Study Guide
Test Design and Test Objectives
Field 26: Special Education: Hearing Impaired
Test Overview
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 selected-response questions |
| Time | 2 hours and 30 minutes (does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial) |
| Passing Score | 240 |
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
Test Objectives
| Subareas | Range of Objectives | Approximate Test Proportions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | 01–04 | 19% |
| II | Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) | 05–10 | 26% |
| III | Promoting Student Development and Learning | 11–18 | 36% |
| IV | Working in a Collaborative Learning Community | 19–22 | 19% |
| Total Proportion | 100% | ||
Subarea I–Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Objective 0001: Understand the role language plays in learning and the effects of hearing loss on development and learning.
For example:- the potential effects of hearing loss on children's language, speech, cognitive, social, and emotional development
- characteristics of language and speech development typical among children who have hearing loss
- processes by which learning occurs
- applications of learning theories for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- factors that may affect learning (e.g., family language, etiology and onset of hearing loss)
- effects of other disabilities in conjunction with hearing loss
Objective 0002: Understand processes involved in hearing and characteristics of all types and degrees of hearing loss.
For example:- the auditory system and normal auditory development
- effects of various factors (e.g., physiological, disease) on hearing
- types and degrees of hearing loss, their causes, characteristics, and implications
- student behaviors that may indicate the presence of a hearing loss
- knowledge of acoustics and ways to create optimal acoustic environments for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
Objective 0003: Understand language (including oral, written, and sign language) and language development.
For example:- theories relating to language development
- typical stages and processes of language development (including oral, written, and sign language)
- phonological, semantic, morphemic, syntactic, and pragmatic aspects of language
- linguistic features of English and American Sign Language
- factors affecting language development (e.g., cognitive, environmental)
- forms and functions of language in communicative contexts
- relationships between language and cognition, reading, and achievement
Objective 0004: Understand speech and speech development.
For example:- anatomical structures and processes involved in speech production
- acoustic aspects of speech
- typical progressions in and characteristics of speech development
- factors affecting speech development
- developmental speech characteristics of children who are deaf or hard of hearing
- visual, auditory, and tactile aspects of speech
Subarea II–Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Objective 0005: Understand assessment procedures for evaluating individual differences and making placement and programming decisions for students with disabilities.
For example:- types and characteristics of informal and formal assessments used to make placement and programming decisions
- methods for determining learning styles and strengths
- interpretation and use of assessment information to identify and understand students with special needs, to make placement and program recommendations, and to monitor progress
- assessment-related issues in special education (e.g., early identification and intervention, nondiscriminatory assessment)
Objective 0006: Interpret assessment results related to students' auditory functioning.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal assessments of auditory function
- procedures for conducting different types of assessments (including screening procedures and procedures for ongoing assessment of auditory behavior in the classroom)
- interpretation of assessment results
Objective 0007: Apply procedures for assessing the receptive and expressive language of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal language assessments used with students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- basic procedures for conducting different types of receptive and expressive language assessments, including ongoing language assessment
- interpretation of assessment results
Objective 0008: Understand procedures for assessing speech in students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal speech assessments used with students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- procedures for conducting different types of speech assessments, including ongoing speech assessment
- interpretation and implication of assessment results
Objective 0009: Apply procedures for assessing the academic achievement of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal assessments of academic achievement
- procedures for conducting assessments of academic achievement, including ongoing assessment
- interpretation of assessment results
Objective 0010: Apply procedures for developing and implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- roles and functions of team members
- factors and procedures in gathering information, creating and maintaining records, determining appropriate placements, and developing IEPs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- components of an IEP
- evaluation of student progress with respect to the general curriculum and IEP goals
Subarea III–Promoting Student Development and Learning
Objective 0011: Understand how to establish a positive and productive learning environment for students with special needs.
