AECTP Special Education 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student who is deaf and uses American Sign Language (ASL) is being assessed for special education. Which consideration is MOST critical?
- Administering assessments in English to measure academic achievement accurately
- Using assessors fluent in ASL and evaluating the student in their primary language (Correct answer)
- Excluding language-based assessments entirely
- Relying solely on parent report for eligibility determination
Correct answer: Using assessors fluent in ASL and evaluating the student in their primary language
Evaluations must be conducted in the student's native language or mode of communication to yield valid results under IDEA.
Question 2: Which behavior intervention strategy involves teaching a student a more appropriate behavior that serves the same function as a problem behavior?
- Positive punishment
- Functional replacement behavior / functionally equivalent replacement behavior (FERB) (Correct answer)
- Response cost
- Time-out from reinforcement
Correct answer: Functional replacement behavior / functionally equivalent replacement behavior (FERB)
A functionally equivalent replacement behavior teaches the student to meet the same need through an acceptable behavior, reducing the problem behavior.
Question 3: When a student's behavior is determined to be a manifestation of their disability, what MUST the IEP team do?
- Proceed with expulsion as planned
- Conduct an FBA if one hasn't been done and revise or develop a BIP (Correct answer)
- Remove the student from special education services
- Notify law enforcement immediately
Correct answer: Conduct an FBA if one hasn't been done and revise or develop a BIP
If behavior is a manifestation of the disability, the school must conduct or review an FBA and develop or modify a Behavior Intervention Plan.
Question 4: Which placement option represents the MOST restrictive environment on the continuum of services?
- General education classroom with co-teaching
- Resource room for part of the school day
- Self-contained special education classroom
- Residential school or hospital setting (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Residential school or hospital setting
A residential or hospital placement is the most restrictive setting because the student is separated from non-disabled peers around the clock.
Question 5: A teacher notices a student struggles with executive functioning, including planning and organizing tasks. Which intervention would MOST directly address this need?
- Increasing the length of written assignments to build stamina
- Using graphic organizers, checklists, and step-by-step task breakdowns (Correct answer)
- Assigning the student independent research projects to build self-regulation
- Removing all structured supports to encourage independence
Correct answer: Using graphic organizers, checklists, and step-by-step task breakdowns
Graphic organizers and checklists provide external scaffolding that supports executive functioning deficits in planning and organization.
Question 6: A special education teacher is preparing a student with a significant cognitive disability for state testing. Which option is MOST appropriate?
- Exempt the student from all state assessments
- Administer the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) (Correct answer)
- Give the standard assessment without accommodations
- Allow the student to take the test at home
Correct answer: Administer the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS)
Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities participate in alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, as required by IDEA and ESSA.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a supplementary aid and service that could be included in an IEP?
- A referral to a private special education school
- Preferential seating and access to a peer note-taker in general education (Correct answer)
- Suspension from general education classes
- Separate diploma track
Correct answer: Preferential seating and access to a peer note-taker in general education
Supplementary aids and services like preferential seating and peer note-takers support the student's participation in general education settings.
AECTP Special Education 4
A student who is deaf and uses American Sign Language (ASL) is being assessed for special education.
Which consideration is MOST critical?