IAAP CPACC Certification- Disabilities,
Challenges, and Assistive Technologies exam
questions with correct answers
About how many people have a disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅One in five people, or about 20 percent
What is the medical theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability in terms of
biological impairments; a problem caused by genetic disorders, disease, trauma or other health conditions.
Disability is treated as a biological problem that diminishes quality of life and needs to be treated with
professional medical care
What are the strengths of the medical theoretical model of disability? (2) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1.
Acknowledges that there is a biological condition placing individuals with disabilities at a disadvantage
2. Creates a set of clearly-defined biological criteria for medical treatment and government assistance
What are the weaknesses of the medical theoretical model of disability? (4) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1.
Overlooks the impact of the social environment on a person with a disability
2. Makes disability a characteristic, labeling the person as different from the rest of the population
3. Excludes those with disabilities who do not fit into the defined criteria, meaning they might not be able to
receive the care and benefits they need
4. Makes people have to prove their disability in order to receive the necessary care and benefits
What is the social theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability as an avoidable
condition caused by poor design in society. Acknowledges there is a medical or biological component, while
stressing more inclusive designs could remove barriers for people with disabilities.
What are the strengths of the social theoretical model of disability? (2) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Empowers
individuals with disabilities by removing the stigma; assumes society will create an inclusive environment, not
that people with disabilities need to accept a lower quality of life
2. Empowers designers of physical and virtual environments to think about usability for everyone, resulting in
better designs overall
What are the weaknesses of the social theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Ignores
the physical reality of having a disability; accepting and owning one's disability can be healthy, both emotionally
and psychologically
What is the functional solutions theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability
as a series of impairments or limitations and the solutions to eradicate or reduce these limitations through
technology or methodology
What are the strengths of the functional solutions theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅1. Focuses on ideas, technologies, and innovations which benefit people with disabilities and improve their
lives
What are the weaknesses of the functional solutions theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅1. Misses opportunities to address larger social context which might make a solution obsolete because it
focuses too much on creating practical technological solutions
What is the social identity or cultural affiliation theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅Viewing disability as a personal identity through communicating with others who share similar life
experiences based on their disability; can be particularly strong among people are deaf and use sign language
, What are the strengths of the social identity or cultural affiliation theoretical model of disability? (2) - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Accepts the disability as an important part of one's emotional and psychological well-being
2. Gains political strength through alliances and advocacy networks
What are the weaknesses of the social identity or cultural affiliation theoretical model of disability? (2) -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Does not serve as a useful basis for technical definitions of disability because
groups of people with different disabilities or no disabilities might consider themselves part of the same social
group
2. May be a result of feeling excluded from the rest of society
What is the charity theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability as an
unfortunate or tragic condition worthy of special treatment; those without disabilities take pity on those with
disabilities
What are the strengths of the charity theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Creates a
sense of empathy in those without disabilities which inspires them to assist those with disabilities
What are the weaknesses of the charity theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1.
Encourages unequal social and political relationships, which can slow down progress overall for those with
disabilities
What are the theoretical models of disability? (5) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Medical
2. Social
3. Functional Solutions
4. Social Identity or cultural affiliation
5. Charity
What is blindness? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅A total loss of vision, or extremely limited sight
What are the main categories of disabilities? (5) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Visual
2. Auditory
3. Motor
4. Cognitive
5. Seizure disorders
Seeing digital or electronic interfaces can be a challenge for people who are blind. What are the potential
solutions? (3) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Screen readers can read content out loud (assistive technology)
2. Self-voicing interfaces and applications can broadcast information, but not interact (assistive technology)
3. Refreshable Braille output devices can use screen readers to convert digital text to Braille (assistive technology)
Not being able to use screen readers on digital content and interfaces not being designed with accessibility in
mind are challenges for people who are blind. What are the potential solutions? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅1. Interface designers and content authors can edit the content to make it compatible with assistive
technologies (adaptive strategy)
Being unable to see while walking is a challenge for people who are blind. What are the potential solutions? (6) -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Canes (assistive technology)
2. Services animals (assistive technology)
3. GPS-based walking instructions with an audio interface (assistive technology)
4. Raised tiles on the ground to indicate different floor and structure types (adaptive strategy)
5. Eliminating low-hanging architectural features someone could bump into (adaptive strategy)
6. Having pathways without obstructions (adaptive strategy)
Seeing signs or other text on buildings can be a challenge for people who are blind. What are the potential
solutions? (3) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Map and geolocation apps can announce the names and descriptions
of buildings (assistive technology)
2. Braille labels and descriptions can allow those who know Braille to explore and understand their surroundings
(assistive technology)
Challenges, and Assistive Technologies exam
questions with correct answers
About how many people have a disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅One in five people, or about 20 percent
What is the medical theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability in terms of
biological impairments; a problem caused by genetic disorders, disease, trauma or other health conditions.
