentences and adding length would not be the best exercise. Choice (A) is not precise because (B), (C), and (D) are all auditory skills. The precise auditory skill is choice (B), making it the best choice.

Mrs. Tau is teaching her students how to give positive feedback during student presentations. Part of her lesson includes listening behaviors. Mrs. Tau then teaches the students how to take turns when speaking and giving compliments. This is an example of A. manners training B. social skills training C. social advocacy training D. self-determination training

(B) Mrs. Tau is teaching the students how to demonstrate social skills that are valued in society. Social skills training is an evidenced-based practice that focuses on appropriate behaviors. Choices (A) and (D) are also evidenced-based practices, but are not social skills training as exampled by Mrs. Tau.

Questions 53 to 55 refer to the following: Mr. Tower is conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment with Tyrone. Tyrone's target behavior is that he puts his head down on the desk during his 5th period science class for about half of the class period. Mr. Tower notes that Tyrone has lunch during 4th period. Mr. Tower usually ignores Tyrone's behavior, but now realizes it must be addressed. Mrs. Ludly, the school nurse, observes Tyrone's behavior. She reports that "Tyrone does not pay attention in science class." She tells Mr. Tower that this statement should be the problem behavior on the FBA. Mr. Tower disagrees. Do you agree with Mrs. Ludly or Mr. Tower? A. Mrs. Ludly because Tyrone is most likely sleeping when his head is down B. Mr. Tower because he has described an observable, measurable behavior C. Mrs. Ludly because she has pinpointed the behavior problem D. Mr. Tower because he has observed Tyrone more frequently

(B) On the FBA, the behavior must be described in observable, measurable terms.

Which of the following is a method of collaboration that strengthens the home-school relationship and provides the teachers and parents opportunity for direct communication? A. parent education B. parent conferences C. parent involvement D. parent associations

(B) Parent conferences allow an opportunity for teachers and parents to collaborate on the education of the student.

Lydia has a chart on her desk and a short list of behaviors she is working on. Every fifteen minutes she looks at the behaviors and records her progress. This is an example of A. charting B. self-monitoring C. recording D. self-reinforcement

(B) Self-monitoring involves that student taking ownership of their behavior through reflective practice. By charting her behaviors every fifteen minutes, Lydia can evaluate her performance to her actual goals.

Kelly has difficulty communicating verbally. She has developmentally hit most expected benchmarks, but her communication skills are delayed. Which classification would most likely appear on Kelly's IEP? A. autism B. speech and language impairment C. intellectual disability D. emotional behavioral disability

(B) Speech and language disabilities are characterized by a lack of age-appropriate development in communication. The fact that Kelly is developmentally appropriate in all other areas rules out choices (A) and (C). There is not enough information to indicate choice (D).

Gabby has an intellectual disability as well as an orthopedic impairment. In which category of disability should she be classified? A. intellectual disability B. multiple disabled C. orthopedic impairment D. other health impaired

(B) Students who have characteristics of two or more federally defined categories of disability fall into the category of multiple disabilities.

Maya has difficulty with speech and language tasks. She uses text-to-speech on her iPad to express thoughts, needs, and wants. Implementing the use of this in your classroom best demonstrates A. specialized curriculum B. assistive technology C. annual goals D. speech as a related service

(B) Text to speech software and/or an iPad are technologies that will assist Maya's learning needs. Therefore, it is assistive technology.

During a lesson, you observe Mr. Singh's students working on the same objective: one group is reading a play; another group is listening to a recording; a third group is cutting out pictures for a collage; and a fourth group is creating a song. You are sure that Mr. Singh has set up A. cooperative groups to achieve different goals B. cooperative groups based on learning style preferences C. groups based on the amount of time needed to complete the assignment D. groups based on academic need or tiers

(B) The activities described in the cooperative groups suggest planning based on different learning style preferences.

Lisa is a new student in your class. She has an IEP. You are planning instruction but need to know what Lisa is expected to achieve by the end of the year. Which section of the IEP best articulates this information? A. The Present Levels of Performance B. The Annual Goals C. The Short-Term Objectives D. The Evaluation Scores

(B) The annual goals and objectives state the projected learning which will be achieved by the end of the school year.

