AN OVERVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

1.

Special education is
A: instruction specifically designed to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities.
Special Education is based in P.L. 94-142. It is not where the student receives the specialized instruction.
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are developed for each student with a disability based on his or
her specific needs.
2.

An impairment is
A: a loss or abnormality of a psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function.
Feedback: A disability is a limitation that is inherent in the individual and a handicap is caused when an
individual encounters a situation based on external factors such as a person in a wheelchair wanting to
enter a building with no ramp.
3.

Which of the following disability categories has the highest prevalence rate?
A: learning disabilities
Nine out of 10 students with disabilities fall into one of five categories: learning disabilities (45.3%),
speech or language impairments (19%), other health impairments (9.3%), mental retardation (8.9%), and
emotional disturbance (7.8%).
4.

Percentage-wise, which of the following categories of disabilities have shown increases since 1993?
A: autism and traumatic brain injury
The probable reason for the increases in autism and traumatic brain injury is that they were not
considered as disability areas under federal law until 1990.
5.

An eighth-grade class has been assigned to read a Shakespearian play. One student with a learning disability
listens to the book on tape. This is an example of
A: an accommodation.
Because the student is receiving the same information as the students without disabilities, this is an
example of an accommodation. If the assignment was different from what the other students were
receiving, it would be a modification.
6.

Assistive technology devices include

A: All the answers are correct.
Assistive technology devices include anything used to increase, maintain, or improve functional
capabilities of a child with a disability. This can include both high and low technology devices. A voice
synthesizer, a pencil grip, and books in large print are all considered assistive technology devices.
7.

Special education services are delivered by all but which of the following?
A: local medical center staf
Special education services can be provided by any individual in the school setting including special
educators, related service providers, and general educators. Local medical center staff would not provide
special education services, though a school nurse could.
8.

Related services include

A: All the answers are correct.
In addition to these services, transportation, interpreting, psychology, and counseling are also related
services.
9.

Formal special education was recognized, and eventually funded, by federal legislation in
A: the decades of the 1960s and 1970s
The 1960s and 1970s were the beginning of the formal field of special education. Until then, individuals
with disabilities were often treated poorly.
10. Who coined the term "learning disability"?
A: Samuel Kirk
Samuel Kirk coined the term "learning disability." Horace Mann is considered to be the "Father of
American Education," Grade Fernald developed a mulitsensory approach to learning, and Heinz Werner
applied neurology to the field of education.
11. Which court case initiated free, appropriate public education (FAPE)?
A: Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Citizens v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Although the Mills decision is related to free, appropriate public education, it came one year after the
PARC decision. The Larry P v. Riles case found that African-American students were being discriminated
against in assessments. Brown v. Board of Education found that "a separate education is not an equal
education.
12. In addition to FAPE, which of the following are other principles of IDEA 04?
A: All the answers are correct
Parental participation, individual education programs, and due process are all principles of IDEA 04.
Other principles include nondiscriminatory evaluation and the least restrictive environment.
13. Which mandate of IDEA 04 requires communities to identify all children with disabilities?
A: Child Find
Included in the Child Find mandate are children who are homeless, wards of the state, and/or who attend
private schools. Nondiscrimininatory evaluation refers to no bias in testing; children with disabilities as a
person-first statement; and No Child Left Behind is the current law in general education.
14. A student's IEP must include all of the following except
A: how the services will be funded.

The services stated in one's IEP are to be free to parents, paid for by schools. However, the costs of these
services are not included on the student's IEP. Progress toward annual goals, the date on which a reevaluation must occur, and the student's present level of performance must be included in the IEP.
15. According to IDEA 04, students with qualifying disabilities are served through the age range of
A: birth through 21.
The original law, P.L. 94-142 allowed for special education services from ages three to 21, but P.L. 99-457
lowered it to birth.
16. Once a parent or guardian consents to having his or her child evaluated to determine if a disability exists, the
school has _____ to complete the evaluation.
A; 60 days or the state's time frame
The federal law sets specific time frames; however, each state is allowed to make its own time frame as
long as it does not exceed the federal time frame.
17. If a student with a disability is to be disciplined for an action that has been determined to be a manifestation of his
or her disability, what must be included in the student's IEP?
A: a behavior intervention plan
The functional behavior assessment will be used to develop the behavior intervention plan and all of this
is put into place based on the results of the manifestation determination.
18. Which of the following requirement(s) must be met for a teacher to be considered highly qualified?
A: All the answers are correct
Being fully certified includes either completing a teaching program or passing a test via an alternative
licensure route.
19. How is it determined that a student is linguistically diverse?
A: His or her primary language is not English
A student is linguistically diverse if his or her primary language is not English. Being born in a nonEnglish speaking country or having parents who do not speak English does not necessarily mean that a
student does not speak English.
20. Individualized family service plans (IFSPs) are required for
A: families with a child, under the age of three, who has a disability.
IFSPs are only used for the first two years of the life of an individual with a disability and have no
requirements based on family income.
TRUE OR FALSE
1.

