NYSTCE - Students with Disabilities
A Section 504 Plan would most likely be developed to support a student's learning needs in which situation? A. A student has received a comprehensive evaluation and has been found to have no physical or intellectual impairments. B. A student is diagnosed with anxiety disorder and requires classroom accommodations to support access to the general curriculum C. A student has been classified with a learning disability and requires specially designed instruction (SDI) to make academic progress. D. A student has an IEP that includes measurable annual learning goals
B. A student is diagnosed with anxiety disorder and requires classroom accommodations to support access to the general curriculum Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based upon a disability. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute that requires that the needs of students with disabilities be met as adequately as the needs of students who are non-disabled are met and requires public schools to offer services and accommodations for eligible students with disabilities. Classroom accommodations to address a student with an anxiety disorder might include frequent breaks, extra time, preferential seating (near the door, front of the room, or next to the teacher's desk), frequent check-ins for understanding, and extended time for tests to support their access to the general curriculum.
Prior to beginning a new unit, a special education teacher wants to determine a student's background knowledge about the topic and create a differentiated formative assessment for this purpose. Which statement best describes a primary benefit of this measure? A. It will certify that the content material that are selected for the student meet district requirements. B. It will promote the ability of the student to independently assess the student's own knowledge. C. It will strengthen the teacher's ability to promote the student's access to instruction. D. It will ensure that the unit content is relevant to the student's experiences.
C. It will strengthen the teacher's ability to promote the student's access to instruction.
A special education teacher works with a student classified with an emotional disturbance. The student demonstrates grade-level strengths in reading; however, during some types of reading assignments, the student often becomes extremely disruptive and argumentative and refuses to comply with teacher requests. To address this issue, which step would be most appropriate for the teacher to take FIRST? A. apply a small, predetermined consequence when the student refuses to comply with directions B. dividing the student's reading assignments into smaller subtasks and monitoring the completion of each task C. allowing the student to continue working on familiar tasks until the student feels ready to transition to reading activities D. assessing the antecedent events and reinforcing consequences of the student's behavior during reading
D. assessing the antecedent events and reinforcing consequences of the student's behavior during reading An antecedent refers to the action, event, or circumstance that occurred before the behavior and what might have contributed to the behavior. The reinforcing consequence is an action or response that follows the behavior. When a student's behavior becomes disruptive to their learning it is important to assess what is occurring before and during the event and how the behavior's outcome provides reinforcement. The results of this assessment will help the teacher guide a student to a more desired outcome during specific reading assignment.
A special education teacher writes a follow-up message below to the general education teacher of Chris, a student with disability. Thank you for taking the time this morning to meet with me about Chris. I want to verify with you that: 1. Chris's work area will be moved to the front of the room, facing away from the door, and 2. writing assignments will be broken into sub-steps and posted for student reference on the board Please let me know if you need assistance with these measures in anyway! I look forward to hearing from you about whether this has a positive affect and Chris's performance. This communication primarily represents a special education teachers responsibilities in: A. Clarify expectations for removing barriers to a student's instruction B. ensuring that students learning is based on individualized goals C. advocating for students to be provide individualized instruction D. modifying a students grade-level curriculum standards
A. Clarify expectations for removing barriers to a student's instruction A primary responsibility of a special education teacher is to provide instruction and support in order to facilitate the participation of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Collaboration and communication with the general education teacher in adapting the curriculum, providing appropriate modifications, removing barrier to instruction, and ensuring the implementation of modification or necessary components of the special education teachers responsibility. Understanding what barriers there are and removing them can ensure a students ability to access the curriculum and instruction presented in the general education classroom.
For a student with a disability who has a behavioral intervention plan (BIP), which statement describes a requirement of the Committee of Special Education (CSE)? A. The CSE must consider the results of the progress-monitoring data associated with the student's BIP. B. The CSE must base BIP changes solely on the student's history of presenting problem behavior as documented in direct observations in school. C. The CSE must fade the use of the BIP procedures for the students within one academic calendar year. D. The CSE must ensure that the school psychologist has approved any new change to the student's BIP.
A. The CSE must consider the results of the progress-monitoring data associated with the student's BIP. A behavioral intervention plan (BIP) is a plan that is based on the results of a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and needs to include a description of the problem behavior, hypotheses as to why the problem behavior occurs, and intervention strategies that include positive behavioral support to address the behavior. The implementation of a student's BIP must include progress monitoring of the frequency, duration, and intensity of the behavioral interventions at scheduled intervals. The Committee on Special Education (CSE) is required to consider the data collected during progress monitoring in any determination to revise a student's BIP.
A special education teacher reviews the following results from an event recording that was recently conducted by two staff who work with a student. Information gathered from the event recording best supports which conclusion? A. The student's engagement in the target behavior needs to be more clearly defined or clarified B. One staff member is more effective at teaching the student the target behavior than is another staff member. C. There is a strong correlation in the observer ratings of the target behavior D. The student demonstrated irregular use of the target behavior over the course of the interval observed.