Mr. Wise is an inclusion teacher planning for the upcoming school year. To begin, he thinks about the four major areas that make up instructional environments and ponders how he will accommodate all of his students. What are the four areas Mr. Wise has in mind? A. physical organization, cooperative learning, materials, and assistive technology B. organization, grouping, technology, and methods C. routines, organization, physical plant, and technology D. visual schedule

(B) The four areas that make up instructional environments are organization, grouping, technology, and methods. Parts of the other choices would fall into one of the categories present in choice (B).

Tests such as the New York State English Language Arts Assessments and the Regents exams A. show growth between student populations B. are criterion-reference tests C. are norm-reference tests D. social stories

(B) These types of tests compare students' performance on curriculum as defined by the New York State Learning Standards and Common Core Standards.

Justin has a twelve-month IEP. Justin is unable to maintain developmental levels when he is away from school for long periods of time. The school developed and issued the twelve-month IEP to prohibit A. loss of memory B. substantial regression C. transition loss D. loss of vision

(B) Twelve-month programs are designed for students who would suffer substantial regression if they were out of school for the summer months. These students also require a higher intensity of individualized attention with high levels of management needs.

All of the students in Mrs. Perrone's class are being assessed for academic problems early to identify those who are having difficulties despite an evidenced-based Tier 1 program. This assessment is part of the RTI process and is called A. universal design B. universal screening C. criterion-based assessments D. norm-based assessments

(B) Universal screening is conducted on all students as a proactive measure in Tier 1.

On Sheldon's IEP, it states that Sheldon will attend a two-year college with the purpose of taking courses in child day care. Where on the IEP should this information be documented? A. Present Levels of Performance B. Management Need C. Post-Secondary Goal D. Evaluation Statement

(C) A Post-Secondary Goal states the career-related goal and what the student aspires to do after high school.

Questions 53 to 55 refer to the following: Mr. Tower is conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment with Tyrone. Tyrone's target behavior is that he puts his head down on the desk during his 5th period science class for about half of the class period. Mr. Tower notes that Tyrone has lunch during 4th period. Mr. Tower usually ignores Tyrone's behavior, but now realizes it must be addressed. If Mr. Tower decided to tap Tyrone on the shoulder when his head is down, instead of ignoring his behavior, Mr. Tower is changing the A. antecedent of the behavior B. behavior C. reinforcement of the behavior D. intervention plan

(C) A reinforcement of a behavior is what occurs after the behavior. Mr. Tower would be changing the reinforcement of the behavior.

Mr. Johnson is a specialist who works with students who have special needs. You observe Mr. Johnson work with students on verbally labeling objects, sentence combining, and auditory tasks. Mr. Johnson is A. a sign language interpreter B. an occupational therapist C. a speech and language therapist D. a physical therapist

(C) A speech and language therapist helps students with verbal and auditory tasks. Mr. Johnson is a speech and language therapist.

Keiko had an outburst in class and began to exhibit an out of control rage. His aide, Miss Chamblin, escorted him to a room down the hall so that he could de-escalate and regain control of himself. Keiko knows that once he is ready to return to the classroom, he may. This procedure is written in his Behavior Intervention Plan. Miss Chamblin most likely escorted Keiko to the A. empty classroom B. school suspension room C. time-out room D. teachers and staff cafeteria

(C) A time-out room is an area for students to regain control and, as per New York State policy, has conditions and characteristics which distinguish a time out room from simply removing a student to another room. One of those conditions is that the student knows the purpose for removal and how this strategy relates to the overall Behavior Intervention Plan.

Mary has been diagnosed with autism and needs a clear, consistent schedule explained to her ahead of time. Mary needs which of the following aids displayed in the classroom? A. behavior chart B. rules chart C. visual schedule D. picture chart

(C) A visual schedule is used with students who have autism so that the student can see what will occur during the school day.

According to IDEA, how many federally defined disability classifications are there? A. 12 B. 14 C. 13 D. 10

(C) According to IDEA there are 13 federally defined categories of disability.

Writing in sand, tapping out sounds, using blending blocks, and skywriting are all activities that are A. audio/visual B. auditory/sensory C. tactile/kinesthetic D. gross motor/visual

(C) All four activities are tactile or kinesthetic.

Ms. Golden provided oral multi-step directions to the class. When she instructed the students to begin the task, the students demonstrated varied interpretations of the oral directions. When giving oral directions, what is the best strategy Ms. Golden should employ? A. Ms. Golden should ask the students to repeat the exact directions given B. Ms. Golden should repeat the directions over and over again C. Ms. Golden should ask the students to use their own words and orally retell the directions D. Ms. Golden should speak in an overly loud voice so everyone can hear her

(C) Although all of these choices have merit, the best strategy is to make sure the students understand the directions and can repeat them to you orally. By having the students restate the directions in their own words, you can assess if they know what is expected.

