Study Guide

Field 128: Blind/Visual Impairment 
Sample Selected-Response Questions

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General Test Directions

This test consists of two sections: 1) a section with selected-response questions and 2) a constructed-response section.

Each question in the first section is a selected-response question with four answer choices. Read each question and answer choice carefully and choose the  start uppercase ONE end uppercase  best answer.

Try to answer all questions. Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all. You will  start uppercase NOT end uppercase  be penalized for guessing.

The second section of this test consists of one constructed-response assignment. You will be asked to provide a written response to the assignment. Directions for completing your written response to the constructed-response assignment appear immediately before the assignment.

You may  start uppercase NOT end uppercase  use any type of calculator or reference materials during the test session.

Sample Selected-Response Questions

Competency 0002 
Apply knowledge of the implications of visual impairments for cognitive, communicative, social-emotional, and physical development and functioning.

1. An early childhood teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) is meeting a parent for the first time. The parent has a set of identical twin boys who are ten months old. One of the boys has light perception only due to retinopathy of prematurity ( start bold ROP R O P ), while the other appears to have normal vision. The twin with normal vision has been walking alone for over a month, while the twin with  R O P  will walk when holding a parent's hand but has not taken any steps alone. The parent is concerned that the twin with  R O P  may be developmentally delayed as well as visually impaired. In which of the following ways should the TVI respond to the parent about this concern?

  1. Children with visual impairments respond to sound cues before they move their bodies in space.
  2. Children with  R O P  generally have global delays that continue throughout their childhood.
  3. Children with  R O P  frequently have malformations of the inner ear that interfere with balance and walking.
  4. Children with visual impairments usually attain gross-motor milestones two to three months later than their typically developing peers.

Correct Response: B. Young children with visual impairments who cannot clearly see their environment are less motivated to interact and investigate the world around them. Infants with visual impairment, including R O P, generally reach developmental milestones at a later time than a typically developing child. This further reinforces the importance of early identification and early intervention services.

Competency 0003 
Apply knowledge of the principles of optics, optical and non-optical devices, and environmental adaptations, including the use of assistive technology, and how they may enhance the use of vision.

2. Tasha is a high school senior who will be attending a four-year university after graduation. She plans to enroll in a distance learning program in which most of her classes will be online. Tasha is totally blind and is a proficient user of braille and a screen-reading program. Tasha and her teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) decide that taking an online course while in high school will allow her to practice the skills needed for a distance learning program, and they choose a course that claims to be fully accessible. Which of the following tasks associated with the program is likely to present the most difficulty for Tasha?

  1. reading text and information located in pop-up windows
  2. locating radio buttons for multiple-choice questions
  3. navigating the course by viewing section headings
  4. utilizing various Internet servers and computer programs

Correct Response: A. Screen readers do an adequate job of reading text on digital devices. However, accessible technology is evolving to address dynamic content left paren e.g., drop-down, pop-ups right paren. Screen readers can tell the user when a pop-up window is present, but the content in the pop-up must be scripted for the screen reader to access it. Accessibility of digital content is evolving. As new technology is created, accessibility to digital material will improve.

Competency 0004 
Apply knowledge of the types and characteristics of assessment instruments and methods.

3. A teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) would like to gather assessment data that will both identify the prevalence of a specific behavior a student has been demonstrating and be valuable later in developing and monitoring the success of a behavior intervention strategy. Which of the following observational strategies is likely to be most effective in this situation?

  1. tallying the number of times the target behavior occurs during a two-hour time period and calculating the percentage of that time period the student exhibits the behavior
  2. measuring the frequency and duration of the target behavior systematically in several different settings and noting any antecedent and/or consequent behaviors
  3. recording the frequency and duration of the target behavior over a day's time and comparing it to data gathered for students who exhibit similar behaviors
  4. asking the student to self-report on when and why the target behavior occurs and then observing the student to determine the accuracy of the student's perceptions

Correct Response: B. Measuring the frequency and duration of the target behavior allows the T V I to determine the extent of the behavior and the implications on the student's learning. Observation across a variety of settings helps to pinpoint triggers or patterns for the behavior. Identifying the antecedent and consequence behaviors helps to determine the function of the behavior, and it facilitates the development of a positive behavior support plan to address the target behavior.

Competency 0005 
Apply knowledge of functional vision assessments and learning media assessments for students with visual impairments.

4. Mercedes is a 14-year-old eighth-grade student who is blind due to anophthalmia resulting from retinoblastoma. Mercedes was recently assessed as a part of her three-year reevaluation. An excerpt of her evaluation results is shown below.

 start underline Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children® — Fourth Edition (WISC®-IV) end underline 

Verbal Comprehension Index: 125 
Working Memory Index: 132

 start underline Woodcock-Johnson® IV Tests of Achievement (WJ IV™)

Broad Reading: 121 
Broad Math: 134 
Broad Written Language: 99

 start underline Braille Skills Assessment end underline 

Mercedes knows all of her braille contractions in Unified English Braille ( U E B ) as well as Nemeth code commensurate with her grade level. Mercedes reads at a rate of 46 wpm, with a comprehension rate of  92 percent . Mercedes writes using a standard braillewriter at a rate of 63 wpm.