A. The student's engagement in the target behavior needs to be more clearly defined or clarified Event recordings are conducted to document the number of times a target behavior. The observer also records the time period in which the behavior is being observed. When two teachers are event recording a student's engagement of a particular behavior during the same time intervals and the number of occurrences documented varies greatly, it would be important to redefine or clarify the specifics of the target behavior being observed. This clarification of what the student's engagement of the target behavior should look like will allow for a greater percentage of agreement in the results of the event recording.
Which practice best demonstrates the role of a special education teacher who provides indirect consultant teacher services for a student with disability? A. adjusting the learning environment within the general education setting in order to meet the individual needs of a student B. providing the student with supplemental instruction in areas in which the student experiences academic difficulties C. working with the student on the general education curriculum in a separate setting with limited distractions D. teaching the student target skills in a small group that comprises both students
A. adjusting the learning environment within the general education setting in order to meet the individual needs of a student Consultant teacher services provide direct and/or indirect instructional support to students and their teachers in the general education classroom. Indirect consultant teacher services provide by a special education teacher to a general education teacher can consist of consultation about adjusting the learning environment and/or modifying instructional methods to meet the individual needs of a student with a disability in the classroom.
Which behavior is characteristics of typical cognitive growth during late adolescence? A. application of analytical thinking to evaluate different perspectives B. increased dependence on concrete representations to understand new concepts C. development of egocentrism when exposed to unfamiliar experiences D. reduced ability to relate to or have empathy for unfamiliar people
A. application of analytical thinking to evaluate different perspectives Late adolescence is typically between the ages of 18 and 25 years old and it is a time when adolescents experience significant changes in their capacity to think. Late adolescents move from concrete to abstract thinking and they are increasingly able to understand and explore abstract ideas, thinking about possibilities, and "put themselves in another person's shoes." This cognitive growth from concrete to abstract thinking allows late adolescents to apply their thinking to better understand alternative perspectives and ideas of others.
According to the least restrictive environment (LRE) requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school districts must ensure that students with disabilities: A. are educated to the maximum extend appropriate alongside students with disabilities B. learn form a specialized teacher alongside their peers with similar learning profiles C. receive special education services in a substantially separate instruction instructional setting D. participate in general education classes with direct support form related service providers
A. are educated to the maximum extend appropriate alongside students with disabilities The IDEA states, "To the maximum extend appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities are [to be] educated with children who are not disabled." Providing instruction outside of the general education classroom environment and away form students without disabilities should occur only when the nature or severity of the disability of a student is such that education int he general education classroom, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
A third-grade student who is an ELL has been receiving Response to Intervention (RtI) supports and has not been making adequate academic progress. The student has recently been referred for a comprehensive special education evaluation. To promote the nondiscriminatory assessment of the student, it is mort important to ensure that: A. assessment tasks are administered in the student's home language B. the evaluation consists solely of tests that have been norm-referenced for ELL C. the student is evaluated only after achieving basic English language proficiency D. assessment items are modified according t the student's projected performance levels
A. assessment tasks are administered in the student's home language Nondiscriminatory assessments must be administered to ELLs to ensure the evaluation provides relevant academic, functional, and developmental information. Nondiscriminatory assessment practices must also be included in the overall assessment and analysis of the assessment. The IDEA states that each local educational agency must ensure that any assessments used must be valid and reliable, be administered by trained personnel, be conducted in the language or form (including braille and sign language) used by the student to yield accurate information on what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally, unless it is not feasible to do so, provide, or administer, and not discriminate on a racial or cultural basis.
After implementing several different instructional strategies, a special education teacher notes that a student with an intellectual disability has not made adequate progress towards an Activities for Daily Living (ADL) goal included in the student's IEP. Which action best represents the teacher's primary responsibility in this situation? A. conducting an assessment to identify discrete skills for which to scaffold instruction in order for the student to achieve this goal B. prioritizing with the student's parents/guardians the areas of the goal that are most important to address C. convening the student's Committee of Special Education to consider factors related to the student's academic goal performance D. expanding the amount of time that the student is being provided specialized instruction related to this goal
A. conducting an assessment to identify discrete skills for which to scaffold instruction in order for the student to achieve this goal Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are the basic tasks of eveyday life, including eating, bathing, dressing, and toileting. For students with an intellectual disability, learning and generalizing these tasks may require specialized instruction, accommodations, or additional interventions such as visual schedules or behavior plans. If the students are not making progress toward their ADL goals, the special education teacher must revise and implement alternative instruction, supervision, feedback, and routines. Each ADL involves a series of steps that are performed together in a specific sequence. Assessing the multi-stepped actions required to complete an ADL task will assist the special education teacher in designing and implementing explicit scaffolded instruction of the discrete steps in the process to better support the student's progress.
Teachers are informed that a fourth-grade students has been prescribed medication to help reduce motor and vocal tics. Both the general education teacher and the special education teacher observe that the student appears unusually tired and less engaged in class activities. The teachers have to provide frequent prompts when the student is asking or answering questions. When action would be most appropriate for the special education teacher to take NEXT in this situation? A. contacting the student's parent/guardians to request that the teachers' observations and concerns be shard with the physician B. collaborating with a psychologist on integrating behavioral therapy for the student into the classroom to counteract these side effects C. noting the behavior change and keeping a watchful eye on the student to see if the observed behavior subsides over time D. moving the student's desk closer to the front of the classroom and provide an incentive to reward the student's on-task behavior
A. contacting the student's parent/guardians to request that the teachers' observations and concerns be shard with the physician When a student is taking prescribed medication to address a diagnosed condition related to a student's disability, it is the special education teacher's role to share with the parents/guardians any specific behaviors that are affecting the student's ability to participate in class activities. The student's parents/guardians are responsible for informing the prescribing physician of the teacher's observations and concerns in order to make adjustments to the dosage or type of medication. This action by the special education teacher should occur as soon as these behaviors are observed or brought to the teacher's attention by other student personnel.