Jenna is a student in an inclusion class. Which of the following educational environments would be less restrictive? A. day treatment B. self-contained class C. general education class with speech therapy twice a week, 30 minutes D. general education class with resource room five times a week, 60 minutes

(C) Although inclusion models vary across the state, LRE is linked to the amount of time spent in a special education service. Choice (C) is the least restrictive because the amount of special education service time would be far less than that of an inclusion class.

When reading, Xenia is unable to discriminate between the letters b and d and the letters q and g. For example she will read dab instead of bad. Xenia's visual discrimination impact hers reading. What is one strategy you could implement to help Xenia visually discriminate letters in a word? A. read the words to her B. encourage her to draw pictures of the word C. use different colors for writing each letter D. use blocks to sound out the words

(C) By using different colors, this strategy will help Xenia with visual discrimination. The other choices do not address visual discrimination of letters.

All of the following are components of the IEP except A. behavioral plan B. modifications needed C. instructional methods D. transition plan

(C) Choices (A), (B), and (D) are components of an IEP but choice (C) is not. Instructional methods are not required for the IEP although a team may choose to include them in the document.

Christopher's teacher says that he does not pay attention. Christopher says that he does pay attention....to everything, including the sounds of cars passing by, people talking in the hallway, and the hum of the overhead lights. Christopher may have a compromised A. visual field B. auditory sensation C. selective attention D. hyperactivity disorder

(C) Compromises to selective attention make it difficult for students to focus on tasks and ignore peripheral or less relevant stimuli.

Mrs. Hays is using an assessment tool to evaluate Sherman. One of the tasks measures how quickly Sherman can perform a skill or recall academic tasks. Mrs. Hays can use this information to determine Sherman's A. potential B. grade average C. fluency D. PMS (picture memory system)

(C) Fluency is the rate at which a student can perform a skill or recall information.

At school, Linda's mother has been invited to read a book to the class. Mrs. Daley, Linda's teacher, invites parents to come to the school and collaborate with her. Mrs. Daley attempts to encourage A. parent associations B. parent complexity C. parent involvement D. parent position

(C) Inviting parents to be a part of the school increases parent involvement. Choice (C) is the best answer.

Which of the following is the best example of a chronic behavioral pattern that is problematic? A. Taylor throws chairs to express her anger concerning her parent's divorce B. Sal gets into fights when he is attacked C. Kelly cannot verbally sound out digraphs when reading aloud D. Shawn is sometimes late to school because he misses the buses

(C) Kelly's behavior is chronic and problematic because it impedes reading. The behaviors of Taylor, Sal, and Shawn are in response to a specific event and are not chronic.

Maria is a student who tends to be off task only when the teacher moves on to a new topic or activity. Mrs. Little, her teacher, could provide Maria with a behavior chart or checklist to help Maria with A. attention B. conduct C. transitions D. Jennifer

(C) Maria is having difficulty when moving from one activity to another. This indicates the need to manage transitions.

The first step in addressing an identified unmet need is to A. refer the student for special education B. set up counseling C. contact the family or guardian D. meet with the principal

(C) Meeting with the family or guardian is the first step because you can gain information concerning the need. Choice (A) and (B) would not be a first step. Meeting with the principal is a step that would happen prior to addressing the need. It would happen while in the process of identifying the need.

Mr. Graham is a specialist who works with students who have special needs. You observe Mr. Graham and he is working with a group of students on the tasks of cutting with scissors, holding a pencil, and writing sentences using the same hand without switching to another hand. Mr. Graham is the A. special education teacher B. physical therapist C. occupational therapist D. motor planning specialist

(C) Mr. Graham is the occupational therapist. Some students with disabilities have fine motor issues. He is working on these skills including crossing midline.

Mr. Kensington is modeling how to sound out the word sh-i-p. He tells the students to orally "scoop" the sound together. Mr. Kensington is modeling A. tapping B. blends C. auditory blending D. auditory discrimination

(C) Mr. Kensington is showing the action of scooping sound together which is auditory blending. Choice (A) is not as precise as choice (C).