Disability is treated as a biological problem that diminishes quality of life and needs to be treated with
professional medical care
What are the strengths of the medical theoretical model of disability? (2) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1.
Acknowledges that there is a biological condition placing individuals with disabilities at a disadvantage
2. Creates a set of clearly-defined biological criteria for medical treatment and government assistance
What are the weaknesses of the medical theoretical model of disability? (4) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1.
Overlooks the impact of the social environment on a person with a disability
2. Makes disability a characteristic, labeling the person as different from the rest of the population
3. Excludes those with disabilities who do not fit into the defined criteria, meaning they might not be able to
receive the care and benefits they need
4. Makes people have to prove their disability in order to receive the necessary care and benefits
What is the social theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability as an avoidable
condition caused by poor design in society. Acknowledges there is a medical or biological component, while
stressing more inclusive designs could remove barriers for people with disabilities.
What are the strengths of the social theoretical model of disability? (2) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Empowers
individuals with disabilities by removing the stigma; assumes society will create an inclusive environment, not
that people with disabilities need to accept a lower quality of life
2. Empowers designers of physical and virtual environments to think about usability for everyone, resulting in
better designs overall
What are the weaknesses of the social theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Ignores
the physical reality of having a disability; accepting and owning one's disability can be healthy, both emotionally
and psychologically
What is the functional solutions theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability
as a series of impairments or limitations and the solutions to eradicate or reduce these limitations through
technology or methodology
What are the strengths of the functional solutions theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅1. Focuses on ideas, technologies, and innovations which benefit people with disabilities and improve their
lives
What are the weaknesses of the functional solutions theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅1. Misses opportunities to address larger social context which might make a solution obsolete because it
focuses too much on creating practical technological solutions
What is the social identity or cultural affiliation theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅Viewing disability as a personal identity through communicating with others who share similar life
experiences based on their disability; can be particularly strong among people are deaf and use sign language
, What are the strengths of the social identity or cultural affiliation theoretical model of disability? (2) - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Accepts the disability as an important part of one's emotional and psychological well-being
2. Gains political strength through alliances and advocacy networks
What are the weaknesses of the social identity or cultural affiliation theoretical model of disability? (2) -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Does not serve as a useful basis for technical definitions of disability because
groups of people with different disabilities or no disabilities might consider themselves part of the same social
group
2. May be a result of feeling excluded from the rest of society
What is the charity theoretical model of disability? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Viewing disability as an
unfortunate or tragic condition worthy of special treatment; those without disabilities take pity on those with
disabilities
What are the strengths of the charity theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Creates a
sense of empathy in those without disabilities which inspires them to assist those with disabilities
What are the weaknesses of the charity theoretical model of disability? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1.
Encourages unequal social and political relationships, which can slow down progress overall for those with
disabilities
What are the theoretical models of disability? (5) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Medical
2. Social
3. Functional Solutions
4. Social Identity or cultural affiliation
5. Charity
What is blindness? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅A total loss of vision, or extremely limited sight
What are the main categories of disabilities? (5) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Visual
2. Auditory
3. Motor
4. Cognitive
5. Seizure disorders
Seeing digital or electronic interfaces can be a challenge for people who are blind. What are the potential
solutions? (3) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Screen readers can read content out loud (assistive technology)
2. Self-voicing interfaces and applications can broadcast information, but not interact (assistive technology)
3. Refreshable Braille output devices can use screen readers to convert digital text to Braille (assistive technology)
Not being able to use screen readers on digital content and interfaces not being designed with accessibility in
mind are challenges for people who are blind. What are the potential solutions? (1) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅1. Interface designers and content authors can edit the content to make it compatible with assistive
technologies (adaptive strategy)
Being unable to see while walking is a challenge for people who are blind. What are the potential solutions? (6) -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Canes (assistive technology)
2. Services animals (assistive technology)
3. GPS-based walking instructions with an audio interface (assistive technology)
4. Raised tiles on the ground to indicate different floor and structure types (adaptive strategy)
5. Eliminating low-hanging architectural features someone could bump into (adaptive strategy)
6. Having pathways without obstructions (adaptive strategy)
Seeing signs or other text on buildings can be a challenge for people who are blind. What are the potential
solutions? (3) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅1. Map and geolocation apps can announce the names and descriptions
of buildings (assistive technology)
2. Braille labels and descriptions can allow those who know Braille to explore and understand their surroundings
(assistive technology)