A special education teacher is reviewing results from an academic achievement test that was recently administered to a sixth-grade student who has a learning disability in the area of reading. A portion of the results is shown below: Reading Subtest (Percentile Rank) Listening Comprehension (35) Reading Comprehension (11) Word Meaning (9) Pseudoword Reading (52) Oral Expression (23) Information gathered from these assessment results indicates that the student: A. demonstrates delays in vocabulary that affects reading comprehension B. displays a high level of sight-word automaticity C. shows a significant discrepancy between receptive and expressive language skills D. has difficulty applying word-decoding strategies
A. demonstrates delays in vocabulary that affects reading comprehension The results of an academic achievement test in the area of reading can be reported as a percentile rank. A percentile rank indicates how well a student performed in comparison to the students of a specific norm group, usually of the same grade and subject. The test results in the table indicate the student's percentile rank in reading comprehension and word meaning are in the 11th and 9th percentile, respectively. These scores are considered in the low range and indicate delays in vocabulary development (word meaning) and reading comprehension. In analyzing these scores across each subtest, it is reasonable to conclude that the student's needs in vocabulary meaning are likely interfering with reading comprehension.
Oh and special education teacher works in an inclusive preschool class. One evening, the teacher host a family literacy event and demonstrates the use of various strategies (e.g. reading games, aways to read stories interactively, digital reading resources) that parents/guardians can use at home with their child. This event primarily benefits students' families' ability to: A. engage in their chid's literacy skill acquisition B. consistently implement home-school literacy approaches C. informally assess their child's literacy skill development D. apply literacy skills in real-life contexts
A. engage in their chid's literacy skill acquisition A literacy event during which a teacher can demonstrate reading games, ways to read interactively, and appropriate digital reading resources and provide an opportunity for parents/guardians to practice these various strategies will probably only benefit the families engagement in their child's literacy skill acquisition. Parents/guardian can experience how literacy acquisition develops and can benefit from strategies delivered by the teacher to support fundamental aspect of their role of engaging their child in the reading process.
A student diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder often becomes distracted by extraneous background noise or peripheral movement. The teacher regularly plans lessons that incorporate a variety of formats, including lecture, short media presentations, and whole-class discussions. Which strategy would most effectively promote the student's access to the lessons? A. establishing predictable routines for instruction B. creating an area for the student to work privately C. maintaining a collaborative learning environment D. offering the student modified independent assignment
A. establishing predictable routines for instruction Creating a positive, safe, and motivating learning environment is important for supporting the growth of all students. Many teachers provide structures, such as predictable routines, procedures, and expectations, to establish a sense of community in their classroom. Establishing consistent and predictable routines for instruction can help simplify a complex environment for students experiencing distraction from noise to movement. Routines can consistently inform students of what to expect and what is expected of them, and promote a student's access to learning. Routines also hep create smoother transitions between activities during instruction and, therefore, allow fewer opportunities for distraction to create disruptions during learning.
A special education teacher models the "I Do, We Do, You Do" strategy to scaffold instruction. The teacher provides explicit instruction, using a variety of examples and non-examples. Before students are assigned the skill individually, they are provided time to practice with partners as the teacher circulates and monitors their understanding and provides feedback as needed. Which instructional practice is this teaching method likely to be most effective in supporting? A. gradually releasing responsibility of learning to the students B. effectively communicating high expectations to the students C. integrating cooperative learning groups for behavior management D. supporting the integration of formative assessment practices
A. gradually releasing responsibility of learning to the students Scaffolding can be specific instructional techniques or supports that assist students with developing a strong understanding of and ultimately an increased independence in the learning process. Teachers provide successive levels of temporary support that help students reach comprehension and skill acquisition that they would not initially be able to reach on their own. The "I Do, We Do, You Do" strategy is one of the more common forms of scaffolding. This strategy is often referred to as the "gradual release of responsibility."
Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) would be most useful to a special education teacher for which purpose? A. making adjustments that support a student's progress toward annual instructional goals B. analyzing a student's academic strengths needs that generalize across the content area C. identifying the cognitive abilities of a student in various performance domains D. comparing a student's performance of an academic skill to that of a normative sample
A. making adjustments that support a student's progress toward annual instructional goals Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a method teachers use to evaluate a student's progress in basic academic areas such as math, reading, writing, and spelling. CBM is used by special education teachers to monitor the success of the instruction that a student is receiving. When a student's performance is not meeting expectations, the special education teacher can make adjustments to the teaching methods to support the type and amount of instruction that the student needs to make progress toward meeting annual academic goals.