Accommodations and modifications are interchangeable terms in the field of special education
False
An accommodation is a change in something to help the student learn, whereas a modification
changes the instructional task.

2.

The principles of universal design make the curriculum accessible to all students
True
Universal design is a concept borrowed from architecture in which buildings are designed to be
completely accessible to all individuals, including those with physical disabilities.

3.

Special education services are only delivered in special education classrooms such as a resource or selfcontained classroom.
False
Special education services are delivered in the least restrictive environment specified in the
individual's IEP. The least restrictive environment could be a general education classroom.

4.

Only special education teachers are allowed by law to provide services to students with disabilities
False
Any school-related personnel can deliver special education services documented in the student's
IEP.

5.

Special education was mandated by law in the United States in 1975.

True
The year 1975 was when special education was required by federal law. Special schools for
students with disabilities have been around since the 1800s, but they were not mandated by
federal law.

6.

The Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Citizens v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania decision was the impetus
for the Free Appropriate Public Education provision of P.L. 94-142.
True
This decision was incorporated into one of the main provisions of the special education law.

7.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law.

True
This law, IDEA 04, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are all civil rights laws.

8.

When a student is being disciplined, a manifestation determination must be conducted at the earliest possible
convenience of the IEP team.
False
A manifestation determination must be conducted within 10 days of the incident for which
discipline of the student is being discussed.

9.

Classrooms for students with limited English proficiency are the least restrictive environment for students
whose first language is not English
False
Students for whom English is not the primary language are not under the same least-restrictive
environment requirement of IDEA 04, unless they also have a documented disability.

10. Children under the age of three are covered under the Part C requirements of IDEA 04.
True
This part of the law focuses on infants and toddlers, birth through age two.
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS: FROM INITIAL IDENTIFICATION TO THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES
1.

The early identification of all children with disabilities is consistent with which provision of IDEA 04?
Child Find
Child Find is the provision of IDEA 04 that requires early identification of children with disabilities.
The other answers are part of the education of school-aged children with disabilities.

2.

Which of the following usually occurs prior to identifying students with a disability, if they are of school age?
prereferral assessment
Although the prereferral process is not a legal requirement of IDEA 04, it is considered best
practice and almost 75% of the states either require or recommend it. It is intended to reduce the
number of referrals to special education.

3.

The purpose of a prereferral intervention program is

to determine if further investigation is warranted when a disability is suspected.
A related purpose of a prereferral process is to reduce the number of referrals and to avoid
labeling the student. It is not part of the evaluation that actually determines if a child has a
disability.

4.

Criterion-referenced assessments
are designed to determine the specific skills a child has and has not mastered.
For each academic skill, criterion-referenced tests break down the skill into parts, and each part
of the skill is tested. The results of this assessment reveal what the student needs to learn to be
successful.

5.

Which type of assessment is used to determine what a student knows compared to his or her same-age or
same-grade peers?
norm-referenced tests
Although criterion-referenced and curriculum-based assessments can be standardized, the
results from these tests are more often used to determine what the student specifically knows or
is able to do.

6.

Using the response to intervention model described in this chapter, students are referred to special education
after being unsuccessful at which tier?
Tier 3
There are three tiers in the response to intervention model. If unsuccessful after Tier 3, a student
is referred for special education. A student who is successful with the Tier 3 intervention would
not be referred for special education.

7.

Of those students who are referred for evaluation after the prereferral process, approximately what ratio are
found to be eligible to receive special education services?
Three out of four
According to one study, 70 to 74% of students referred for evaluation were found to be eligible to
receive special education services.

8.