At the beginning of a lesson, Ms. Canty uses a discussion to introduce the new material. During the discussion, Ms. Canty guides students to connect their life experiences to the new topic. She probes to see what they may know about the topic and how their associations can serve as a base for the new information they will learn. This is an example of A. guided discussion B. motivation C. activating prior knowledge D. antecedent of the behavior

(C) Ms. Canty is activating prior knowledge so that the students can make connections about what they know to the new topic. Although they will make some associations, choice (D) is too general and not as precise as choice (C).

Mr. Poole and Miss Granger are co-teachers. They are teaching the same topic, but have divided their class into two groups. One group consists of auditory learners and the other kinesthetic learners. Mr. Poole and Miss Granger are able to give the students more opportunities to participate in the lesson and design the instruction based on learning style. This collaborative approach to teaching is called A. station teaching B. cooperative learning C. parallel teaching D. one teach, one observe

(C) Parallel teaching is a collaborative teaching approach that allows for teaching the same topic to students in smaller groups and giving the students more opportunities to participate in the lesson.

The nature and degree to which environmental modifications, human resources, and material resources are required to enable the student to benefit from instruction defines A. Present Levels of Performance B. Social Needs C. Management Needs D. Academic Needs

(C) Taken directly from NYS policy information, management needs is defined as, "environmental modifications, human resources and materials resources required to enable the student to benefit from instruction." The dimensions of definition are the specific components that are addressed when making statements about the student's management needs and documenting those needs on the IEP.

Joseph has some communication deficits. He also lacks appropriate social responsiveness, which was identified when he was very young. Joseph has difficulty with eye contact at times and is able to go into his own world. Joseph's characteristics may indicate which of the classifications? A. a learning disability B. a speech and language disability C. autism D. an emotional behavioral disability

(C) The characteristics exhibited by Joseph indicate that choice (C) is the best answer.

Which of the following is a skill that would be presented in a life skills curriculum? A. reading sentences B. calculating fractions C. ways to greet others D. elements from the periodic table

(C) The goal of a life skills curriculum is to focus primarily on the non-academic skills that are essential for daily living. Choice (C) is the most appropriate choice.

In reference to testing accommodations for the IEP, which statement covers (1) the type, (2) the conditions, and (3) the implementation recommendation criteria needed (in order to report a testing accommodation completely)? A. The student will have extended time that will be administered in the resource room. B. The student will have time and a half on essay exams concerning writing five paragraphs or more. C. The student will have time and a half on math tests that will be administered in the resource room. D. The student will have accommodations for reading tests that will be administered in a separate location.

(C) This choice has all three components, whereas the others are missing at least one of the components.

Your next unit in science requires a mini-lecture, but you want your students to be engaged during the lecture. There are 30 children in your class and you want to assess that they are following along during the mini-lecture. Which strategy could you use for this purpose? A. ask questions when the lecture is completed B. have students write notes from the SMART board during the lecture C. provide guided notes and as you circle the classroom to see the student's responses D. use a PowerPoint presentation while giving the lecture

(C) This response is the only choice that allows for immediate feedback. By providing guided notes you can observe the students writing in the correct or incorrect responses as you circle the class. Choice (A) happens after the lecture but you want to assess during the lecture. Choices (B) and (D) do not afford an opportunity to assess if the students are following along.

Which is an example of an unmet need that can be addressed prior to the referral process? A. conducting a formal assessment to pinpoint the student's reading capabilities B. creating an IEP with goals for the student C. selecting related services that the student will receive D. providing assistance to help the student increase his attendance rate

(D) (A), (B), and (C) are actions that take place after the referral process and are not unmet needs. Helping the student improve attendance is a need that should be addressed prior to asking if the difficulty in school is related to a disability.

In determining eligibility for special education services, tests of adaptive behavior are important for assessing A. hearing impairments B. speech and language disorders C. blindness D. intellectual disabilities

(D) Adaptive behavior assessments are used to evidence and measure the characteristics associated with intellectual disabilities.

Questions 53 to 55 refer to the following: Mr. Tower is conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment with Tyrone. Tyrone's target behavior is that he puts his head down on the desk during his 5th period science class for about half of the class period. Mr. Tower notes that Tyrone has lunch during 4th period. Mr. Tower usually ignores Tyrone's behavior, but now realizes it must be addressed. What is a possible antecedent for Tyrone's behavior? A. Tyrone is bored in science class B. Tyrone does not sleep at home C. Tyrone does not like science D. Tyrone plays basketball at lunch

(D) An antecedent defined is something that usually occurs just before the behavior. In this question, (D) is the best choice.