The Procedural Safeguards Notice required in Part B of the Individuals Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) describes the right of the parents/guardians of the students with disabilities to: A. obtain an independent educational evaluation fo their child, if a parent/guardian disagrees with the evaluation obtained by the school district. B. be reimbursed for private tutoring for their child, following any documented time period in which their child doe snot demonstrate grade-level achievement C. be provided waivers for their child to attend various school-sponsored enrichment programs during the summer D. preview any assessment used in evaluating their child's eligibility for special education services
A. obtain an independent educational evaluation fo their child, if a parent/guardian disagrees with the evaluation obtained by the school district. When the parents/guardians of a student with disability do not agree with the results of the individual evaluation conducted by the school system, they have the right to obtain an independent educational evaluation (IEE). If the parents/guardians request an IEE at public expense, the school district must, without unnecessary delay, either ensure an IEE is provided at public expense or file a due process complaint notice to request a hearing to show that its evaluation is appropriate or that the evaluation obtained by the parents/guardians does not meet the school district criteria.
The primary effect of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act of 2001 has bene the: A. reduction of barriers for students identified as homeless to attend and have access to the same public education as students who are not homeless B. development of modified learning standards that can be used to promote accelerate achievement of curricular goals by students identify as homeless C. Increase in the availability of special classes designed for students who have been identified as temporarily or chronically homeless D. creation of a public database that can be accessed by schools and that identifies students who are homeless and reside in federal funded shelter programs
A. reduction of barriers for students identified as homeless to attend and have access to the same public education as students who are not homeless Housing insecurity, homelessness, and poverty are recognized as barriers for students in both borough and urban settings to access educational opportunities. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001 states, "Each State educational agency shower ensure that each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths." It provides federal funding to support programs and policies for local educational agencies (LEAs) to address and support students and families.
A special education teacher six to determine whether published research on a new instructional intervention is peer-reviewed. Establishing that it has been peer reviewed would primarily ensure that the: A. research has been evaluated by a qualified member of the professional field B. intervention is able to be implemented by the teacher's network of colleagues C. research is current and has been conducted within the past five years D. intervention reflects that specifically of students who attended to school
A. research has been evaluated by a qualified member of the professional field Peer reviews are defined as the process by which some thing proposed (research or publication) is evaluated by a group of experts in appropriate field of practice. Determining the published research has been peer-reviewed helps validate the research and contribute to the quality of the evaluation.
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, criteria for eligibility for special education for an intellectual disability include: A. significant deficits in general intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior that adversely affect educational performance. B. evaluation by multidisciplinary team as requiring Tier 3 Response to Intervention (Rtl), to make academic progress in general curriculum. C. a significant discrepancy between intellectual functioning and academic performance over several content areas D. a health impairment that acutely affects academic performance and is not caused or influenced by stimuli from the environment
A. significant deficits in general intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior that adversely affect educational performance. The nation's special education law is the IDEA. It defines the term "child with a disability," which includes specific disability identification categories, also defined in the legislation. The identification of an intellectual disability is stated as "significantly subaverage general intellectual function, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance." The two main components of an intellectual disability are intellectual functioning, as measured by an assessment of an IQ test, and adaptive behavior.
A Committee for Special Education (CSE) approved a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) for a student with a disability. After the FBA is completed, a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) is developed for this student. In developing the BIP, it is important to include: A. the supports and strategies necessary to address behavior that impedes the student's learning or that of others B. the student's academic grade level and performance in the classroom setting C. the amount of time the student spends in the general classroom setting. D. the parents/guardians' request for a meeting to address the student's recent suspension for violating a school rule
A. the supports and strategies necessary to address behavior that impedes the student's learning or that of others The primary purpose of a BIP is to identify strategies that prevent problem behaviors, teach new behaviors, and remove consequences that maintain undesirable behaviors. BIPs are used in schools to increase and reinforce appropriate classroom behavior while decreasing behaviors that interfere with the learning process. An important component of a BIP is the supports and strategies that are necessary to address behaviors that interfere with a student making effective progress in learning.
During times when the class is working independently or transitioning between activities, a student with autism often repeats a phrase from a television show the student watches. this is an example of which behavior commonly exhibited by students with autism? A. use of stereotypic or repetitive language B. delays in expressive language C. preoccupation with social-imitative play D. difficulties with social reciprocity
A. use of stereotypic or repetitive language Autism is primarily a communication and social interaction disorder. A common characteristic of autism is stereotypic or repetitive use of non-echolalic language routines that serve various functions such as initiating or sustaining a conversation. Stereotypic and repetitive speech is the use of specific words or phrases as part of either functional communication (e.g., saying "good job" after completing every task) or nonfunctional communication (e.g. as a self-calming technique due to sensory overload). Stereotypic and repetitive speech is thought to be a function of emotional regulation in individuals with autism.
A special education teacher is working with a middle school social studies teacher to design an inquiry-based instruction unit. Students will use their academic core knowledge to pose and research a question of their own interest on a topic and develop and communicate their ideas to the class. Which statement best describes a primary rationale for this practice? A. It encourages students to become experts in a wide range of content. B. It develops the ability of students to actively engage in the learning process. C. It helps students understand the value of persistence in achievement. D. It ensures that students are accountable for the academic learning of their peers.
