11

Special Education
Study Guide Year 2022

Special Education Specialists and Special

Education Teachers
 Table of Contents

TEST OVERVIEW.....................................................................................................................................2
TEST SPECIFICATIONS ..............................................................................................................................3
SAMPLE QUESTIONS ...............................................................................................................................7
ANSWER KEY: .....................................................................................................................................20

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 Educational Professions Licensure

Special Education Study Guide

The Educational Professions Licensure System in the Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates is
one of the educational priorities that aims at optimizing investment in teachers and education
professionals in order to help them to achieve the objectives of the ministry and to improve educational
outcomes.

The Special Education Test for Special Education Specialists and Special Education Teachers is a
requirement for them to practice the profession in the UAE.

Test Overview

Test Name Special Education

Number of Questions 80
Test Duration 120 min
Questions Format Multiple Choice Questions
Test Delivery Computer-based Test

Approximate Approximate
Test Domains Percentage number of
of Test questions APPROXIMATE % OF TEST DOMAINS
Foundations of Foundations of special and inclusive education: learners’
special and inclusive characteristics, laws, ethics and policies.
education: Learners’ 30% 24 Assessment & Evaluation
characteristics, laws
ethics and policies.
Instructional Planning and Strategies
Assessment &
15% 12
Evaluation Professional practice, communication, and collaboration.

Instructional
Planning and 40% 32 15%
Strategies 30%

Professional
practice, 40%
15% 12 15%
communication, and
collaboration.

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Test Specifications

Domain 1.: Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education: Learners’ characteristics, laws ethics and
policies

Performance Criteria:

- Demonstrate knowledge of special education history, current trends and issues, models, theories, and
philosophies that have previously influenced and continue to influence the field of special education and
the education of individuals with special needs.

- Demonstrate knowledge of special education laws, policies, standards, and ethical guidelines in relation
to education of students with special need.

- Demonstrate knowledge of developing in-depth insights into the physical, social and emotional, and
cognitive characteristics which affect students with diverse special needs.

- Demonstrate knowledge of the learning styles, learning needs, factors impacting on learning and
strategies to adopt to advance or promote the learning and development of students with special needs
in classrooms.

Topics under domain 1:

1.1. History and current practices of Special and Inclusive Education

1.2. Special and Inclusive Education models, theories, and philosophies

1.3. Legal and ethical standards in Special Education

1.4. Special Education Policies and standards

1.5. Physical Development characteristics

1.6. Social emotional characteristics

1.7. Cognitive characteristics

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Domain 2.: Assessment & Evaluation

Performance Criteria:

- Demonstrate understanding of students' assessment and instructional needs through collecting,

aggregating, and interpreting data using a variety of assessment measures and other data resources.

- Demonstrate ability to Identify and interpret assessment information to stakeholders such as students,
teachers, administrators, families, IEP team members, general education teachers, and paraprofessionals,
etc.

- Demonstrate ability to use assessment data in understanding and analyzing instructional strategies and
developing required modifications to improve students' learning outcomes.

- Demonstrate ability to evaluate and make ongoing adjustments to students’ instructional programs.

Topics under domain 2.:

2.1 Using formal and informal assessment tools

2.2 Using other data sources

2.3 Understanding assessment information

2.4 Communicating assessment information

2.5 Using assessment results to make referral, diagnosis, and educational placement decisions

2.6 Using assessment in informing instruction

2.7 Using assessment in informing and evaluating modifications and accommodations

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Domain 3.: Instructional Planning and Strategies

Performance Criteria:

- Demonstrate knowledge of UAE content knowledge and grade level standards and demonstrate
understanding of using evidence-based instructional strategies to individualize instruction and goals for
students with special needs.

- Demonstrate knowledge of planning, managing, modifying, and creating learning environment that
fosters inclusion, diversity, safety, emotional wellbeing, communication skills, thinking skills and
motivation of students with special needs.

- Demonstrate knowledge of curriculum adaptation, developing and selecting effective strategies

including assistive technology for teaching students with special needs.

