ALT Individualized Education Plans & Adaptations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the BEST example of a curriculum modification (as opposed to an accommodation) for a student with an intellectual disability?
- Reducing the number of math problems required and lowering complexity (Correct answer)
- Allowing extended time on the same grade-level test
- Providing a calculator for computation
- Seating the student near the teacher for monitoring
Correct answer: Reducing the number of math problems required and lowering complexity
Modifications change the content or performance expectations, while accommodations change how the student accesses or demonstrates knowledge without altering standards.
Question 2: A secondary student with a learning disability wants to become a graphic designer. Under IDEA transition planning requirements, the IEP must include goals related to:
- Postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, and independent living (Correct answer)
- Career interest surveys only
- College entrance exam preparation
- A four-year high school graduation plan
Correct answer: Postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, and independent living
IDEA requires transition IEPs for students 16 and older (or younger per state law) to address postsecondary education/training, employment, and where appropriate, independent living skills.
Question 3: A student's IEP specifies speech-language services. In which document is the frequency, duration, and location of these services recorded?
- The IEP's related services section (Correct answer)
- The student's 504 plan
- The district's master schedule
- The student's cumulative file
Correct answer: The IEP's related services section
Related services such as speech-language therapy must be documented in the IEP with specifics about frequency, duration, and delivery setting.
Question 4: A teacher notices a student eligible for special education is consistently excluded from field trips. This likely violates which IEP principle?
- Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) (Correct answer)
- Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
- Procedural safeguards
- Nondiscriminatory evaluation
Correct answer: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
LRE requires that students with disabilities participate in nonacademic and extracurricular activities with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.
Question 5: Which assessment is the FIRST step before developing a Behavior Intervention Plan for a student whose behavior impedes learning?
- Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) (Correct answer)
- Psychological evaluation
- Adaptive behavior rating scale
- Direct observation checklist
Correct answer: Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
IDEA requires a Functional Behavioral Assessment to identify the function of problem behavior before designing interventions in a BIP.
Question 6: A student with dyslexia has a text-to-speech accommodation on their IEP. During a state standardized test, the testing coordinator refuses this accommodation. This action violates:
- The student's right to accommodations documented in their IEP during state assessments (Correct answer)
- FERPA privacy regulations
- Section 504 eligibility criteria
- ADA Title III public accommodation rules
Correct answer: The student's right to accommodations documented in their IEP during state assessments
IDEA and federal law require that accommodations listed in a student's IEP be provided during state and district-wide assessments.
Question 7: An IEP team is determining placement for a student with autism. Which factor should be considered FIRST when selecting the LRE?
- Whether the student can be educated satisfactorily in the general education setting with supplementary aids and services (Correct answer)
- The availability of a self-contained autism program in the district
- The preferences of the general education teacher
- The cost of providing services in the general education setting
Correct answer: Whether the student can be educated satisfactorily in the general education setting with supplementary aids and services
IDEA's LRE presumption requires teams to first consider whether the general education setting with supports can appropriately serve the student before more restrictive options.
ALT Individualized Education Plans & Adaptations 3
Which of the following is the BEST example of a curriculum modification (as opposed to an accommodation) for a student with an intellectual disability?