Once parental consent has been obtained by the school to evaluate the child, how much time does the school
have to complete the evaluation?
Sixty days
According to IDEA 04, a school has sixty days from the time parental consent is given to complete
the evaluation. A state is able to shorten that time frame but cannot exceed this federal
guideline.

9.

Which of the following is a legitimate reason to identify a child with a disability?

Frequent illness
Students who are frequently ill or absent from school due to illness may be eligible to receive
special education services under the category "other health impairment."

10. Students who come from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds are overrepresented in the
Mental retardation category.
Due to the challenges in assessing students who are culturally or linguistically diverse, the results
of the tests frequently result in the classification of students in this disability category.
11. Which of the following are concerns that examiners face when testing students for whom English is not their
primary language?
All the answers are correct.
Most tests are written and standardized in English. In addition, many cultural groups are not
represented in the norm sample of the test.
12. Which type of assessment is most often used to identify preschool-aged children who are suspected of having
a disability?
Informal measures such as observation

Children develop differently at this early age; therefore, the results of standardized types of test
are not reliable with preschool-aged children.
13. Which type(s) of assessment have been most widely used in the past to determine if a child has a learning
disability or mental retardation?
Intelligence and achievement tests
Although the law requires multiple assessments to be used, IQ and achievements tests have
almost always been used in the past to identify students with these disabilities.
14. "High-stakes testing" has been used for all of the following purposes EXCEPT for determining
Grades on a student's report card.
The results or scores from state-wide or district-wide tests generally do not impact the grades
teachers report at the end of each marking period.
15. At which point is an IEP developed for a student?
When the student is found to have a disability under IDEA 04
The IEP is developed only after the team has reviewed the results of the evaluation and
determined that the student is eligible for special education services.
16. The multidisciplinary team is minimally composed of
All the answers are correct.
The student can be part of the team as well as related service providers if appropriate.
17. Which of the following has Congress suggested be removed from most students' IEPs?
Objectives and benchmarks
This suggestion does not apply to students whose goals are aligned with alternate achievement
standards.
18. Transition services must be included in a student's IEP beginning at age
16
Prior to IDEA 04, the minimum age to include transition services was 14. Although the current law
mandates services to begin by the age of 16, younger students can have transition services
included in their IEP if appropriate.
19. One of the goals of an IEP is
To reinforce the importance of looking at every student with a disability as an individual and not simply as a
member of a category.
An IEP should be written individually for each eligible student with a disability. The goals and
objectives should be tailored specifically to the student's needs.
20. An IFSP is written for which group of individuals with a disability?
Infants and toddlers
An IFSP (individual family service plan) is developed to include the family in providing special
education services to preschool-aged children. The goal is to encourage service delivery in the
child's natural environment, which includes the home and other community settings.

TRUE OR FALSE
1. Only school personnel are able to initiate the special education process
False
Others, including parents and physicians, are also allowed to identify if a child has a suspected
disability.
2.

Generally, students with mild disabilities are identified in the early elementary grades when their teachers
begin to notice the child deviating academically or behaviorally from their classmates.
True
In some cases, students "fall through the cracks" and are not identified until the later
grades. Also, some students may go through the prereferral process but are not referred for
special education services.

3.

Observation and error analysis are two tools used by teachers in developing prereferral intervention strategies.
True
By observing the child in the instructional environment, the teacher may gain knowledge as to
how the child learns best. Examining the errors a child makes is one way to identify how the
student solves problems.

4.

The term used to describe breaking down a skill into its component parts is called task analysis.
True
Criterion-referenced tests are often based on task analysis with items being developed for each
sequential step.

5.

Schools do not need to provide special education services for a child suspected of having a disability if the
parents do not consent or do not respond to attempts made by the school to contact them.
True
This is a new requirement of IDEA 04

6.

One of the most heated debates in the field of special education involves the use of labels for students with
disabilities.
True

Many issues are debated in the field of special education, including this one. Some argue that
labels are critically important in identifying student disabilities while others argue that labels hurt
the child.
7.

A student identified as having a disability in one state may not qualify for special education services in another
state.
True
Each state can determine its own eligibility criteria for a specific disability.

8.

An IEP is developed as part of the evaluation phase of the special education process.
False
An IEP is only developed for those students found to be eligible to receive special education
services from the results of the evaluation.

9.

According to IDEA 04, all students are required to attend their IEP meeting.
False
The law requires the following as a minimum on an IEP team: parents, general education teacher,
special education teacher, and a representative of the local education agency. Students may
choose to attend.