Physical Development in Present Levels of Performance is partly defined by each choice except A. the degree and quality of motor and sensory development B. health and vitality C. physical skills or limitations related to learning D. audio and visual stimulation

(D) Audio and visual stimulation does not address the information mandated in Physical Development. Information about audio and visual stimulation would appear in another section of the IEP if necessary. Choices (A), (B), and (C) must be addressed and documented so that the reader of the IEP can ascertain the student's level of physical health.

Geneva has a central auditory processing deficit. During instruction and transition, what could her teacher provide? A. items in large print B. preferential seating in the rear of the room C. a classmate to be her scribe D. written directions and a schedule of activities

(D) Auditory processing deficits manifests when the listener does not perceive exactly what the speaker is saying. Choices (A), (B) and (C) do not accommodate for this process. Choice (D), having written directions instead of oral instructions and a schedule of activities, are appropriate accommodations.

Sheena is a student who is persistently withdrawn in school and at home. Her teacher reports that Sheena is capable of completing the classwork and seems academically intact. Sheena doesn't speak to the other students in class and at recess rarely socializes. Sheena reports that she has obsessive thoughts and fears. Sheena's characteristics may indicate which classification? A. learning disability B. traumatic brain injury C. autism D. emotional behavioral disorder

(D) Based on the description of characteristics, choice (D) is the best answer.

In Present Levels of Performance, Social Development includes all of the following except A. relationships with peers and adults B. feelings about self C. adjustment to school and community D. perspectives on health and well-being

(D) Choices (A), (B), and (C) all define Social Development, whereas choice (D) does not.

Emanuel has a 12-month IEP and in the summer months the focus is on an expansion of the core curriculum. Of the following, which would be a part of an expanded core curriculum? A. the writing process B. reading informational text C. using manipulatives for math D. orientation and mobility

(D) Choices (A), (B), and (C) are components of the core curriculum. Choice (D), orientation and mobility, is a part of the expanded curriculum which addresses functional living skills.

Which of the following is not a testing accommodation? A. providing adaptive or special furniture B. allowing a flexible schedule C. securing papers to work area with tape or magnets D. collaborating with peers

(D) Choices (A), (B), and (C) are testing accommodations. Collaborating with peers is not a testing accommodation.

Alex's mother reads a schools report that states Alex's comorbidity condition includes learning disabilities, personality disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Alex's mother asks that you explain the term comorbidity. Which is the best answer? A. Alex has learning disabilities that affect his personality B. Alex has a learning disability and will eventually develop a personality disorder followed by ADHD C. Alex has a learning disability but the personality and ADHD are assessed to be of more concern D. Alex has a learning disability, personality disorder, and ADHD all occurring together

(D) Comorbidity is the condition in which multiple conditions occur together. One condition is not necessarily more prevalent or a precursor to another disorder.

Matthew has been diagnosed with a seizure disorder. Peter has been diagnosed with sickle-cell disease. Tanisha has severe asthma. Jennifer has a cochlear implant. Which student is most likely not classified under OHI? A. Matthew B. Peter C. Tanisha D. Jennifer

(D) OHI stands for Other Health Impairments. Matthew, Peter, and Tanisha's conditions would be classified under OHI because they are not IDEA-defined disability categories. Jennifer has a cochlear implant, which indicates she has a hearing impairment which is an IDEA classification category.

Long-term goals that are Post-Secondary Goals include all of the following except A. education/training B. employment C. independent living skills D. counseling

(D) Post-secondary goals are related to job readiness. Although an individual may need counseling, it is not a goal but rather a support service.

In a brief conversation, the assistant principal has reported to you that your student, Isaac, is receiving a disciplinary change in placement. He tells you the details are forthcoming. From this information you can determine that Isaac A. must stay in your class for sixty days before a change in placement can occur B. will be suspended indefinitely C. must stay in your class for twenty days before a change in placement can occur D. will be suspended for a period of ten consecutive days or less

(D) Procedural safeguards for the discipline of students with disabilities states that a disciplinary change of placement indicates that a student will be suspended for ten consecutive days or less depending upon the particular factors of the suspension.

Present Levels of Performance on the IEP include all of the following except A. academic achievement and functional performance B. social development and physical development C. learning characteristics and management needs D. related services and transition plans

(D) Related services and transition plans do not address the present levels of student performance.