Topics under domain 3.:

3.1. Curriculum Content Knowledge

3.2. Curriculum Adaptation

3.3. Learning Goals

3.4. Classroom Environment

3.5. Classroom Management

3.6. Developing language and social skills

3.7. Individual Plans

3.8. Assistive Technology

3.9. Instructional Material & Learning Resources

3.10. Instructional Strategies

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Domain 4.: Professional Practice, Communication, and Collaboration

Performance Criteria:

- Demonstrate knowledge about importance of communication, best practices and appropriate

communication channels to use to manage stakeholders involved in the promotion of the teaching and
development of students with special needs.

- Demonstrate knowledge of culturally responsive teaching strategies and practices which could foster
cohesion, partnership and development of students with special needs in the UAE.

- Demonstrate knowledge of advocacy to teaching, sensitization, engagements, identifying learning

opportunities and exploring avenues to maximize the potentials of students with special needs.

Topics under domain 4.:

4.1. Communication

4.2. Conflict Management

4.3. Types of Collaboration

4.4. Understanding Diversity

4.5. Ethics in Special Education

4.6. UAE Values and Special Education

4.7. Advocacy

4.8. Self-determination

4.9. Transition Planning

4.10. Professional Development

***Important Note: Wherever “with special needs” is mentioned, it includes both people of
determination and the gifted and talented.

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Sample Questions

Question 1.

Which of the following is the most effective strategy to teach self-help skills to students with moderate
to severe autism spectrum disorder?

A. Cognitive behavior therapy

B. Discrete trial training

C. Embedded reinforcement

D. Environment enrichment

Question 2.

A special education teacher would like to identify the factors that predict or maintain the continuity of
her student's desirable behaviors to develop and implement with her a behavioral support plan.

To accomplish that, which of the following assessment methods should the teacher employ?

A. Functional behavior assessment (FBA)

B. Criterion-referenced assessment (CRA)

C. Formal diagnostic assessment (FDA)

D. Curriculum-based assessment (CBM)

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Question 3.

Which of following is an effective strategy for promoting meta-cognitive thinking skills and is
recommended to be used with students with specific learning disabilities (SLD)?

A. Reciprocal teaching strategy

B. Direct instruction strategy

C. Sensory integration strategy

D. Think aloud strategy

Question 4.

A Grade Four student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often engages in undesirable
behaviors, such as loudly tapping on his desk with a pen or stomping his feet on the floor.

Which of the following strategies should the teacher use to increase the student self-management and
self-control skills during class?

A. Developing a chart to count the number of times the student engages in undesirable behaviors and
to reinforce when the behavior decreases

B. Placing the student in a separate desk close to the window when he/she exhibits undesirable
behaviors

C. Developing a visual cue to use with the student to help increase his awareness when engaging in
undesirable behaviors

D. Meeting the student in the morning to clarify behaviors that he/she needs to reduce and provide
feedback on his/her progress at the end of the day

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Question 5.

Sameera is a student diagnosed with intellectual disability due to her sub-average cognitive ability
associated with deficits in adaptive living skills. Sameera recently received an additional diagnosis.

Which of the following disabilities can most likely co-exist with Sameera’s intellectual disability?

A. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

B. Specific Learning Disability

C. Speech and Language Disorders

D. Autism Spectrum Disorder

Question 6.

Which of the following strategies will be most effective for providing job training to a student with
intellectual disability for work as waiter in a fast food restaurant?

A. Pairing the students with an employee who can work alongside the student and model the required
task

A. Making a list of job tasks for the student to refer to as necessary throughout the work shift

A. Carefully explaining the steps of the job to the student and checking on the student at regular
intervals

A. Using virtual reality techniques to simulate the work environment and practice the job sequence in
the classroom

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Question 7.

A sixth-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with intellectual disability, is nonverbal and
does not initiate communicative exchange.

Which of the following would be the best first step in teaching the student to use a picture exchange
communication system (PECS)?

A. Choosing culturally and socially appropriate pictures

B. Identifying peers that the student might want to communicate with in this way

C. Identifying objects and activities that are currently of interest to the student

D. Training family members to use picture exchange communication system (PECS)

Question 8.

An elementary school student with a severe physical disability needs assistance with feeding. Which of
the following information would be the most important for a special education teacher to know in this
situation?