10. A student's present level of performance is recommended to be included on a student's IEP but is not required
due to the amount of paperwork teachers have to complete.
False
A student's present level of performance is required to be on each student's IEP. Congress
suggested eliminating objectives and benchmarks for most students to reduce paperwork.
SCHOOL, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
1. Collaboration has been defined as an interaction between two coequal parties working toward a common goal.
All of the following are components of collaboration EXCEPT
Compensation for working after school hours
Collaboration is typically voluntary. An administrator should provide common planning time
during the school hours but, at times, additional planning or consultative time is necessary.
2. Teachers need to collaborate when developing
All the answers are correct
General and special education teachers should collaborate in all of these areas to ensure that all
students, with and without disabilities, are receiving appropriate instruction. In addition to
accommodations and modifications, there are many other times teachers should collaborate.
3. In co-teaching, the teachers need to
agree on and understand each other's role.
The co-teaching model is where there is shared ownership of the students, and the two teachers
need to work very closely with each other to agree on and understand each other's role.
Communication should be regular and, while sharing tasks is important, each teacher may assume
greater responsibility for some tasks (e.g., the special education teacher may assume a greater
role in documenting IEP progress; the general education teacher may assume a greater role in
selecting the text and materials used).
4. The basic concepts of collaboration include
All the answers are correct.
In addition to these three concepts, sharing responsibility, achieving common goals, building
community, parity, recognizing the roles needed based on the different levels of work, and
recognizing that the planning process can be formal or spontaneous are the other concepts of
collaboration.
5. Who is ultimately responsible for all the students in a collaborative teaching model? the general and special
education teachers
the general and special education teachers
To be truly collaborative, both teachers have equal responsibilities. Paraprofessionals participate
in the educational process, but teachers bear the responsibility for the success of instruction.
6. Parity is
each person being equally valued as a contributor in the collaborative efort.
Although two people working together could be considered parity, if they are not considered
equal in each other's eyes, it is not parity. Also, parity does not exist in all collaborative
relationships (e.g., teachers may assume a greater role in educating a student than a related
services person, such as a school psychologist).
7. All of the following are barriers to collaboration EXCEPT
physical barriers.
Collaboration typically requires no additional changes to the physical structure of the school
building. In addition to these three identified barriers, professional barriers have also been
identified in the literature.
8. Professional barriers to efective collaboration include
teacher training.
Neither the ethnicities of teachers nor where their desks are placed are considered to be
professional barriers. Special and general education teachers may have been trained differently;
therefore, how they approach teaching may impact their approach to collaboration. Negative
attitudes towards collaboration are considered attitudinal barriers.

9. Community Parent Resource Centers ofer which of the following services to parents and individuals with
disabilities?
understanding their legal rights under IDEA
It is required that transportation be provided by the schools. Care for students when parents are
on vacation is not required under IDEA 04. Other services that these centers provide include
working with state agencies and working through due process as well as understanding legal
rights.
10. Which of the following are barriers to collaboration with parents?
educational jargon
Some parents do not feel they are true members of the IEP team but are rather observers of the
special education process. This is especially true when educational professionals use jargon to
describe things during a meeting.
11. Student participation on the IEP team is
recommended as best practice.
Only parental participation is required under the law. Researchers, however, have found many
benefits to the IEP process with the input of the student.
12. One way student participation can be enhanced in the IEP process is
to involve peers and community members who are supportive of the student.
Parents should be encouraged to participate at all times. Students should have their rights
explained to them, but they should not be required to read and understand the law by
themselves. Other strategies to increase student participation include making sure parents know
that their child can attend and participate, and focusing on the child's strengths.
13. The strategy to increase family involvement where there is a free-flow exchange of information and ideas is
known as
ongoing communication, information sharing, and basic program involvement.
Each of the other three choices are ways to increase family participation; however, these are the
four levels identified in the literature and each level grows from the lower levels.
14. Using culturally responsive feedback is a recommended strategy to increase the participation of families who
are culturally and linguistically diverse. This strategy include(s)
having a short social conversation prior to delving into a conversation about the child's education.
Including cultural information is a good strategy for multicultural education, but is not providing
feedback. The strategy of using culturally responsive feedback would be educating yourself about
the family's culture by realizing that a short social conversation is expected before a more
professional or personal conversation. One should not prejudge families in terms of what they do
or do not understand about the education of their students.
15. Which of the following is an important component of co-teaching?
interpersonal communication
Other important components of co-teaching include agreement on the model of co-teaching to be
used and classroom management procedures. The other two choices listed are not important
components of co-teaching.
16. Which model of co-teaching is where both teachers share the same space and students, and they share
responsibilities, but one teacher teaches while the other teacher supports the students by wandering among
the students and monitoring their work and behavior?
one teach, one drift
The other models of co-teaching are similar to what is stated in the first part of the question;
however, when one teacher wanders among the students, he or she is viewed as a teacher, but at
this time he or she is drifting in order to provide assistance to or monitor students.
17. Which model of co-teaching is where both teachers share the same space, students, and responsibilities, but
one teaches a separate heterogeneous group of students (for example, to provide additional instruction on a
concept) while the other works with the remaining larger group?
alternative teaching
This is an alternative, yet collaborative, relationship where one teacher continues teaching while
the other teacher assists a separate group of students, in some cases to "catch them up." This
separate group of students is heterogeneous and should not always be a group of students with
disabilities.
18. Some paraprofessionals are not as efective in the classroom as they could be. Which of the following
suggestions is appropriate in training paraprofessionals?
Involve them in collaboration.
Other training suggestions include making the training convenient for them and focusing the
training on content relevant to their position.
19. Who else may be involved in the collaborative process?
All the answers are correct.
Anyone involved in the education of students with disabilities may be included in the collaborative
process.
20. Which term is used in the literature to describe schools in which several community services are housed in the
local school?
full-service schools
The services that can be included in full-service schools could include before- and after-school
care, recreation, health, and counseling services.

