Study Guide
Test Design and Test Objectives
Field 30: Special Education: Severely and Profoundly Disabled
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 with Severe and Profound Disabilities | 01–05 | 24% |
| II | Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) | 06–10 | 24% |
| III | Promoting Student Development and Learning | 11–17 | 33% |
| IV | Working in a Collaborative Learning Community | 18–21 | 19% |
| Total Proportion | 100% | ||
Subarea I–Understanding Students with Severe and Profound Disabilities
Objective 0001: Demonstrate knowledge of learning processes and the significance of disabilities for learning.
For example:- processes by which learning occurs
- applications of learning theories
- factors that may affect learning, including socioeconomic, cultural, and language differences
- effects of various disabilities, especially severe and profound disabilities, on learning
- factors that may impede learning (e.g., health issues, abuse/neglect, substance abuse, medications)
- factors that may facilitate learning in students with special needs
- strategies for promoting learning that accommodate students' needs and take advantage of their strengths
Objective 0002: Demonstrate knowledge of physical/medical conditions commonly associated with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- characteristics and etiologies of conditions associated with severe and profound disabilities
- medical and therapeutic terminology related to these conditions
- basic medical knowledge required by teachers of students with these conditions (e.g., relating to health and nutrition, anatomy, physiology, brain functioning)
Objective 0003: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to meet the physical and medical needs of students who have severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- procedures for using and maintaining equipment to meet students' physical and medical needs
- procedures for the physical and medical management of students with severe and profound disabilities (e.g., safety and emergency procedures; procedures for tube feeding; procedures for positioning, handling, lifting, and transferring), including those procedures performed in consultation with support services personnel
Objective 0004: Demonstrate knowledge of the cognitive and communicative functioning of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- implications of severe and profound disabilities for cognitive and communicative development and functioning
- types and characteristics of language and speech disorders common among students with severe and profound disabilities
- common cognitive, educational, and communication needs of students who have severe and profound disabilities
Objective 0005: Demonstrate knowledge of the physical, psychological, and social functioning of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- implications of severe and profound disabilities for students’ physical, sensory, motor, psychological, and social development and functioning
- physical, psychological, and social needs of students who have severe and profound disabilities
Subarea II–Assessing Students and Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Objective 0006: Demonstrate knowledge of types and characteristics of assessment instruments and methods.
For example:- basic terminology used in assessment
- types, characteristics, and methods of formal and informal assessment
- principles of and procedures for creating, selecting, and evaluating educational assessment instruments and methods, including those used in prereferral situations
- advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of various assessment instruments and methods
Objective 0007: Apply procedures for assessing the cognitive development and educational achievement of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal assessments used to evaluate the cognitive development and educational achievement of students with severe and profound disabilities
- methods for determining learning styles and strengths, including the use of data collection
- procedures for selecting, adapting, and modifying assessments to accommodate students' abilities and needs
- procedures for administering and conducting different types of assessments, including ongoing assessment, in a variety of settings
- interpretation of assessment results
Objective 0008: Demonstrate knowledge of the assessment of the physical and communicative development of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal assessments and collaboration practices used to evaluate the communicative skills and the sensory, perceptual, and motor development of students with severe and profound disabilities
- ways assessment results can be used for instructional planning and Individualized Education Program (IEP) development
- implementation of recommendations and objectives resulting from assessments
Objective 0009: Demonstrate knowledge of procedures for assessing the social/emotional development and functional living competence of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- types and characteristics of formal and informal assessments used to evaluate the social/emotional development, functional behavior, and functional living skills (including prevocational and vocational skills) of students with severe and profound disabilities
- procedures for selecting, adapting, and modifying assessments to accommodate students' abilities and needs
- procedures for conducting different types of behavior and functional living assessments (including ongoing assessment, data collection, and task analysis) in a variety of settings
- interpretation of assessment results
Objective 0010: Demonstrate knowledge of procedures for developing and implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- roles and functions of team members
- factors and procedures in gathering information, creating and maintaining records in accordance with mandated special education timelines, determining appropriate placements (including least restrictive environment), and developing IEPs for students with severe and profound disabilities (includes students functioning 0–5 developmentally/3–21 chronologically)
- components of an IEP
- considerations in the development of goals, objectives, and benchmarks
- evaluation of student progress with respect to IEP goals and objectives
Subarea III–Promoting Student Development and Learning
Objective 0011: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to establish a positive and productive learning environment for all students.
