WGU D152 Inclusive Classroom Practices
Comprehensive Study Guide (Updated for 2026/2027 School Year)
Unit 1: The Foundation of Special Education
1. What is the primary federal law that guarantees a free appropriate public
education (FAPE) to students with disabilities?
ANSWER - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
2. What are the six core principles of IDEA?
ANSWER - Zero Reject, Non-discriminatory Evaluation, Free Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE), Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Procedural Due Process, and
Parent and Student Participation.
3. What does FAPE stand for and what does it guarantee?
ANSWER - Free Appropriate Public Education. It guarantees that special education and
related services are provided at public expense, under public supervision, meet state
standards, and include an appropriate preschool, elementary, or secondary education.
4. What is the definition of "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE)?
ANSWER - To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities must be
educated with children who are not disabled. Removal from the general education
environment should only occur when the nature or severity of the disability prevents
satisfactory education in general classes with the use of supplementary aids and
services.
5. What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
ANSWER - A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with
disabilities by any program receiving federal financial assistance. It ensures that students
with disabilities have equal access to education.
6. How does a 504 Plan differ from an IEP?
, ANSWER - A 504 Plan provides accommodations and modifications to ensure equal
access to learning (a civil rights provision). An IEP provides individualized instruction and
specialized services to help a student make progress in their education (a special
education provision).
7. What does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cover that IDEA does not?
ANSWER - The ADA is a broad civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against
individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment,
transportation, and public accommodations, regardless of whether the entity receives
federal funding.
8. What is the purpose of a "Child Find" system?
ANSWER - A legal requirement (under IDEA) for school districts to identify, locate, and
evaluate all children with disabilities, from birth to age 21, who may be in need of
special education services.
9. What is the first step in the special education process?
ANSWER - Identification/Referral. A student is identified as possibly needing special
education services, often through a "Child Find" process or a teacher/parent referral.
10. What is the difference between "accommodations" and "modifications"?
ANSWER - Accommodations change how a student learns the material (e.g.,
audiobooks, extra time). Modifications change what a student is expected to learn or
the content itself (e.g., fewer spelling words, lower reading level text).
Unit 2: Assessment and Evaluation
11. What is a "Non-discriminatory Evaluation"?
ANSWER - An evaluation required by IDEA that must be conducted in the student's
native language, be free of cultural or racial bias, and use multiple valid assessments to
determine disability and educational need.
12. What is the purpose of a "Response to Intervention" (RTI) model?
, ANSWER - A multi-tiered approach to the early identification and support of students
with academic and behavioral needs. It provides high-quality instruction and
interventions matched to student need, and uses progress monitoring to make data-
based decisions.
13. Name the three tiers in a typical RTI model.
ANSWER - Tier 1: High-quality core instruction for all students.
Tier 2: Targeted, small-group interventions for at-risk students.
Tier 3: Intensive, individualized interventions for students with significant needs.
14. What is a "Multidisciplinary Evaluation"?
ANSWER - An assessment conducted by a team of professionals from different
disciplines (e.g., school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, special education
teacher) to gather a complete picture of a student's strengths and needs.
15. What is "informed consent" in the context of special education?
ANSWER - Parents have been fully informed in their native language of all information
relevant to the activity (e.g., evaluation or placement) and agree in writing to the activity.
16. Within what timeframe must a school complete an initial evaluation after
receiving parental consent?
ANSWER - Typically 60 calendar days (though this can vary by state, but IDEA mandates
a timely manner).
17. What is a "Functional Behavioral Assessment" (FBA)?
ANSWER - A problem-solving process for identifying the purpose or function of a
student's challenging behavior. It looks at the antecedents (what happens before) and
consequences (what happens after) to determine the "why" behind the behavior.
18. What does a FBA help the team create?
ANSWER - A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
19. What is "norm-referenced" testing?
ANSWER - Assessments that compare a student's performance to the performance of a
national sample of same-age peers.