TRUE OR FALSE
1.

The ability of general and special education teachers to collaborate is necessary to provide the support
students with disabilities need.
True
Without collaboration, the student's needs may be overlooked or services duplicated.

2.

The federal law requires collaboration when developing the IEP, as it is critical in the education of students
with disabilities.
True
Some types of collaboration (i.e., co-teaching, team teaching, consultation, etc.) are not required
by law, but developing the IEP must be done collaboratively.

3.

There is one basic model of collaboration that is understood to be the best

False
There are many models of collaboration, each with its own unique characteristics.

4.

In a collaborative relationship, the special education teacher is ultimately responsible for the successes or
failures of the students with special needs.
False
Collaboration includes shared responsibility.

5.

A collaborative efort is required for IEP teams to be efective.

True
The law requires collaboration in the development of IEPs. IDEA 04 identifies multiple individuals
who may participate. These participants may include local education agency representatives, the
special education teacher, parent/family, general education teacher (if the student participates in
the general education curriculum), an individual who can interpret assessment data, and the
student, as well as others. However, if one person on the team takes over and does not consider
what the other members of the team have to contribute, the team will not be effective.

6.

Most parents are comfortable with, understand, and participate fully in the IEP process.
False
Many parents feel intimidated by the professional members of the IEP team and often defer to
their decisions. Parental participation is necessary, as the student's parents or guardians know
their child best and are the one constant on the child's IEP team.
IDEA 04 requires student and parental participation throughout the IEP process.
False
Parental participation is required; however, student participation is not required unless the child
is a legal adult whose parents have not secured guardianship. Student participation is helpful as
his/her input should be considered in developing goals.

7.

in

schools.

8.

One way to demonstrate efective listening skills is to assume a natural and relaxed posture.
True
In addition, teachers should maintain eye contact and make comments about what family
members are saying.

9.

Future teachers will have many challenges in learning how to establish, build, and maintain collaborative
relationships with families, regardless of their culture.
True
As there is no "traditional family," teachers will need to learn about many more family
characteristics, including culture.

10. Efective strategies for working with diverse families are the same as for working with English-speaking
families
False
Teachers need to consider the culture of the family members with whom they are meeting, and
educate themselves about manners which may be offensive to the family.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
1.

Where are the majority of students with learning disabilities taught?

in the general education classroom
Students are taught in the least restrictive environment, which sometimes may be other than the
general education classroom. However, most students with learning disabilities are taught in the
general education classroom.

2.

Which of the following must be ruled out when determining if a student has a learning disability?
environmental disadvantage
In addition to environmental disadvantage, sensory deficits must also be ruled out when making
the decision whether or not a student has a qualifying learning disability. The number of years a
student has been retained as well as the number of schools he/she has attended have no bearing
on the student's learning ability.

