GACE Special Education 5 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student with a visual impairment requires instruction in Braille. This skill is considered part of which specialized curriculum for students with visual impairments?
- General education core curriculum
- The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) (Correct answer)
- Functional behavior curriculum
- Social-emotional learning curriculum
Correct answer: The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)
The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) addresses skills unique to students with visual impairments, including Braille literacy, orientation and mobility, and assistive technology.
Question 2: Which federal law requires that students with disabilities who are transitioning out of high school receive transition services in their IEP beginning at age 16 (or younger if appropriate)?
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- IDEA 2004 (Correct answer)
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Correct answer: IDEA 2004
IDEA 2004 mandates that transition servicesācoordinated activities to facilitate movement to post-secondary education, employment, and independent livingābe included in the IEP by age 16.
Question 3: An IEP team is discussing a student's reading goal. Which annual goal is written in the most measurable and appropriate format?
- The student will improve reading skills during the school year
- Given 5th-grade passages, the student will read 120 words per minute with 95% accuracy by the end of the school year (Correct answer)
- The student will become a better reader as measured by teacher observation
- The student will participate in reading activities daily
Correct answer: Given 5th-grade passages, the student will read 120 words per minute with 95% accuracy by the end of the school year
An appropriate IEP annual goal must be measurable, include a specific condition, performance criterion, and timelineāthis option includes all required components.
Question 4: Which concept describes the idea that special education services and supports should be provided to students in ways that are as similar as possible to those provided to students without disabilities?
- Mainstreaming
- Normalization (Correct answer)
- Inclusion
- Differentiation
Correct answer: Normalization
Normalization is the principle that people with disabilities should experience life conditions as close as possible to those typical of mainstream society.
Question 5: A student with a specific learning disability in math has difficulty recalling basic multiplication facts. Which evidence-based strategy best supports automaticity with math facts?
- Requiring the student to use a calculator for all math tasks
- Explicit instruction with distributed practice and immediate corrective feedback (Correct answer)
- Peer tutoring without structured practice
- Reducing math homework to eliminate frustration
Correct answer: Explicit instruction with distributed practice and immediate corrective feedback
Explicit instruction combined with distributed practice and corrective feedback is the most evidence-based approach for building automaticity with math facts for students with learning disabilities.
Question 6: Parents of a student with a disability disagree with the school's proposed IEP placement. Which procedural safeguard allows them to formally contest this decision?
- Requesting an independent educational evaluation (IEE)
- Filing for a due process hearing (Correct answer)
- Withdrawing the student from public school
- Appealing directly to the U.S. Department of Education
Correct answer: Filing for a due process hearing
Parents may file for a due process hearing to formally dispute educational decisions made by the school, including placement recommendations.
Question 7: Which characteristic best distinguishes an emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD) from typical developmental variation when determining special education eligibility?
- The behavior occurs only at school
- The condition adversely affects educational performance and has persisted over a long period of time (Correct answer)
- The student has received disciplinary referrals in the current school year
- The behavior is observed by at least two teachers
Correct answer: The condition adversely affects educational performance and has persisted over a long period of time
IDEA's definition of emotional disturbance requires that the condition be exhibited to a marked degree over a long period of time and adversely affect educational performance.
GACE Special Education 5
A student with a visual impairment requires instruction in Braille.
This skill is considered part of which specialized curriculum for students with visual impairments?