B. It develops the ability of students to actively engage in the learning process. Inquiry-based instructional units allow teachers and students to share responsibility for the process of learning. Instead of teachers telling students what they need to know, inquiry-based learning allows students' questions, ideas, and observations to reflect their interests and requires them to engage in evidence-based reasoning and creative problem solving. This approach emphasizes learning by encouraging students to build their knowledge through experience and exploration.
A special education teacher looking to obtain information regarding the frequency of a student's counseling services should refer to which component in the student's IEP? A. Student Needs Relating to Special Factors B. Recommended Special Education Programs and Services C. Present Levels of Performance and Individual Needs D. Measurable Annual Goals.
B. Recommended Special Education Programs and Services
According to the IDEA, which criterion would exclude a student from being classified with an emotional disturbance? A. The student has a medical diagnose of schizophrenia. B. The student has a conduct disorder resulting from social maladjustment. C. The student has exhibited depression for over a year. D. The student has displayed inappropriate types of behavior under normal circumstances.
B. The student has a conduct disorder resulting from social maladjustment. The IDEA defines emotional disturbance as "a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance: 1. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. 2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. 3. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. 4. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. 5. A tendency to development physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems." An emotional disturbance does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted or have a conduct disorder, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance by exhibiting one or more of the characteristics listed above.
A special education teacher will be meeting with the general education teacher of a student with a language process disorder, to consider accommodations to be included on the student's IEP. In this situation, it would be most important for the special education teacher to obtain which type of information from the general education teacher? A. ideas for specially designed instruction that may support the student's achievement of curricular expectations B. a clear understanding of the types of instruction and assessment that the teacher regularly uses in presenting curricular knowledge and skills C. examples of peers in the same class as the student who might also benefit from similar curriculum supports D. a list of the key concepts and topics that the teacher is planning to cover during each curricular unit
B. a clear understanding of the types of instruction and assessment that the teacher regularly uses in presenting curricular knowledge and skills When considering accommodations to include on a student's IEP, it is important for the special education teacher to understand the teaching methods and presentation fo the curriculum and how the student's knowledge and skill development will be assessed. Accommodations are adaptations that create a personal learning environment for a student by adjusting classroom environment, assessment, and/or materials. They provide a student with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in class activities and demonstrate knowledge and skills. Accommodations do not change the instruction level content, or learning expectations of the curriculum, but they are intended to help students fully access the general education curriculum, without changing the instructional content.
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is most likely to affect a student's educational performance by: A. causing speech and language articulation dysfluency B. affecting memory and cognitive functioning C. promoting the use of idiosyncratic language and behavior D. increasing muscle stiffness and causing reduced orthopedic usage
B. affecting memory and cognitive functioning Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that results from alcohol exposure during a mother's pregnancy. FAS can cause brain damage and developmental and behavioral issues that can affect a student's educational performance. The severity of FAS symptoms varies, with some students experiencing them to a far greater degree than others. Signs and symptoms of FAS may include any combination of physical defects, intellectual and learning disabilities, delays in cognitive functioning, or difficulty with short- and long-term memory, which can adversely affect a student's ability to learn.
The baseline measure of a behavior primarily refers to the: A. underlying motivation of an individual's specific observed behavior B. assessment of an individual's behavior prior to intervention. C. behavioral achievement that an individual expected to demonstrate D. complete range of behavioral skills that an individual can demonstrate
B. assessment of an individual's behavior prior to intervention. Baseline data are a measurement of a behavior taken before an intervention is started. These data are important because they allow for an assessment to compare an individual's behavior before and after the implementation of a behavior plan in order to determine whether the intervention is working.
Which action by a special education teacher best illustrates the implementation of principles of differentiated assessment? A. designing the different assessment for each student who receives special education services based on the student's disability classification B. developing an assessment based on the student's unique learning needs, in order to accurately assess the student's achievement of a target goal C. providing a student who receives special education services with frequent corrective feedback while the student is being administered an assessment D. changing an assessment for a student, in order to eliminate content with which the student is predicted to experience academic difficulties
B. developing an assessment based on the student's unique learning needs, in order to accurately assess the student's achievement of a target goal Students differ in their previous learning experiences, readiness, learning styles, preferences, strengths and needs, culture, race, and backgrounds. By differentiating assessments, teachers can support diverse students in successfully demonstrating their knowledge in specific ways that are effective for them. By providing a variety of assessment methods/activities appropriate for particular types of students, the teachers are able to meet the students' individual needs and provide the support that they need to be successful in their learning.
An ecological inventory is primarily useful for: A. determining the etiology of a student's functional impairments. B. gathering observational data related to a skill needed by student in the student's current or future learning environment. C. identifying specific discrepancies in areas of a student's intellectual performance. D. considering the extent to which a student is expected to have success with a certain educational program.
B. gathering observational data related to a skill needed by student in the student's current or future learning environment. An ecological inventory is a tool that can be used to gather information and data to plan for teaching the functional skills necessary in a student's learning environment. The purpose of creating an ecological inventory would be to analyze steps of an activity or skills needed for a student to participate in a specific environment.