3.

Approximately what percentage of students is considered to have a learning disability?

5%
In 2005, it was found that 5.24% of all students (ages 6-17) had an identified learning disability.

4.

In which area do most students with learning disabilities have difficulty?

Reading
Regardless of gender, reading is the single area in which most students have difficulties.

5.

Problems that might indicate a learning disability related to early reading skills may be found in the area of
phonological awareness and rapid automatic naming.
Phonological awareness is the recognition that words, syllables, or sounds exist in spoken
language and can be manipulated by deleting, adding, substituting, and transposing. Rapid
automatic naming (RAN) is the ability to quickly name stimuli such as digits, letters, or pictures of
simple objects. Both have been found to be related to later reading.

6.

A characteristic of learning disabilities that may afect a student's ability to think about his/her own thinking is
difficulty in
metacognition.
Metacognition allows readers to realize when they do not comprehend what they are reading and
need to revise their reading strategy. This may be done by rereading previous pages, asking
themselves questions while reading, or looking up words they do not understand.

7.

During the prereferral process, which types of assessments are generally used to initially identify a student?
observation and classroom performance measures
Observation and classroom performance are generally used to identify students with learning
disabilities during the prereferral process. These two types of informal assessments are brought
to the attention of the child study team.

8.

Which of the following models has been known as the "wait to fail" model?
aptitude-achievement discrepancy
Aptitude-achievement discrepancy is known as the "wait to fail" model. RTI is an alternative
means to identify a student before he or she gets too far behind.

9.

Which of the following is a step in the RTI model?

All the answers are correct.
All of these steps are part of the RTI model. The next step is to again monitor progress. If
students still do not respond, they may be deemed to have a learning disability or are referred for
evaluation.
10. Which approach may be used in the RTI model?
both the problem-solving and standard treatment protocol approaches
Both the problem-solving and standard treatment protocol approaches may be used in the RTI
model. These two approaches are typically used, and they have many benefits and strengths.
11. Why is it still considered best practice to determine a student's IQ score in the identification of a learning
disability?
If the IQ is below 75, there may be another disability present.
An IQ below 75 may indicate that another disability is present. The more data you have, the better
you can address the student's individual needs.
12. Reading comprehension is
All the answers are correct.
Reading comprehension is creating meaning from words, critical to independence and success in
school, and a skill that may need intervention in students with learning disabilities. In order to
benefit from reading, we must derive meaning from the words.
13. Which of the following is a true statement about task analysis?
It involves breaking down a task, skill, or objective into simpler components.
Task analysis can be used with many approaches to teaching in all content areas.
14. In the direct instruction approach to teaching, a good presentation includes all but which of the following
components?
an outline of your notes
An outline of notes may or may not be provided during presentation.
15. Which of the following is an example of a mnemonic device?
All the answers are correct.
All of the answers are examples of a mnemonic device. Mnemonics is a cognitive strategy often
used to remember specific information.
16. Giving a student preferential seating in the classroom for particular academic subjects is an example of
organizing the instructional environment
This is an example of organizing the instructional environment. Organizing the instructional
environment can play a significant role in the successful performance of students with learning
disabilities. This can include seating arrangements, lighting, and a variety of other physical
arrangements.
17. Which of the following is an example of instructional grouping?
All the answers are correct
All of these are examples of instructional grouping. Instructional grouping can involve any number
of students and can influence the levels of individual student engagement.
18. Which of the following definitions is most closely aligned with the IDEA 04 definition of assistive technology?
any item or piece of equipment that is used to improve the functional capabilities of an individual with a
disability
Per the IDEA 04 definition, any item or piece of equipment that is used to improve the functional
capabilities of an individual with a disability. Assistive technology need not be devices designed
specifically for individuals with disabilities.

19. Extended time for taking tests and completing assignments, varying formats, step-by-step instructions, and
graphic organizers are examples of
accommodations.
This is an example of an accommodation. An accommodation is a change based on the student's
needs concerning how information is presented by the teacher or how understanding is
demonstrated by the student.
20. A curriculum change in which all students study the same content, but what is to be learned within that
curriculum difers for a student with a learning disability, is known as
a parallel curriculum
This is an example of a parallel curriculum. Accommodations and adaptations are based on the
student learning the same material as the other students with changes that allow them to stay on
the same academic level as the other students. An overlapping curriculum means that the student
is learning from the same curriculum as other students as well as learning from a supplementary
one.
TRUE OR FALSE
1. Students with learning disabilities are taught in the least restrictive environment.
True
All students with disabilities are taught in the least restrictive environment. For the majority of
students with learning disabilities, this is the general education classroom.
2.

