NES TEST SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDY GUIDE
Competency 1 - Answer -Focuses on the characteristics of typical and atypical human
growth and development and the characteristics of students with various disabilities that
special education teachers are likely to encounter.
Learning Disabilities - Answer -Students with learning disabilities have average or
above average intelligence but an unexpected academic weakness in one or more
content areas.
Dyslexia - Answer -Impacts a student's ability to learn to read, to recognize sound
segments or letters, following along in text comprehending what they read.
Dysgraphia - Answer -Impacts student's ability to learn to write, often their handwriting
and/or spelling.
Dyscalculia - Answer -Impacts a student's ability to understand numbers and
mathematical operations, remembering math facts and the sequence of steps in math
problems.
Intellectual Disabilities - Answer -Students qualify as having an intellectual disability
when they show developmental delays in most aspects of academic and social
functioning.
Communication Disorders - Answer -Students who are more likely to mispronounce
sounds or have speech that lacks fluency are identified as having speech disorder.
Articulation Disorders - Answer -Affects a student's ability to produce certain sounds
and sound combinations.
Fluency Disorders - Answer -Hesitations or stuttering
Specific language Impairment - Answer -Manifests as a delay in a student's language
development but the student shows no other conditions that would cause such a delay
in language development (e.g., autism, deafness)
Emotional Impairments - Answer -Typically, children who are identified as having
emotional impairments show behaviors or emotions that are not appropriate for setting.
Often they have trouble making friends, working in groups, and maintaining personal
relationships.
Anxiety Disorders - Answer -Characterized by excessive fears or worry. Phobias,
separation anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
,Mood Disorders - Answer -Including depression and bipolar disorder (i.e., swings
between elevated or manic mood and depression). Students who are depressed may
cry often, lose motivation for things that were once enjoyable, lose weight and disregard
hygiene, or have suicidal thoughts.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder - Answer -Students show hostile and defiant behaviors,
including temper tantrums, arguments, and irritability.
Conduct Disorders - Answer -Students consistently engage in antisocial behaviors that
interfere with others.
Attention Disorders - Answer -Students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) are more easily distracted and divide their attention between multiple stimuli
instead of staying on task when compared to others at the same developmental level.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) - Answer -Range from mile to severe based on the
degree to which they show characteristics.
Atypical Language Development and Communication Delays - Answer -Many never
learn to communicate successfully using spoken language. Some engage in echolalia,
repeating pars of a sentence they just hear. Many show limited eye contact or extreme
focus or interest in one topic or conversation. Students with ASD often have difficulty
understanding figurative language and humor.
Atypical Social Development - Answer -Students with autism do not seem to recognize
or respond to others' emotions, social cues, and nonverbal signals. Many do not interact
with others during play and/or do not engage in reciprocal interactions.
Repetitive Behavior, Including Movement and Verbalizations - Answer -Tics (physical)
and obsessions (attention) are common.
Undesirable Behaviors - Answer -Some children with autism are aggressive toward
others or engage in repetitive self-injurious behaviors.
Need for Predictability - Answer -Many students with autism gain security from
environmental structure and experience anxiety in unfamiliar situations. Some focus
intensely on adherence to routines and become upset if things are out of place or
sequence.
Sensory and Movement Disorders - Answer -Some children are over-responsive to
sensory stimuli, whereas others are under-responsive, some show atypical movement
of the head, trunk, and limbs; clumsiness or posture; or an awkward (i.e., not smooth)
gait.
,Intellectual Disabilties - Answer -Although students with autism spectrum disorders may
have very high intelligence or low intelligence, more than half also have an intellectual
disability.
Sensory Disorders - Answer -Hearing and visual impairments are the two most
common sensory disorders that special education teachers encounter.
Hearing Loss - Answer -Students who are deaf or hard of hearing often experience
language delays, particularly if their hearing loss goes undetected.
Visual Impairments - Answer -Individuals are considered totally blind if they cannot
receive any meaningful visual input. They rely on input from other senses.
Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments - Answer -May be caused by congenital
anomaly, disease, or injury such as fractures, burns, or loss of a limb.
Cerebral Palsy - Answer -Disorder of voluntary movement and posture. The majority of
students with cerebral palsy show spastic movement, although others may be more
likely to display uncoordinated or abrupt involuntary movements. Some students with
cerebral palsy also experience seizures. Many have sensory (i.e., hearing or vision)
and/or language impairments as well.
Spina Bifida - Answer -Congenital malformation of the spinal cord or vertebrae.
Students with the mildest form (occulta) or more serious form known as meningocele do
not show challenges with movement, but students with mylomeningocle form typically
have leg weakness and are unable to control their bowels or bladder. Does not affect
intelligence.
Epilepsy - Answer -A condition in which individuals experience seizures, caused by
abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. In the most severe cases the individual
experiences uncontrollable jerking, stops breathing, and loses consciousness. During
partial seizures, which are more common, the individual is more likely to experience an
altered state of consciousness and some alteration in movement (e.g., twitching).