The concept of adaptive behavior primarily relates to the effectiveness with which a student: A. models the actions of adults in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar situations. B. meets generally accepted and age-appropriate standards for self-sufficiency C. handles the academic stress and social interactions of a typical school environment D. achieves academic goals that are appropriate to the student's current grade requirement
B. meets generally accepted and age-appropriate standards for self-sufficiency Adaptive behavior refers to the age-appropriate behaviors that people with and without disabilities need to live independently and to function in their everyday lives. These daily living skills can include grooming, getting dressed, cooking managing money, cleaning, following work rules, socializing, and taking personal responsibility. Adaptive behavior can also be referred to as social competence, independent living, adaptive self-sufficiency, independence, or life skills.
Which action should be the primary role of a special education teacher who is a member of the professional learning community (PLC) at a school? A. assisting general education teacher in the PLC in identifying differences in performance between students with and without disabilities B. participating in an ongoing process of collective inquiry, to improve students' educational outcomes C. presenting teachers in the PLC with research on the characteristics of various disability types that are represented in the teachers' classes D. providing advice for remedial instruction to support students who are academically struggling
B. participating in an ongoing process of collective inquiry, to improve students' educational outcomes A professional learning community (PLC) is a group of teachers who meet regularly to share their expertise and collaborate to improve their skills and knowledge in order to enhance academic performance of all students. It is a collaborative approach in which the role of the special education teacher should be to: -explore new concepts learn new skills and information -sharing expertise and relevant insights form their experiences -engage in collective problem solving to improve the educational outcomes of their students.
Which protection is a primary intent of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973? A. ensuring that the disciplinary consequences of a student's behavior are not related to the student's disability B. preventing public programs from discriminating against a student with a disability who wants to participate in a program C. ensuring that the curriculum is tailored to s student's specific disability classification D. maintaining confidentiality of the educational records of a student with a disability
B. preventing public programs from discriminating against a student with a disability who wants to participate in a program Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the US. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance, and it set the stage for enactments of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guidelines established by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have primarily supported students with disabilities in general education settings by: A. ensuring that the curriculum is paced according to students who need the. most time. B. providing students with multiple means to learn and engage with new content. C. assessing students' performance in relation to their typically developing peers. D. emphasizing individualized learning goals over common grade level standards.
B. providing students with multiple means to learn and engage with new content. UDL is an educational framework and a set of evidence-based principles that maximizes learning opportunities for all learners. UDL advocates for providing students with multiple or flexible ways of viewing or listening to information (representation), expression, and engagement. Teachers follow UDL guidelines to instruct a diverse group of learners by providing flexibility in the ways that learners can access information and instructional activities as well as demonstrate their knowledge effectively.
Task analysis primarily refers to: A. identifying a range of activities that are necessary for an individual to complete independently for daily living. B. recording events that immediately precede and occur after an individual has exhibited a behavior. C. a range of skills that are to be taught to an individual in smaller, more manageable components D. determining which conditions support or hinder an individual's ability to participate in daily activities
C. a range of skills that are to be taught to an individual in smaller, more manageable components Task analysis is used to break complex tasks into a sequence of smaller steps or actions. It is important to analyze and understand all the steps or actions. It is important to analyze and understand all the steps involved in a particular task, identify any steps that may need additional instruction, and make decisions about the most logical progression of teaching a particular task. A task analysis can be developed by those who are teaching the skill, performing the task themselves, and documenting each individual step necessary to complete the task.
A norm-referenced assessment is used primarily for which purpose? A. predicting a student's achievement according to his or her disability profile B. analyzing a student's percent mastery of the grade-level curriculum C. comparing a student's performance to that of a specified population D. determining a student's achievement of his/her individualized learning goals
C. comparing a student's performance to that of a specified population Norm-referenced assessments are designed to compare and rank students' performance in relation to one another. Norm-referenced tests report whether a student performed better, worse, or as well as a hypothetical average student of the same age or grade, which is determined by comparing scores against the performance results of a statistically selected group of test takers (the "norm").
A sixth-grade student with an emotional disturbance attends general education classes for the majority of the school day. The student's special education teacher has helped develop a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) to be implemented to support the student's on-task work at the start of each class. The teacher would like to gather data to monitor the effectiveness of the intervention. Which step is most important to take to promote the reliability of the data gathered? A. ensuring that the special education teacher is solely responsible for data input B. fading the use of the reinforcement as soon as the target behavior is performed C. conducting regular fidelity checks of the intervention's application D. making sure that all staff are equally responsible for documenting the intervecntion
C. conducting regular fidelity checks of the intervention's application An important component of monitoring the effectiveness of a student's behavioral intervention plan (BIP) is using a fidelity check. Fidelity checks should occur on a regular basis to ensure that all staff and teachers are implementing the plan as written. When interventions are conducted with fidelity, teams can make more accurate decisions about an individual student's progress and future intervention needs and make changes to the BIP if or when the current strategies are not being successful according go the data.
A student is receiving an intervention designed to support skill development in an area of need. The special education teacher wants to use an assessment that will evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. For this purpose, it is most important for the teacher to: A. choose an assessment that compares the student's progress int he target skill in relation to those with the same disability type. B. ensure that the selected assessment has real-life applications. C. consider the degree to which the assessment is aligned to the target skill instruction. D. increase the difficulty of the assessment, as the student progresses.