Both sensory impairments and environmental disadvantage must be ruled out as the primary cause of learning
problems when determining if a student has a specific learning disability.
True
Both sensory impairments and environmental disadvantage must be ruled out as the primary
cause of learning problems when identifying a student with a learning disability

3.

Some problems associated with specific learning disabilities in the area of mathematics include calculation and
problem-solving skills.
True
Students with specific learning disabilities may need work on the calculation and problem-solving
skills. Students with learning disabilities may also have potential difficulties in the areas of
knowledge of math facts and understanding of math concepts.

4.

Many students with learning disabilities have problems with both visual and auditory short-term memory.
True
Many students with learning disabilities do have problems with both visual and auditory shortterm memory. Special education teachers often focus on these problems by teaching strategies to
facilitate memory.

5.

A student who has been initially identified as having a possible learning disability automatically qualifies to
receive special education services.
False
Whether a student identified as having a possible learning disability is qualified to receive special
education services is determined based on whether that eligibility criteria have been met.

6.

Response to intervention is the only way to currently identify a student with a learning disability according to
IDEA 04.
False
RTI may now be considered for identifying a learning disability; however, other procedures such as
standardized testing are also frequently used.

7.

For students with learning disabilities, study skills may be included in the IEP from first through twelfth grade.
True
Study skills may be included in the IEP of students with learning disabilities. The acquisition of
study skills may be the key to independence all through school and life for many individuals with
learning disabilities.

8.

In the direct instruction approach to teaching, programming for generalization begins with a rationale during
presentation of the skill.
True
Direct instruction should begin with a rationale in order to help the student generalize the skill or
knowledge. This approach includes presenting to, and eliciting from, students some examples of
why they need to know this and where they will use it other than in class.

9.

Research has indicated that individuals with learning disabilities often do not know how to learn.
True
Students with learning disabilities may not know how to learn. Fortunately, researchers have
found that students with learning disabilities can be taught how to learn with cognitive strategies
instruction.

10. Acronyms and acrostics are forms of mnemonics.

True
Acronyms and acrostics are forms of mnemonics. These are two ways for students to remember
lists of information. Acronyms result from making a word with first letters of a list, while acrostics
result from making a sentence.

STUDENTS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION/INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

1.

From a historical perspective, which of the following was most important in the lives of students with
intellectual disabilities?
successful advocacy by parents and families
Although both the civil rights movement, as well as legislation such as P.L.94-142 were important,
the success of parents and families fighting for equal rights for their children was extremely
important in the lives of these students. The civil rights movement inspired parents and families
who in turn influenced legislators to pass new laws. Without the advocacy movement, legislation
may not have been passed or enactment may have been delayed.

2.

Which of the following is required under the federal definition of intellectual disabilities?
All the answers are correct.
The federal definition states that all of these three areas must be included. IDEA 04 also includes
that the condition must adversely affect educational performance.

3.

A component of identifying a student with an intellectual disability usually includes IQ. Which IQ scores are
more frequently used as a cutoff?
70-75 or below
A student with an IQ of 70-75 or below (or 2 standard deviations below the mean) would meet the
component of subaverage intelligence under a commonly used classification system.

4.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities have been classified into four areas (mild, moderate, severe, and
profound). According to the 1992 definition of mental retardation, individuals may also be classified as
needing intermittent, limited, extensive, or pervasive supports.
Trainable and educable mentally retarded are antiquated terms. Luckasson et al. identified the four
levels of support. Mild, moderate, severe, and profound are based on level of severity, usually
measured through IQ.

5.

Which of the following prevalence statistics is the percentage of students with intellectual disabilities in the
general population?
1%
th
According to the 25 Annual Report to Congress, 1% of school-aged children meet the federal
definition. Of those students with identified disabilities, 5% to 6% of these students are classified
under the disability category of mental retardation/intellectual disabilities.

6.