For example:- factors in the learning environment that affect students' self-esteem and attitudes toward learning
- strategies for modifying learning environments to address diverse student needs, particularly needs related to hearing loss
- strategies for crisis prevention/intervention
- individual and group management strategies and intervention techniques for achieving instructional management goals (e.g., maintaining standards of behavior, maximizing time spent in learning)
Objective 0012: Understand amplification methods and strategies for promoting auditory skill development in students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- types and uses of amplification systems (including hearing aids and auditory trainers) and procedures for using and maintaining them
- identification and modification of environmental barriers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- strategies for developing auditory and listening skills in students who are hearing impaired
Objective 0013: Understand how to promote language development in students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- strategies for helping students who are deaf or hard of hearing (including students with additional exceptionalities) meet specified goals relating to oral, written, and sign language
- strategies for providing students with opportunities to use language meaningfully in authentic settings
- evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional methods, resources, and technologies to promote students' language development
Objective 0014: Understand how to promote speech development in students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- strategies for promoting the ability of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (including students with additional exceptionalities) to meet specified speech goals
- evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional methods, resources, and technologies to promote the speech production of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
Objective 0015: Understand how to meet the overall communication needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- historical and current educational and sociological issues related to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing (including students with additional exceptionalities)
- modes of communication (e.g., American Sign Language, various forms of manually coded English, auditory-oral approaches)
Objective 0016: Understand how to promote the academic achievement of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- ways in which hearing loss may affect students’ progress in the general education curriculum
- knowledge of elementary and secondary curricula and teaching methods in reading, language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics
- strategies for teaching reading, comprehension skills, and academic content to students who are deaf or hard of hearing (including students with additional exceptionalities)
- evaluation, selection, and adaptation of course content and of instructional methods, resources, and technologies to promote achievement in students with given language and auditory competencies
- appropriate goals, objectives, activities, programs, and support to promote transition to post-secondary education or training
Objective 0017: Understand how to promote the functional living competence of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- strategies for promoting the independent living and prevocational and vocational skills of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (including students with additional exceptionalities)
- strategies for providing learning experiences to enhance transition readiness
- evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional strategies, materials, technologies, and community resources to promote functional living, vocational/career competence, independent and community living skills, citizenship skills, multicultural awareness, and participation in civic, leisure, and recreational activities
Objective 0018: Understand procedures for promoting self-advocacy in students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- strategies that promote self-advocacy, self-determination, responsibility, flexibility, tolerance, and increased independence in students
- skills and behaviors that enhance self-advocacy
- ways to encourage students to seek assistance and resources in different situations
- strategies for promoting students' understanding of their legal rights and their willingness to advocate for those rights
Subarea IV–Working in a Collaborative Learning Community
Objective 0019: Understand how to promote strong school-home relationships.
For example:- strategies for establishing and maintaining communication with families from a variety of backgrounds
- how to work collaboratively with families to promote their participation in planning and implementing their children's education
- how to provide information, training, support, counseling, and referrals to families whose children are deaf or hard of hearing
Objective 0020: Understand how to establish partnerships with other members of the school community to enhance learning opportunities for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- consultation, collaboration, and communication skills and strategies for working with other school staff and support service providers (e.g., general education teachers) to solve problems and promote student achievement
- strategies for effectively providing services in a variety of educational contexts (e.g., providing training to other teaching professionals individually and through inservice programs, coordinating instruction with other teaching professionals)
Objective 0021: Understand how to encourage school-community interactions that enhance learning opportunities for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For example:- strategies for accessing and working effectively with agencies and services that can help meet the needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
Objective 0022: Understand the history and philosophy of special education, key issues and trends, roles and responsibilities, and legal and ethical issues relevant to special education.
For example:- the historical and philosophical foundations of special education and education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- ways in which approaches to education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing have changed over time
- current issues and trends in special education
- legal and ethical issues in special education (e.g., confidentiality, personal involvement with students and families, student discipline)
- roles and responsibilities (including professional development) of teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- mediation techniques
- application of special education related regulations (e.g., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA], Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA]) and guidelines (e.g., regarding referral, evaluation, eligibility, equity, program development, due process)