A. The nature and texture of the foods and drinks that the student eats

B. The amount of food that the student usually eats at home

C. Whether the student can hold eating utensils or cups

D. Student's favorite foods and drinks

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Question 9.

Lana is a fourth-grade student with specific learning disability in mathematics (dyscalculia). Lana is
currently working on improving her skill of dividing three-digit by one-digit numbers. Her special
education teacher has been monitoring her progress through weekly computation probes. The following
graph demonstrates Lana's scores for eight consecutive weeks. The red line represents the goal line.

Which instructional decision should Lana's teacher make for Lana?

A. Modify instruction

B. Use a different teaching strategy

C. Increase the goal

D. Make no changes

Question 10.

How often does a reappraisal occur to determine continued eligibility for special education services for
a student with an individualized education plan (IEP)?

A. Once a year

B. Once every two years

C. Once every five years

D. Once every three years

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Question 11.

A special education teacher is teaching Muna, a 12-year-old with severe intellectual disability, how to
identify five coins. Using a chart with the picture of each coin and its name, Muna is asked to use her
speech-generating device to identify the correct coin.

Based on the results demonstrated in the table below, what should be the teacher's next step?

Day Number of correct answers

Monday 3
Tuesday 4
Wednesday 3
Thursday 2
Friday 1

A. Try a different instructional strategy to use with Muna

B. Give Muna more practice opportunities using the same strategy

C. Move to a different goal as Muna does not seem to be ready

D. Contact Muna's parents to help her practice the skill over the weekend

Question 12.

Compared to a student with normal vision, it is possible for a student with visual impairment to find
difficulty in the cognitive domain, which appears clearly in one of the following aspects:

A. Formation of self identity

B. Maintaining positive relationships with peers

C. Acquisition of concrete concepts through direct instruction

D. Acquisition of incidental learning from the surrounding environment

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Question 13.

Ms. Noura is a special education teacher in a co-taught fifth grade inclusion classroom. Jae, a newcomer
student from South Korea joined Ms. Noura’s classroom at the beginning of the academic year. After
five months of Jae’s arrival, Ms. Noura noticed that Jae is still socially withdrawn, often appears sad, and
does not participate in class activities.

What is the most appropriate way for Ms. Noura to communicate her concern with Jae’s parents?

A. Learn some Korean terms to use when meeting with Jae’s parents

B. Send a letter to Jae’s parent in their native language

C. Ask Jae to serve as an interpreter during a teacher-parent meeting

D. Send the letter in English and encourage the parents to use Google Translate

Question 14.

A special education teacher is planning to assess the progress made by one of his students who has
severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

What should be the primary focus of the assessment for the student?

A. General academic skills

B. Transition skills

C. Language and communication skills

D. Play skills

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Question 15.

Lubna is a special education teacher who co-teaches an inclusive kindergarten class with several
students of determination. The classroom teacher wants to use some instructional materials that
Lubna does not think are accessible to two of the students of determination.

Which of the following actions would be the most effective for Lubna to take to promote productive
collaboration with the classroom teacher?

A. Explaining the aspects of the materials that may be challenging for the students of determination
and suggesting appropriate alternative materials

B. Expressing her concern directly and sending the classroom teacher some research articles about
ways to support students of determination

C. Asking the classroom teacher to designate a special learning centre with appropriate materials for
students of determination to use

D. Choosing not to raise the concern and providing students of determination with extra support in
using the materials

Question 16.

Abdullah is a 17-year-old student with severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. With certain
accommodations, Abdullah has been successful in meeting his IEP goals. Ever since he was in grade 4,
Abdullah has received extended time and frequent breaks on all his academic assessments.

Now that Abdullah is transitioning to college, what is the most important self-advocacy skill to teach
him?

A. To inform his college instructors that he needs extended time and frequent breaks on all
assessments
B. To enroll in one course each semester so that he does not get overwhelmed

C. To contact the disability services office at the college as soon as he enrolls in courses

D. To wait until he gets results from the first assessment to see whether he will need extra support

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Question 17.

At the beginning of the school year, the teacher noticed that a group of fifth grade students showed an
exclusionary behavior for two of their classmates of determination who were rejected in various
extracurricular activities.