The Americans with Disabilities Act introduced the idea of universal design. The goal of universal design is to A. place students in the least restrictive environment B. provide students with a free and appropriate education C. ensure all students have due process rights D. remove barriers in the environment to allow better access

(D) The ADA introduced universal design as a way for individuals with disabilities to gain physical access in the environment. For example, the legislation encouraged changes such as wider doorways, handicapped-equipped bathrooms, handicapped-equipped parking spaces, and ramps into the building. These features make access better for people with disabilities. Later, the term universal design became applicable to instruction.

The manifestation review team can issue a determination if the behavior A. was not related to the disability B. was non-compliant with the school's code of conduct C. was only exhibited once D. was related to the disability

(D) The manifestation review team can issue a determination if the behavior was related to the student's disability.

Collaboration with teachers requires all of the follow except A. parity B. a shared goal C. shared accountability D. power

(D) To collaborate, choices (A), (B), and (C) are all necessary. However, choice (D) does not support collaboration, which indicates partnership and not one person having power over another.

Activities that facilitate a student's movement from school to post-school activities and also constitute a section on the IEP are titled A. Present Level of Performance Activities B. Evaluation Activities C. Post-School Activities D. Transition Activities

(D) Transition activities/plans state the activities that will occur to help prepare the student for life after high school.

Analyze the information provided in the exhibits, using evidence from all of the exhibits to support your ideas, and write a response of approximately 400-600 words in which you: describe one area of need Karl has that is related to academics, and one area of need that he has that is related to study skills; recommend one research-based or evidence-based strategy/intervention that you would use to address the academic need that you have described, and explain why this strategy/intervention would be appropriate; and recommend one research-based or evidence-based strategy/intervention that you would use to address the study skills need that you have described, and explain why this strategy/intervention would be appropriate.

Karl demonstrates academic weaknesses in math calculation and reasoning (problem-solving) which are most likely exacerbated by his ADHD. Based on the academic assessments and data provided, Karl's weaknesses in the auditory learning and memory domain are illustrated by behaviors, "does not seem to listen when spoken to directly," and observations that Karl "needs work" in the area of understanding and following oral directions. Even with Tier 2 and 3 interventions to address these needs, Karl continues to struggle with memory, problem-solving, retrieval of information for math facts and processes related to numeracy. Academic strategies to address math numeracy and number sense should be tailored to Karl's kinesthetic and visual domains. To address the addition of 3-digit numbers, I would teach Karl how to break up numbers using place value as demonstrated with manipulatives and visual strategies. He needs to understand that the number 25, for example, can be visualized as 2 groups of ten and 5 ones, 1 group of 10 and 15 ones, and 25 ones. He can continue to break down 25 into arrays such as 5 groups of 5 (beginning multiplication). As Karl begins to demonstrate his ability to decompose numbers, he can learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide these parts using manipulatives and mental math calculations. This strategy would be appropriate for Karl because it is a visual-kinesthetic strategy which is often an area of strength for students with ADHD. By fourth grade, fluency and flexibility with numbers and calculation is essential for competency. If Karl understands how numbers "work", he can begin to visualize processes which will aid with remembering facts, steps and procedures needed in more advanced calculations. Karl's weakness in organization is affecting his academic progress, motivation, and levels of stress and self-esteem. Exhibit 2 details weaknesses related to ADHD including keeping track of materials and turning in complete assignments which support the IEP goal related to organizational aids. To address these needs, I would incorporate a comprehensive organizational strategy using a daily homework binder. It would consist of a weekly calendar where he could write his daily homework assignments. He would be required to copy them from the board, check off the materials that he needs to complete these homework assignments and bring them home with him. The binder would also contain folders to organize his homework sheets and other materials he may use to facilitate a smoother transition between home and school for his completed work. I would check it daily before dismissal. For this strategy to be successful and generalized across his school career, Karl must have considerable input in its structure. I would meet with him to discuss how to create a homework/work binder and what it should contain. This strategy is appropriate for Karl based on areas of strength noted in the Skill Assessment (Exhibit 2 These areas include showing independence in understanding and following written directions (Task 10) and, with support, being able to prioritize in order to develop a plan of action (Task 6). Research supports the need for organizational strategies to be taught early especially for students with ADHD to reduce school failure. These are important skills to develop to an independent level to achieve success now and in the future. Providing some tangible motivation may be needed and helpful in establishing this strategy, especially in the beginning. For example, weekly bonus points could be awarded when all his homework is turned in and his binder is up-to-date. It is important to include any of Karl's ideas to help him with this structure.