PRAXIS II Education of Exceptional Students Core Content Knowledge Exam

This exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions and you will have 1 hour to complete it. It is designed for potential instructors of special education students in preschool through grade twelve. The test will cover these areas: delivery of services to special education students, societal and legal issues, and understanding exceptional students. The exam will cover the full range of mental disability from mild to profound.

Understanding Exceptionalities
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of physical, social and emotional development along with human behavior. The type, prevalence and incidence of specific disabilities, the cause and prevention of disability, the impact of being classified as disabled, and educational concepts for the disabled child will also be covered in this exam.

Legal and Societal Issues
This section of the exam will cover the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504, IDEA 2004 and additional legal issues regarding the disabled. Your knowledge of the role of the family, school, community, and employer in a disabled person's life will also be addressed.

Delivery of Services to Students with Disabilities
This section of the exam will cover the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), curriculum implementation, student programming and classroom placement, delivery of services to disabled students, student assessment and, career development. Your knowledge of usage of computer technology for instruction and student communication will also be assessed in this exam. Knowledge of classroom management, behavior management, parent's communication and, the role of the multidisciplinary team will also be included in the exam.

PRAXIS II Education Of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge Practice Questions

1. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates:

A. free public education for persons with disabilities
B. coverage of children between ages 3 and 21
C. coverage of physical, psychological, and learning disabilities
D. All of the above

2. Which fact is not true about learning disabilities?

A. Can be cured
B. May be inherited
C. Process information differently
D. May have strong leadership skills

3. Which of the following is not considered a learning disability?

A. Dyslexia
B. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
C. Dyscalculia
D. Dysgraphia

4. Some common causes of mental retardation are:

A. genetic conditions
B. alcoholic mother
C. exposure to lead
D. All of the above

5. Which evaluation strategy should be avoided with special needs students?

A. Quiet setting
B. Verbal questions
C. Timed test
D. Visual prompts

Answer Key For Education Of Exceptional Students Core Content Knowledge

1. Answer: D

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that states children with physical, psychological, and learning disabilities are entitled to a "free and appropriate public education." Every state and territory is mandated to provide educational opportunities for children between the ages of three and twenty-one, no matter how severe the learning problems or physical challenges.

The Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is a comprehensive written document mandated by IDEA Schools are required to conduct an evaluation that includes various assessment tests to determine the child's strengths and weaknesses; results of interviews with the child, his parents, teachers, and other significant adults; and notes from conferences with professionals familiar with the child. IEP provides a review of his medical history, current educational performance, and comments from direct observation in various settings. It describes annual goals and sets short-term objectives. The IEP spells out the type and length of special services required and establishes methods for evaluating progress. Beginning at sixteen it must also include a plan to move him out of school into the real world.

2. Answer: A

Learning disabilities are complex. Scientists think the causes may be as complicated as the problems themselves and may be different for each person. They may be caused by: heredity (runs in families), teratogenic elements (develops in the womb because the mother is addicted to alcohol or cocaine or ingested lead), medical reasons (premature birth, diabetes, meningitis), or societal influences (malnutrition, poor prenatal healthcare). Since the causes can't yet be pinpointed, it is more important to focus on determining the child's problems and developing educational tools to help him maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses, so he can function in the world.

People with learning disabilities frequently are very intelligent and have strong leadership skills. They often show amazing abilities in creative areas like art and music or are athletically gifted. These folks just process information differently than others do. People with learning disabilities are never "cured." They learn ways to cope with and work around whatever problems they have and many function very well in later life, especially if they receive help in the early years.

3. Answer: B

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER is a behavior problem. While some children with ADHD have various learning disabilities, ADHD is not classified as one. Scientists believe it should be because it directly impacts functions needed to learn.

DYSLEXIA is a chronic neurological disorder in which a person has trouble learning to read and spell. He sees letters and words in reverse order (backwards), and his handwriting is frequently illegible.

DYSCALCULIA is a brain disorder that causes impairment in the ability to solve arithmetic problems and difficulty understanding math concepts.

DYSGRAPHIA is a disorder that makes it difficult to form letters and numbers. A person suffering from this problem finds it almost impossible to write within a defined space.

AUDITORY AND VISUAL PROCESSING DISORDERS cover a range of sensory problems in which a person, even though his hearing and vision is normal, has difficulty understanding language.

NONVERBAL LEARNING DISABILITIES are neurological disorders in the right side of the brain that cause problems with processing spatial, intuitive, organization, evaluation, and holistic functions.

4. Answer: D

The American Heritage College Dictionary defines mental retardation as "subnormal intellectual development or functioning due to congenital causes, brain injury, or disease and characterized by any of various deficiencies, ranging from impaired learning ability to social and vocational inadequacy."

There are many causes. The most common are:

• GENETIC CONDITIONS: abnormal genes or errors when genes combine
• PROBLEMS DURING PREGNANCY: improper brain development because cells divide incorrectly, the mother is alcoholic, contracts rubella, or doesn't get adequate prenatal care
• COMPLICATIONS AT BIRTH: baby doesn't receive enough oxygen
• HEALTH PROBLEMS AFTER BIRTH: measles, meningitis, malnutrition, or exposure to lead, mercury, or other poisons

Mental retardation cannot be cured, but someone who is mentally challenged can learn to do many things; it just takes him longer. It takes patience and repetition, getting his attention, and keeping him interested. Making sure he is involved in all classroom situations and encouraging him to interact with the other students in group activities and extracurricular clubs all help him grow mentally and emotionally while learning life skills necessary to function independently in the world.

5. Answer: C

To obtain an accurate picture of the progress of special needs students, testing, grading, and evaluations should be conducted in a slightly different manner. Tests should be given in a quiet place with as few distractions as possible. Accommodations for asking verbal questions and receiving oral answers should be provided. Tests should be broken into short sections with visual prompts where possible. Avoid giving a timed test; give students whatever amount of time is needed to complete each section before moving to the next one. Schedule monitored breaks between each part.

Teachers should grade spelling, organization, and presentation separately from content. When evaluating content, highlight key concepts, creativity, and original thinking, so the students and their parents recognize the knowledge gained and progress made. Teachers need to find something specific to point out and praise to encourage the student for his accomplishment and as an incentive to learn more. Exempt students from district- and state-mandated tests, if permitted.