C. consider the degree to which the assessment is aligned to the target skill instruction. When a special education teacher wants to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention, it is important that the assessment used is aligned with target skill instruction. The assessment should reveal what progress over the goal/objective has been made, while the instruction should ensure that students learn it. Assessments, learning objectives, and instructional strategies need to be closely aligned so that they reinforce one another.
Dysgraphia primarily affects a student's ability to: A. follow a sequence of verbally given directions B. comprehend a text that is read aloud C. create a written response to a story D. differentiate between main ideas and details
C. create a written response to a story Dysgraphia is one of the seven commonly identified types of learning disabilities. Dysgraphia specifically addresses difficulty in the areas of writing and written expression. It can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting, and organizing or drafting ideas to words. Dysgraphia would adversely affect a student's ability to create a written response to a story or to write a response to comprehension questions as well as compose other types of written products.
A special education teacher would like to use informal observations that will assess the performance and needs of a high school student with an intellectual disability when the student is working with the others throughout the day. To improve the usefulness of the observations, which step is most important for the teacher to take? A. ensuring that the student works with the same cohort of students throughout the day B. selecting a time of the day when the student exhibits the most cooperation on which to focus the observations C. developing clear criteria that will be used when conducting the observations D. creating a data record form that allows data to be used for evaluative purposes
C. developing clear criteria that will be used when conducting the observations When assessing the performance and needs of students using informal observations, it is important for an observer to use checklists, rating scales, and rubrics with specific criteria to allow the observer to make determinations about what students know and can do in relation to outcomes. In order for an observation to be useful and effectively assess students' performance and needs, the observer should develop clear criteria for the development of specific skills, strategies, attitudes, and behaviors that are necessary for demonstrating learning prior to collecting and evaluating the data.
A special education teacher regularly collaborate with general education teachers who teach physical education, art, and music classes to consider ways to integrate cross-curricular instruction into upcoming thematic units. This practice best describes the teacher's understanding of the importance of: A. promoting accountability of our staff for students' educational performance B. ensuring the instructional practices are consistent across disciplines and grade levels C. incorporating multiple representation of key content in teaching and learning D. enabling students to achieve grade-level standards in an expedited manner
C. incorporating multiple representation of key content in teaching and learning Ongoing collaboration to integrate cross-curricular instruction allows students experience key content and topics as interdependent and connect it better than individual isolated subjects. A special education teacher's effort to collaborate with the general education teachers of various subjects such as physical education, art, and music acknowledges and understanding that multiple representations of key content and cross-curricular exercises provide students with opportunities to participate physically and creatively, empowering them to fully understand specific content in thematic units.
Which action describes a protection of students' rights under Title IX legislation for students in any federally funded education program? A. including students in activities, regardless of race, ethnicity, or country of origin B. removing physical barriers for students with physical disabilities C. prohibiting discrimination on the basis of students' gender or sexual orientation D. allowing students to pray in a manner that does not disrupt class activities
C. prohibiting discrimination on the basis of students' gender or sexual orientation The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces, among other statutes, Tiel IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX state, "No person in the US shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
A kindergartener receives special education services and has a home language other than English. The special education teacher and kindergarten teacher are planning specialized instruction and activities with the goal of addressing the student's development of oral language and use of content-area vocabulary. Which instructional practice should the teachers address in their planning? A. ensuring that instruction is tailored to all children with the same learning profile B. implementing instruction strategies alongside peers whose home language is English C. providing explicit instruction that includes daily opportunities to practice language skills D. modifying instruction in literacy skills to reteach the previous grade-level standards
C. providing explicit instruction that includes daily opportunities to practice language skills Instruction that addresses the development of oral language and use of content-area vocabulary should include daily opportunities to learn and practice language. Young children can develop their oral language and vocabulary primarily by imitating spoken models in context and listening to language in use around them. Specialized instruction and activities should address building background or prior knowledge, explicit instruction, modeling, guided practice, peer practice, and assessment.
Echolalia is characterized primarily by: A. difficulty recalling and applying commonly used words. B. a temporary inability to speak in both familiar and unfamiliar settings. C. unsolicited repetitions of vocalizations made by another individual D. dysfluency when articulating newly acquired vocabulary
C. unsolicited repetitions of vocalizations made by another individual Echolalia can be a symptom of various disorders including aphasia, dementia, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, and autism. Individuals with echolalia repeat precisely the noises, words, or phrases that they hear in a given situation. Echolalia is generally considered to be a form of communication and emotional regulation.
A seventh-grade student with a learning disability has the following conversation with a special education teacher. S: I can't believe I passed my math test! I'm usually so bad at learning stuff. This was just good luck. T: You did a great job! You were very focused during the test and your responses were complete and accurate. The teacher's response best demonstrates an understanding that the student may: A. have unexpressed anxiety about the overall assessment process. B. require assessment tasks to be broken down into simpler and less complex subtasks. C. perform better on graded assessment measures than on non-graded assessments. D. benefit from strategies to relate assessment outcomes to actions that are within the student's control.
D. benefit from strategies to relate assessment outcomes to actions that are within the student's control. Supporting students' understanding of how their actions contributed their success is important. Feedback provides information to students about their performance and progress by using words such as focused, engaged, or complete can assist students with better understanding the relationship between learning and the assessment process and their control of being unsuccessful in that process.