For example:- ways in which severe and profound disabilities affect students’ progress in the general education curriculum
- factors in the learning environment that affect students' self-esteem and attitudes toward learning
- strategies for modifying learning environments and for using paraprofessionals and ancillary personnel to address the needs of students with severe and profound disabilities and nondisabled peers
- strategies for crisis prevention/intervention
- strategies for physically arranging the instructional setting to accommodate students' needs and to facilitate learning
- individual and group management strategies and intervention techniques for achieving instructional management goals
Objective 0012: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote the cognitive development and academic achievement of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies for designing and adapting curricula for students with severe and profound disabilities
- strategies for facilitating cognitive development and learning in specified situations
- the evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional methods, resources, and technologies to individualize instruction and to promote students' ability to apply learning in natural environments
Objective 0013: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote the sensory, perceptual, and motor skills of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies for designing and implementing sensory stimulation programs (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, and sensory integration)
- awareness of orientation and mobility strategies
- strategies for designing, integrating, and implementing activities related to adaptive physical education and fine- and gross-motor programs
- the evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional methods, resources, and technologies to individualize instruction and to enhance students' physical skills and abilities
Objective 0014: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote the social/emotional development of students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies for designing and implementing programs to promote students' social/emotional development in the areas of behavior management, leisure time, sexuality, peer and adult interactions, sensitivity to cultural diversity, age-appropriate skills, affective behavior, and self-concept
- the evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional methods, resources, and technologies to individualize instruction and to promote students' social/emotional development
Objective 0015: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote communicative and language development in students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies for collaborating with speech and language therapists to provide learning experiences to students with severe and profound disabilities to enhance communication skills and meet specified goals relating to expressive and receptive language
- the evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional methods, resources, and technologies (including augmentative communication systems) to individualize instruction and to promote students' communication skills
Objective 0016: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote self-care, home-living, and community skills in students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies to facilitate maximum independent functioning in the living environment and community and to promote transition readiness
- the evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional strategies, materials, technologies, and community resources to individualize instruction and to promote functional living skills
Objective 0017: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote prevocational skills, vocational skills, and transition readiness in students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies for designing and implementing prevocational and vocational training programs for students with severe and profound disabilities (including task analysis)
- strategies for providing learning experiences to enhance transition readiness for students of different ages
- use of the continuum of services available for vocational training and placement
- strategies for promoting students’ ability to self-advocate and awareness of advocacy programs
- the evaluation, selection, and adaptation of instructional strategies, materials, technologies, and community resources to individualize instruction and to promote prevocational and vocational skills
Subarea IV–Working in a Collaborative Learning Community
Objective 0018: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to establish partnerships with other members of the school community to enhance learning opportunities for students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- consultation, collaboration, and communication skills and strategies for working with other school staff and support service providers to solve problems and promote student achievement
- strategies for effectively providing services in a variety of educational contexts (e.g., providing in-service disability awareness programs for the entire school community, collaborative teaching)
Objective 0019: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to promote strong school-home relationships.
For example:- strategies for establishing partnerships with families from a diversity of backgrounds
- how to establish effective communication with families and to recognize and overcome barriers to communication
- 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 have severe and profound disabilities
Objective 0020: Demonstrate knowledge of ways to encourage school-community interactions that enhance learning opportunities for students with severe and profound disabilities.
For example:- strategies for working effectively with agencies and services that can help meet the needs of students with severe and profound disabilities
- sensitivity to diverse cultural perspectives within the community
- how to establish and maintain positive relationships with the community to facilitate successful student transitions
- how to engage community support for the special education program
Objective 0021: Demonstrate knowledge of 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 for students with severe and profound disabilities
- current issues and trends in special education (e.g., relating to alternative delivery systems)
- legal and ethical issues in special education (e.g., confidentiality, personal involvement with students and families, student discipline)
- roles and responsibilities of teachers of students with severe and profound disabilities (including professional development)
- mediation techniques
- application of special education related laws (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]), regulations, and guidelines (e.g., regarding referral, evaluation, eligibility, equity, program development, due process)