Asthma - Answer -Chronic lung condition characterized by episodic bouts of wheezing,
coughing, difficulty breathing.
AIDS - Answer -Acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Students cannot resist or fight
off infections.
Cystic Fibrosis - Answer -A genetic disease in which the body's exocrine glands
excrete thick mucus that can block lungs and parts of digestive system.
Muscular Dystrophy - Answer -Inherited disease marked by progressive atrophy
(wasting away) of muscles. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is most common and most
severe, affecting only boys.
, Competency 2 - Answer -Requires that you understand the various factors that affect
the development of students with disabilities and the impact these factors have on their
learning and daily life.
The Family's Role - Answer -Parents/guardians wear many hats raising children with
disabilities-they are caregivers, providers,teachers, counselors, behaviors support
specialist, parents of other children without disabilities, marriage partners, information
specialist/trainers of significant other family members and advocates.
Role of the Parent - Answer -Provide transportation to school, activities medical care
and other locations. Learning about he focus of the child's school program and
reinforcing those learning behaviors efforts in the home. Implementing intervention if
necessary, such as behavior management. Teaching social skills.
Special Educators can Support Families in these roles: - Answer -Promoting
partnership between school and home. Encouraging open communication about the
student's strengths and needs, both within the family and with educators Helping the
student work toward skills that increase independence and helping the families learn
ways to encourage those skills at home.
The Community's Role in Supporting Students with Disabilities: - Answer -Support
students with disabilities through physical, social services, and training supports.
Providing for physical supports, such as modified walkways or ramps. Providing access
to public areas such as restrooms, voting booths, and government offices.
Implication for Education and Learning: - Answer -Students with disabilities show
characteristic patterns of behavior that can affect their learning and development.
Special educators should recognize.
Students with learning disabilities may show inconsistent or poor academic performance
and may be disruptive to other students in the classroom. - Answer -They may have
difficulty working independently and may give up easily when challenged. Special
educators can support these students by teaching strategies to organize their work
schedule, using differentiated instruction, and providing frequent assessment and
feedback regarding progress.
Students with communication disorders may be reluctant to participate in class
discussions and writing task. - Answer -They may withdraw from large-group activities
or social interactions during free-play periods. Special educators can support these
students by providing assessments that reduce writing or speaking (e.g., multiple choice
tests), scaffolded activities for writing and reading, and small-group instructional
activities.
Students with emotional or behavioral impairments may be frequently off task, refuse to
follow directions, or engage in inappropriate behavior or language. - Answer -They may
Competency 1 - Answer -Focuses on the characteristics of typical and atypical human
growth and development and the characteristics of students with various disabilities that
special education teachers are likely to encounter.
Learning Disabilities - Answer -Students with learning disabilities have average or
above average intelligence but an unexpected academic weakness in one or more
content areas.
Dyslexia - Answer -Impacts a student's ability to learn to read, to recognize sound
segments or letters, following along in text comprehending what they read.
Dysgraphia - Answer -Impacts student's ability to learn to write, often their handwriting
and/or spelling.
Dyscalculia - Answer -Impacts a student's ability to understand numbers and
mathematical operations, remembering math facts and the sequence of steps in math
problems.
Intellectual Disabilities - Answer -Students qualify as having an intellectual disability
when they show developmental delays in most aspects of academic and social
functioning.
Communication Disorders - Answer -Students who are more likely to mispronounce
sounds or have speech that lacks fluency are identified as having speech disorder.
Articulation Disorders - Answer -Affects a student's ability to produce certain sounds
and sound combinations.
Fluency Disorders - Answer -Hesitations or stuttering
Specific language Impairment - Answer -Manifests as a delay in a student's language
development but the student shows no other conditions that would cause such a delay
in language development (e.g., autism, deafness)
Emotional Impairments - Answer -Typically, children who are identified as having
emotional impairments show behaviors or emotions that are not appropriate for setting.
Often they have trouble making friends, working in groups, and maintaining personal
relationships.
Anxiety Disorders - Answer -Characterized by excessive fears or worry. Phobias,
separation anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
,Mood Disorders - Answer -Including depression and bipolar disorder (i.e., swings
between elevated or manic mood and depression). Students who are depressed may
cry often, lose motivation for things that were once enjoyable, lose weight and disregard
hygiene, or have suicidal thoughts.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder - Answer -Students show hostile and defiant behaviors,
including temper tantrums, arguments, and irritability.
Conduct Disorders - Answer -Students consistently engage in antisocial behaviors that
interfere with others.
Attention Disorders - Answer -Students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) are more easily distracted and divide their attention between multiple stimuli
instead of staying on task when compared to others at the same developmental level.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) - Answer -Range from mile to severe based on the
degree to which they show characteristics.
Atypical Language Development and Communication Delays - Answer -Many never
learn to communicate successfully using spoken language. Some engage in echolalia,
repeating pars of a sentence they just hear. Many show limited eye contact or extreme
focus or interest in one topic or conversation. Students with ASD often have difficulty
understanding figurative language and humor.