Which of the following is the best action to be taken by the teacher to deal with such a situation?

A. Train the students of determination on how to respond and defend themselves

B. Ask parents to apply disciplinary measures if their children continue with the exclusionary behavior

C. encourage the students work out the issues among themselves to promote independence

D. Design activities that aim at building a learning community in which all students feel safe and
accepted

Question 18.

Which of the following types of assessment is most commonly used in evaluating students with special
needs?

A. Norm-referenced assessment

B. Criterion-referenced assessment

C. Portfolio assessments

D. Direct and indirect observation

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Question 19.

Aisha is a 9th grade student. She will soon return to school after a moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI).
She received speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy during her time in the
rehabilitation center. The IEP team will develop an IEP for her to support her when she returns to school.

Which of the following describes the educational procedures that should be taken based on Aisha's
injury ?

A. Modify or simplify the academic load during her transition back to the school environment

B. Cancel her participation in physical education classes

C. Provide her with speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational rehabilitation up until she
completes secondary school

D. Provide her with educational services at home in addition to services provided at school

Question 20.

A special education teacher is planning an initial discussion with parents of a 14-year-old student with
intellectual disability about her post-secondary transition. Which of the following factors is likely to be
most important to consider in this discussion?

A. Local institutions that provide future training opportunities

B. The family values and expectations regarding the student future life

C. The type of vocational training that is available in the school

D. The student's level of knowledge of future job requirements

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Question 21.

Saeed, a six-year-old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a significant aversion to washing his
hands. He refuses to wash his hands and throws a temper tantrum when asked to do so. During sessions
with the special education teacher, Saeed practices turning the water on and off. He transitions to
keeping his hands under the water for 1 to 5 seconds. Eventually, he is able to wash his hands for 30
seconds.

What approach is being used with Saeed?

A. Functional Communication Training (FCT)

B. Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT)

C. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

D. Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)

Question 22.

Universal design for learning (UDL) has many benefits. Which of the following is not among those
benefits?

A. Providing easy access to the educational content

B. Achieving the principle of equal opportunities for learners

C. Including all academic skills within an individualized education plan

D. Dealing with individual differences among learners

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Question 23. (Scenario)

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Malik is a third grade student with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) who recently returned to school after a
period of absence. Malik is able to follow along with consistent classroom routines but becomes
overwhelmed with multi-step directions or changes in typical routines. His teacher also noticed that his
is stuttering, his attention is very limited, and he seems to have forgotten many concepts and
vocabulary words he had acquired before the accident. In preparation for Malik's individualized
education plan (IEP) meeting, his teacher prepared some ideas for strategies and accommodations that
she thinks will help him in his learning.

Question 23. I

Which of the following strategies would be the most effective in addressing Malik's recent attention
challenge?

A. Allowing him to select the topics and tasks he would like to work on

B. Breaking down the complex academic task into smaller units

C. Allowing him to use the laptop to complete written tasks

D. Implementing cooperative learning groups and assigning him the role of the leader

Question 23. II

Which of the following strategies would be the most effective in helping Malik follow multi-step
routines?

A. Provide him with a visual chart for each routine

B. Provide him with constant verbal reminders for each step

C. Assign a peer that would act as a model for him

D. Modify the routine to include a single-step comprehensive task

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Question 23. III

Malik's teacher is currently teaching her class critical thinking skills to solve two-step maths word
problems. She noticed that Malik had forgotten the steps involved in adding and subtracting 2-digit
numbers with regrouping. What is the most effective way to reteach Malik this skill?

A. Assigning a peer-tutor who is keen to reteach Malik the target maths skill

B. Pulling him out from physical education classes to provide him with one-on-one maths remedial
sessions
C. Sending home with him supplemental maths worksheets to practice the target math skill

D. Embedding 2-digit addition and subtraction tasks within the word problems

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Answer Key:

Question # Correct Answer

1 B
2 A
3 D
4 C
5 D
6 A
7 C
8 A
9 C
10 D
11 A
12 D
13 B
14 C
15 A
16 C
17 D
18 B
19 A
20 B
21 D
22 C
23.I B
23.II A
23.III D

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