A special education teacher and general education teacher co-teach a middle school math class that includes several students with various language-based learning disabilities. Which strategy would most effectively support all students' access and participation in instruction? A. identifying students who achieve in the lower quartile of the class based on universal screenings, and providing them with supplemental instruction B. working with students with disabilities in a small group and reducing the scope of verbal information used in instruction C. Establishing a practice in which students master essential skills throughout activities before applying the skills critically D. collaborating regularly to design a flexible learning environment that addresses student learning variability
D. collaborating regularly to design a flexible learning environment that addresses student learning variability Co-teaching team typically includes a general education teacher and a special education teacher who work together to implement a general education curriculum to ask students as well as IEPs for students with disabilities. This responsibility requires ongoing and regular collaboration to provide flexibility with addressing all students' learning styles and needs, including the differentiation in instructional planning and delivery, assessment of student achievement, and integration of positive classroom management strategies. Collaboration can best be managed through coordinate it and regular communication.
A special education teacher is meeting with the parents of a student who has recently been administered an individualized norm-based educational achievement test. To facilitate effective communication with the parents about the test, it is most important for the teacher to: A. explain technical features of the assessment that the parents may have difficulty understanding B. share the student's grade-equivalent test scores and how the parents can support their child's grade level achievement C. review an actual test item that the student had difficulty with and consider factors that may have contributed to the error D. describe what the assessment is designed to measure and how the results reflect their child's academic strengths and needs.
D. describe what the assessment is designed to measure and how the results reflect their child's academic strengths and needs. Communicating about the assessment process with parents/guardians is an opportunity to support their understanding of the role that assessments play in student learning. It is important to describe the test being used and what it is intended to measure. The special education teacher should effectively and clearly communicate the student's strengths and needs as determined by the test results, the specific information relevant to the student's learning behaviors as demonstrated in the assessment process, and what steps can be taken to address areas of concern.
A kindergarten student with autism often has difficulty sustaining engagement during choice-time activities. After a few minutes, the student often appears withdrawn or begins to demonstrate noncompliant behavior. Which strategy would be most appropriate to try FIRST in order to promote the student's active engagement during choice time? A. arranging for the student to participate in choice-time activities in a small group, rather than individually B. breaking choice-time activities into smaller tasks, to enable the student to feel successful C. staying in close proximity to the student throughout the course of choice-time activities D. ensuring that the student's interest are incorporated into some of the choice activities
D. ensuring that the student's interest are incorporated into some of the choice activities Choice-time activities should provide students with social opportunities to engage in exploration, discovery, collaboration, and creativity with their peers. Active engagement with the world around them provides opportunities for acquiring knowledge and learning and practicing new skills that are necessary for cognitive and social development. Students with autism may display low levels of engagement, particularly in their social world, which limits the opportunities for learning. It is important that a teacher incorporate activities that reflect the student's interests to begin to encourage the student's participation.
Dyslexia most directly impacts a student's ability in: A. explaining definitions to commonly used vocabulary. B. listening to a text read aloud and recognizing main ideas and details. C. applying cognitive complexity to oral responses. D. identifying phonemes and relating them to letters and words
D. identifying phonemes and relating them to letters and words Dyslexia is a type of learning disability that involves delays in reading due to difficulty identifying speech sounds (phonemes) and how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Dyslexia refers to a learning disorder affecting a student's reading skills. It is often characterized by difficulties in areas including (but not limited to) phonological processing (e.g., the ability to efficiently identify, blend, and manipulate speech sounds and syllables in words), decoding, reading fluency, and/or spelling. Reading for a student with dyslexia may be inaccurate and/or slow and effortful. Many students with dyslexia perform better on tasks involving listening comprehension than tasks involving reading comprehension. Dyslexia is associated with brain-based phonological impairments, not intellectual functioning or visual problems.
The teachers of a kindergarten student with an intellectual disability would like to evaluate the student's independent performance of daily routines and activities. For this purpose, it would be most important to analyze: A. the discrepancy between the student's academic achievement and intellectual functioning B. results from a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) C. the student's intellectual aptitude in a range of performance areas D. information gathered from an adaptive behavior inventory
D. information gathered from an adaptive behavior inventory An intellectual disability is characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, which includes many everyday social and practice skills. An adaptive behavior inventory is used to evaluate a student's ability to independently perform daily routines such as grooming, getting dressed, avoiding danger, handling food safely, following school rules, managing money, cleaning and making friends. Adaptive behavior also includes the ability to work, socialize, and be responsible.
A student with a learning disability in a general education class receives special education services to address IEP goals in basic reading and math. Which action should be considered one of the general education teacher's primary responsibilities in working with the student? A. designing intensive academic supports through Response to Intervention (RtI) for the student B. developing a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) for the student C. ensuring that the other general education teachers are implementing the student's IEP D. providing input to the student's Committee on Special Education (CSE) regarding the student's progress in class
D. providing input to the student's Committee on Special Education (CSE) regarding the student's progress in class The general education teacher should be viewed as the "expert" who should assist the Committee in better understanding the intricacies of the general education curriculum and provide information about the student's progress and needs in the general education classroom.