Comprehensive Study Guide (Updated for 2026/2027 School Year)
Unit 1: The Foundation of Special Education
1. What is the primary federal law that guarantees a free appropriate public
education (FAPE) to students with disabilities?
ANSWER - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
2. What are the six core principles of IDEA?
ANSWER - Zero Reject, Non-discriminatory Evaluation, Free Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE), Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Procedural Due Process, and
Parent and Student Participation.
3. What does FAPE stand for and what does it guarantee?
ANSWER - Free Appropriate Public Education. It guarantees that special education and
related services are provided at public expense, under public supervision, meet state
standards, and include an appropriate preschool, elementary, or secondary education.
4. What is the definition of "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE)?
ANSWER - To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities must be
educated with children who are not disabled. Removal from the general education
environment should only occur when the nature or severity of the disability prevents
satisfactory education in general classes with the use of supplementary aids and
services.
5. What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
ANSWER - A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with
disabilities by any program receiving federal financial assistance. It ensures that students
with disabilities have equal access to education.
6. How does a 504 Plan differ from an IEP?
, ANSWER - A 504 Plan provides accommodations and modifications to ensure equal
access to learning (a civil rights provision). An IEP provides individualized instruction and
specialized services to help a student make progress in their education (a special
education provision).
7. What does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cover that IDEA does not?
ANSWER - The ADA is a broad civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against
individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment,
transportation, and public accommodations, regardless of whether the entity receives
federal funding.
8. What is the purpose of a "Child Find" system?
ANSWER - A legal requirement (under IDEA) for school districts to identify, locate, and
evaluate all children with disabilities, from birth to age 21, who may be in need of
special education services.
9. What is the first step in the special education process?
ANSWER - Identification/Referral. A student is identified as possibly needing special
education services, often through a "Child Find" process or a teacher/parent referral.
10. What is the difference between "accommodations" and "modifications"?
ANSWER - Accommodations change how a student learns the material (e.g.,
audiobooks, extra time). Modifications change what a student is expected to learn or
the content itself (e.g., fewer spelling words, lower reading level text).
Unit 2: Assessment and Evaluation
11. What is a "Non-discriminatory Evaluation"?
ANSWER - An evaluation required by IDEA that must be conducted in the student's
native language, be free of cultural or racial bias, and use multiple valid assessments to
determine disability and educational need.
12. What is the purpose of a "Response to Intervention" (RTI) model?
, ANSWER - A multi-tiered approach to the early identification and support of students
with academic and behavioral needs. It provides high-quality instruction and
interventions matched to student need, and uses progress monitoring to make data-
based decisions.
13. Name the three tiers in a typical RTI model.
ANSWER - Tier 1: High-quality core instruction for all students.
Tier 2: Targeted, small-group interventions for at-risk students.
Tier 3: Intensive, individualized interventions for students with significant needs.
14. What is a "Multidisciplinary Evaluation"?
ANSWER - An assessment conducted by a team of professionals from different
disciplines (e.g., school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, special education
teacher) to gather a complete picture of a student's strengths and needs.
15. What is "informed consent" in the context of special education?
ANSWER - Parents have been fully informed in their native language of all information
relevant to the activity (e.g., evaluation or placement) and agree in writing to the activity.
16. Within what timeframe must a school complete an initial evaluation after
receiving parental consent?
ANSWER - Typically 60 calendar days (though this can vary by state, but IDEA mandates
a timely manner).
17. What is a "Functional Behavioral Assessment" (FBA)?
ANSWER - A problem-solving process for identifying the purpose or function of a
student's challenging behavior. It looks at the antecedents (what happens before) and
consequences (what happens after) to determine the "why" behind the behavior.
18. What does a FBA help the team create?
ANSWER - A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
19. What is "norm-referenced" testing?
ANSWER - Assessments that compare a student's performance to the performance of a
national sample of same-age peers.