Which of the following statements best describes why overrepresentation exists in special education?
Overrepresentation occurs due to a number of factors including a lack of effective instructional programs,
ineffective teaching methods, and assumptions made by professionals in the field.
Each of these other answers may contribute to the overrepresentation in special education. The
other factors that Green noted include inappropriate learning opportunities, a disconnect in race,
high-stakes testing, and school versus family perspectives.

7.

For some students with intellectual disabilities, the cause of the disability is unknown. Which factor(s) does/do
not have a direct link to the cause of the disability but may contribute to the child having an intellectual
disability?
psychosocial factors
These other factors have been found to cause this disability; for example, lack of oxygen at birth
is an environmental cause, and having an extra chromosome may be a cause. However,
psychosocial factors such as living in poverty do not necessarily cause this disability, although they
may be contributing factors.

8.

There are multiple characteristics regarding students with intellectual disabilities, one of which is memory
characteristics. Which of the following memories holds information for long enough to complete a task?
working memory
Working memory involves holding information in memory long enough to complete a task. An
example of working memory is remembering two numbers long enough to be able to add them
together to get a final solution to an oral problem.

9.

Which of the following characteristics of individuals with intellectual disabilities refers to the difficulty of
applying what is learned in one setting to another setting?
transfer and generalization characteristics
Social and personal characteristics as well as memory are characteristics discussed concerning
individuals with intellectual disabilities; however, transfer and generalization are characteristics in
which an individual has difficulty in applying what is learned in one setting or situation to a
similar, yet different, setting or situation.

10. Once a student has been identified as having an intellectual disability, what other information is more
important to know?
the types of supports the student needs
In making the eligibility decision, you would likely already know the IQ score as well as any
deficits in adaptive skill areas. Knowing what supports the individual will need in school is very
important when developing the student's IEP.
11. Which test is widely used to determine how well a student is doing academically compared to his or her same
age or grade peers?
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II
An achievement test will produce scores which are comparable to national norms, both by age and
grade levels. The other tests are behavior and ability tests.

12. Which statement best describes the academic curriculum for students with mild or moderate intellectual
disabilities?
Curriculum for students with intellectual disabilities in the early elementary grades should be similar to that of
students without disabilities; however, in the later elementary grades through the secondary level, a functional
or limited academic curriculum may be more appropriate.
Although the other statements address important considerations when thinking about curriculum,
the correct statement addresses all aspects of the student's educational career, and it is important
to note that the curriculum may be significantly different from other students with disabilities due
to the nature of the disability.
13. Which of the following terms below refers to the practical, everyday, problem-solving arithmetic skills a
student needs to acquire for both now and the future?
functional academics
These are all very important skills for individuals with intellectual disabilities to have; however,
academically, the IEP team must determine the importance of academics for students and which
specific academic skills are required for the student to live his/her life as independently as he or
she can.
14. Which of the following terms refers to the skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in
goal-directed, autonomous behavior?
self-determination
Components of a self-determination curriculum include choice-making, goal setting, and goal
attainment. The other answers are also very important considerations when teaching students
with intellectual disabilities.
15. Once an individual is independently self-determined, which of the following terms refers to the individual being
able to promote his or her own interests and support those interests?
recognition, recall, reconstruction
The correct order of the hierarchy of difficulties is that the students recognize the correct answer
and use their memory for recall before they are able to reconstruct the knowledge that they
previously learned.
16. Which term refers to extra cues designed to increase the chances of a student's providing the correct answer
to a question?
Prompt
Brainstorming is gathering a lot of ideas, and suggestions are similar to giving students hints. A
prompt, however, is intentionally designed to activate the student's memory in order to increase
the chance that the reply will be correct without directly giving the student the answer.
17. Which setting has been found to be the least restrictive environment for teaching most students with
intellectual disabilities?
the general education classroom
Though physical modifications may need to be made in a school setting, these modifications can
easily be made in an inclusive setting. It is, however, important to remember that the IEP team
will determine the least restrictive environment on a case-by-case basis.
18. Which instructional grouping arrangement is frequently provided for students with intellectual disabilities?
one-to-one instruction
Although one-to-one is a widely used instructional arrangement, it is not necessarily the only or
best way to teach students with intellectual disabilities. With careful planning, students can
benefit from small groups or whole-class instruction.
19. In what way(s) can technology assist in the teaching and learning of students with intellectual disabilities?
All the answers are correct.
The use of assistive technology is required to be considered in a student's IEP. How the
technology is used may very well depend on the technological skills of the teacher as well as
access to this technology.