Atypical Social Development - Answer -Students with autism do not seem to recognize
or respond to others' emotions, social cues, and nonverbal signals. Many do not interact
with others during play and/or do not engage in reciprocal interactions.
Repetitive Behavior, Including Movement and Verbalizations - Answer -Tics (physical)
and obsessions (attention) are common.
Undesirable Behaviors - Answer -Some children with autism are aggressive toward
others or engage in repetitive self-injurious behaviors.
Need for Predictability - Answer -Many students with autism gain security from
environmental structure and experience anxiety in unfamiliar situations. Some focus
intensely on adherence to routines and become upset if things are out of place or
sequence.
Sensory and Movement Disorders - Answer -Some children are over-responsive to
sensory stimuli, whereas others are under-responsive, some show atypical movement
of the head, trunk, and limbs; clumsiness or posture; or an awkward (i.e., not smooth)
gait.
,Intellectual Disabilties - Answer -Although students with autism spectrum disorders may
have very high intelligence or low intelligence, more than half also have an intellectual
disability.
Sensory Disorders - Answer -Hearing and visual impairments are the two most
common sensory disorders that special education teachers encounter.
Hearing Loss - Answer -Students who are deaf or hard of hearing often experience
language delays, particularly if their hearing loss goes undetected.
Visual Impairments - Answer -Individuals are considered totally blind if they cannot
receive any meaningful visual input. They rely on input from other senses.
Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments - Answer -May be caused by congenital
anomaly, disease, or injury such as fractures, burns, or loss of a limb.
Cerebral Palsy - Answer -Disorder of voluntary movement and posture. The majority of
students with cerebral palsy show spastic movement, although others may be more
likely to display uncoordinated or abrupt involuntary movements. Some students with
cerebral palsy also experience seizures. Many have sensory (i.e., hearing or vision)
and/or language impairments as well.
Spina Bifida - Answer -Congenital malformation of the spinal cord or vertebrae.
Students with the mildest form (occulta) or more serious form known as meningocele do
not show challenges with movement, but students with mylomeningocle form typically
have leg weakness and are unable to control their bowels or bladder. Does not affect
intelligence.
Epilepsy - Answer -A condition in which individuals experience seizures, caused by
abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. In the most severe cases the individual
experiences uncontrollable jerking, stops breathing, and loses consciousness. During
partial seizures, which are more common, the individual is more likely to experience an
altered state of consciousness and some alteration in movement (e.g., twitching).
Asthma - Answer -Chronic lung condition characterized by episodic bouts of wheezing,
coughing, difficulty breathing.
AIDS - Answer -Acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Students cannot resist or fight
off infections.
Cystic Fibrosis - Answer -A genetic disease in which the body's exocrine glands
excrete thick mucus that can block lungs and parts of digestive system.
Muscular Dystrophy - Answer -Inherited disease marked by progressive atrophy
(wasting away) of muscles. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is most common and most
severe, affecting only boys.
, Competency 2 - Answer -Requires that you understand the various factors that affect
the development of students with disabilities and the impact these factors have on their
learning and daily life.
The Family's Role - Answer -Parents/guardians wear many hats raising children with
disabilities-they are caregivers, providers,teachers, counselors, behaviors support
specialist, parents of other children without disabilities, marriage partners, information
specialist/trainers of significant other family members and advocates.
Role of the Parent - Answer -Provide transportation to school, activities medical care
and other locations. Learning about he focus of the child's school program and
reinforcing those learning behaviors efforts in the home. Implementing intervention if
necessary, such as behavior management. Teaching social skills.
Special Educators can Support Families in these roles: - Answer -Promoting
partnership between school and home. Encouraging open communication about the
student's strengths and needs, both within the family and with educators Helping the
student work toward skills that increase independence and helping the families learn
ways to encourage those skills at home.
The Community's Role in Supporting Students with Disabilities: - Answer -Support
students with disabilities through physical, social services, and training supports.
Providing for physical supports, such as modified walkways or ramps. Providing access
to public areas such as restrooms, voting booths, and government offices.
Implication for Education and Learning: - Answer -Students with disabilities show
characteristic patterns of behavior that can affect their learning and development.
Special educators should recognize.
Students with learning disabilities may show inconsistent or poor academic performance
and may be disruptive to other students in the classroom. - Answer -They may have
difficulty working independently and may give up easily when challenged. Special
educators can support these students by teaching strategies to organize their work
schedule, using differentiated instruction, and providing frequent assessment and
feedback regarding progress.
Students with communication disorders may be reluctant to participate in class
discussions and writing task. - Answer -They may withdraw from large-group activities
or social interactions during free-play periods. Special educators can support these
students by providing assessments that reduce writing or speaking (e.g., multiple choice
tests), scaffolded activities for writing and reading, and small-group instructional
activities.
Students with emotional or behavioral impairments may be frequently off task, refuse to
follow directions, or engage in inappropriate behavior or language. - Answer -They may
