Education K-12 Special Education & Inclusion 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which disability category under IDEA has the highest number of students in the US?
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Intellectual disability
- Specific learning disability (Correct answer)
- Emotional disturbance
Correct answer: Specific learning disability
Specific learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, dyscalculia) represent the largest category of students receiving special education services.
Question 2: What is 'inclusive education'?
- Educating only students with mild disabilities in general education
- Educating students with disabilities alongside non-disabled peers with appropriate supports in general education settings (Correct answer)
- A separate curriculum for students with IEPs
- Specialized schools for students with severe disabilities
Correct answer: Educating students with disabilities alongside non-disabled peers with appropriate supports in general education settings
Inclusive education places students with disabilities in general education classrooms with the supports and services they need.
Question 3: What is an 'accommodation' in special education?
- A change to what the student is expected to learn
- A change in how a student accesses or demonstrates learning without altering the standard (Correct answer)
- A separate assignment for students with IEPs
- Extra credit for students with disabilities
Correct answer: A change in how a student accesses or demonstrates learning without altering the standard
Accommodations (e.g., extended time, text-to-speech) change the process, not the content standard being assessed.
Question 4: What is a 'modification' in special education, as distinct from an accommodation?
- A minor adjustment to the classroom environment
- A change to the content, complexity, or expectations of what a student is required to learn (Correct answer)
- Additional time on assignments
- A behavior support strategy
Correct answer: A change to the content, complexity, or expectations of what a student is required to learn
Modifications alter the standard itself — for example, reducing the number of problems or simplifying the content level.
Question 5: What are the three tiers of Response to Intervention (RTI)?
- Identify, assess, place
- Universal instruction, targeted intervention, intensive individualized support (Correct answer)
- Referral, evaluation, placement
- Prevent, remediate, enrich
Correct answer: Universal instruction, targeted intervention, intensive individualized support
RTI's three tiers provide high-quality core instruction for all, small-group intervention for some, and intensive support for a few.
Question 6: What does 'co-teaching' mean in an inclusive classroom?
- Two teachers taking turns covering the class
- A general education teacher and a special education teacher sharing responsibility for instruction in the same classroom (Correct answer)
- Students teaching each other
- Using a paraprofessional as a substitute teacher
Correct answer: A general education teacher and a special education teacher sharing responsibility for instruction in the same classroom
Co-teaching models (station, parallel, team, one teach/one support) place two licensed teachers in the room to serve all students.
Education K-12 Special Education & Inclusion 1
Which disability category under IDEA has the highest number of students in the US?