Study Guide

Field 043: Special Education
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

Expand All | Collapse All

Competency 0001
Understand characteristics of students with disabilities.

Students with nonverbal learning disabilities and students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically share which of the following characteristics?

  1. preference for visual-spatial tasks
  2. limited range of interests
  3. good organizational skills
  4. difficulty interpreting social cues
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the similarities among students with disabilities. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and individuals with nonverbal learning disabilities often experience difficulties with communication and social interaction skills. Thus, interpreting social cues (e.g., facial expressions, body language) would be difficult for individuals with either ASD or nonverbal learning disabilities.
Competency 0002
Understand factors that affect development, learning, and daily living in students with disabilities.

A student with cystic fibrosis is most susceptible to which of the following?

  1. respiratory infection
  2. brittle bones
  3. migraine headaches
  4. kidney failure
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to recognize the unique medical needs that accompany various disabilities. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited medical condition that causes an individual's lungs to become increasingly susceptible to infections due to excessive production of mucus.
Competency 0003
Understand procedures for selecting, adapting, modifying, designing, and using various types of formal and informal assessments.

A special education teacher is participating in a three-year reevaluation of a high school student with an intellectual disability. As part of an assessment, the teacher accompanies the student to a store and asks the student to locate and purchase an item. This is an example of which of the following types of assessments?

  1. ecological
  2. portfolio
  3. authentic
  4. interview
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of various types of assessments. An authentic assessment is a method of evaluating a student's problem-solving abilities in real-life situations. In this scenario, the high school student is being assessed on the ability to perform life skills in a community-based setting.
Competency 0004
Understand strategies and procedures for developing, implementing, and monitoring individualized programs.

A fifth-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) attends a general education class full time with support from a special education teacher. Which of the following would be the most effective way for the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to integrate social skills training into the general academic curriculum for this student?

  1. Incorporate individual counseling services into the student's IEP.
  2. Establish clear expectations for appropriate classroom behavior.
  3. Assign the student a one-on-one aide to model appropriate behavior.
  4. Include peer-to-peer supports in the general education class as part of the student's IEP.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of strategies for integrating social skills with academic curricula. Research has shown that using peer-to-peer supports is an effective strategy for supporting students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the general education setting. The peers serve as role models to students with ASD in supporting their development of academic and social skills.
Competency 0005
Understand strategies and procedures for planning, managing, and modifying the learning environment for students with disabilities.

A middle school social studies teacher consults with a special educator about a new student who has cerebral palsy and an associated speech impairment. The social studies teacher wants to know the best way to include the student in class discussions. Which of the following would be the special educator's most appropriate response?

  1. "Give the student five minutes to prepare a response to a question during discussions."
  2. "Ask the student questions at the very beginning of discussions to minimize her anxiety."
  3. "Discuss with the student her preferred method of communication."
  4. "Position the student in the center of the classroom so that everyone can hear the student's contributions."
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of effective methods for fostering students' active participation in large-group settings. Depending on the student's degree and type of impairment, the student may have little or no control over the muscles involved in producing speech. For example, the student may have a mild to moderate speech disorder and use speech to communicate. On the other hand, the student may have a severe speech disorder and use an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system. To foster this student's participation in social studies discussions, the general education teacher should encourage the student to use the student's preferred method of communication.
Competency 0006
Understand effective instructional practices for promoting students' success in the general curriculum.

A special education teacher is planning to use drill-and-practice software to reinforce the mathematical computation skills of a student with a learning disability. This type of software would be especially useful for the teacher's intended purpose because of its ability to provide:

  1. virtually unlimited examples of any given type of problem.
  2. highly entertaining visual displays.
  3. direct comparisons with different students' performances.
  4. immediate feedback on answers.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of research-supported methods for providing mathematics instruction to all students with disabilities. Research has shown that using drill-and-practice software is an effective instructional strategy to use with students who have a specific learning disability in mathematics because such software provides students with repeated opportunities to practice facts, immediate feedback, and the opportunity to experience success. Immediate feedback helps ensure that students are not learning facts incorrectly.
Competency 0007
Understand strategies for developing students' communication and social skills and for providing effective behavioral interventions for students with disabilities.

A middle school student with specific learning disabilities has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) goal to develop self-determination skills. Which of the following would be most effective for the special educator to use in helping the student achieve this goal?

  1. including the student as a collaborator at his own IEP annual review meeting
  2. providing the student with opportunities to evaluate his own work
  3. assigning the student a research project to present to classmates orally
  4. providing the student with reading material to learn more about the IEP process
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of strategies for developing students' self-advocacy skills, resulting in self-determination. Developing self-determination skills means that students learn to make choices and take an active role in their education and in transition planning. One way to help students develop these skills is to have them participate in setting goals for themselves during their annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meeting. By participating in their IEP meeting, students learn to take ownership of their education and ultimately their future.
Competency 0008
Understand strategies for teaching functional living skills and promoting successful transitions for students with disabilities.

It would be especially important to take gender differences into account when a special education teacher is planning instruction for which of the following components of a functional curriculum?

  1. leisure activities
  2. personal hygiene
  3. money management
  4. vocational skills
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing and selecting instructional content that is responsive to students' gender differences. In addition to learning academic curricula, some students with disabilities receive instruction in functional living skills, including self-care skills. Learning skills related to personal hygiene enhances students' level of autonomy and independence. Of the categories of functional living skills listed, personal hygiene skills are most likely to be different depending on gender, particularly for older students (e.g., shaving, applying makeup).
Competency 0009
Understand the historical, legal, and ethical foundations of the field of special education.

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), which of the following steps must take place before a student can be evaluated for special education services?

  1. The student's general education teacher must submit a list of assessments to include in the evaluation.
  2. A school administrator must allocate funding for the evaluation to take place.
  3. The student's parents/guardians must give written permission for the evaluation.
  4. An independent psychologist must review the referral information and determine that an evaluation is necessary.
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of federal laws related to the education of students with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) provides students with disabilities and their parents/guardians with a number of procedural safeguards to protect their rights. For example, if a student is referred for a comprehensive individual evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services, the student's parents/guardians must give written permission before this evaluation can take place.
Competency 0010
Understand the professional roles and responsibilities of the special education teacher.

A special educator is scheduling a three-year reevaluation meeting for a student who is an English Language Learner. The student's parents prefer to communicate in their first language rather than in English. Which of the following steps should the special educator take to promote effective communication during this meeting?

  1. Ask the parents to bring a family member who speaks both languages.
  2. Request that the school administrator hire a translator.
  3. Learn to say some basic greetings in the parents' first language.
  4. Provide a dictionary for the parents to use.
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of effective strategies for communicating and collaborating with students with disabilities and their parents/guardians. The parents/guardians of a student with a disability are considered to be key members of the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. In order to collaborate effectively with parents/guardians whose preferred language is not English, a special educator must be able to communicate with them. In the scenario provided, the special education teacher has a professional obligation to ensure that a professional translator or interpreter is available to attend the meeting to ensure clear, accessible communication.