Mercedes's parents would like her to enroll in honors classes as she enters high school. Her Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) team is discussing whether or not the honors program can meet Mercedes's needs. The general education teachers express concern about Mercedes's ability to keep up as an honors student. Given the assessment data shown, which of the following plans would allow Mercedes the greatest opportunity to make effective progress in her education?

  1. standard high school classes with additional support from the teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) to increase reading and writing fluency
  2. honors high school classes with the accommodations of braille materials and extra time on all assignments and tests
  3. standard high school classes with the accommodation of braille materials
  4. honors high school classes with additional support from the teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) to increase math fluency

Correct Response: B. The evaluation results indicate that Mercedes has the capacity to succeed in honors courses if the course content is accessible for her. Mercedes reading and writing rate in braille can be supported through the accommodation of extra time on assignments and tests.

Competency 0007 
Apply knowledge of strategies and procedures for establishing a positive and productive learning environment for students with visual impairments.

5. A teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) is consulting with the first-grade classroom teacher about a student in the class who has an inferior field loss due to hemianopia. Which of the following modifications would be most appropriate for the  T V I  to suggest to best enhance the student's learning environment?

  1. presenting all materials on an upward slanted surface for the student
  2. highlighting important text in yellow for the student
  3. seating the student on the left side of the classroom
  4. providing the student with a ruler to use as a guide when reading

Correct Response: A. This student has lost the part of the visual field that is below the midline. Placing the materials on an upward slanting surface allows the student to view the materials using the superior left paren upper right paren visual field without placing a strain on the neck and shoulders. Using the slanted surface allows the student to read more comfortably and will cause less fatigue, for longer periods of time.

Competency 0008 
Apply knowledge of strategies and methods for fostering the communication and literacy skills of students with visual impairments.

6. Which of the following students would receive the greatest benefit from a functional approach to learning braille?

  1. a kindergarten student with optic nerve hypoplasia ( O N H ) who is very motivated to read
  2. a ninth-grade student with no light perception and limited tactile sensitivity
  3. a fifth-grade student who recently became blind and is reluctant to learn braille
  4. a third-grade student with retinopathy of prematurity ( R O P ) who is primarily an auditory learner

Correct Response: C. The functional approach to learning braille allows students to choose the words and passages they read and to learn contractions naturally in the context of the reading. This approach works best with learners who have had previous reading experience and/or are reluctant to learn braille by traditional methods.

Competency 0010 
Apply knowledge of strategies and methods for fostering the social-emotional development of students with visual impairments.

7. Stephanie is a third-grade student who is legally blind. She is enrolled in a general education class and receives services from the teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) for 40 minutes once a week. Stephanie reads and writes braille and is performing on grade level in core academic areas with accommodations. The general education teacher has discussed concerns with Stephanie's parents and the  T V I  about Stephanie's increasing exhibits of frustration and anger in the classroom. The most recent incident resulted in Stephanie being sent to the principal's office. An excerpt from the referral is shown below.

Stephanie ripped her paper from the braillewriter, balled it up, and began crying. After two minutes of crying, she began to scream, "everybody hates me" while stomping her feet. Her screaming increased in volume over the next minute, then she overturned her desk and spent the next ten minutes sobbing softly while curled up in a corner. After she calmed down, she was escorted to the principal's office.

Which of the following steps should the TVI take  start italics first end italics  to effectively address Stephanie's behavior?

  1. obtaining parental permission to conduct a functional behavior assessment ( F B A ) to determine a rationale for Stephanie's behavior
  2. creating an intervention plan that details appropriate consequences for Stephanie in response to any future outbursts
  3. scheduling an Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) team meeting to identify changes to Stephanie's  I E P  to address her growing visual needs
  4. recommending to the parents that Stephanie have weekly check-ins with the school counselor to address behavior concerns

Correct Response: A. A functional behavior assessment left paren F B A right paren is an individualized assessment that requires data collection for the purpose of identifying the function of the behavior. In this specific scenario, the T V I should start italics first end italics obtain parental permission left paren e.g., informed consent right paren prior to conducting the F B A. Stephanie's parents are aware of the behaviors and the T V I will likely consider their observations and information as part of this data collection. The outcome of the F B A may require changes to Stephanie's I E P to address her social-emotional needs left paren e.g., interventions, instructional and/or behavior strategies, or accommodations right paren. It is best practice to involve Stephanie's parents at the start of this process and to obtain their consent to ensure compliance with consent requirements in Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act left paren I D E A, 34 C F R section 300.300 left paren a right paren and left paren c right paren right paren.

Competency 0011 
Apply knowledge of strategies and methods for developing and teaching Expanded Core Curriculum ( E C C ) skills to students with visual impairments, including students with co-existing or multiple disabilities.

8. Which of the following auditory training activities would be most appropriate to use in helping a student with a severe visual impairment improve his or her skills in the area of figure-ground discrimination?

  1. indicating the location of a fixed auditory signal
  2. focusing on one sound in the presence of other sounds
  3. identifying the agent that has made a particular auditory signal
  4. following the path of a moving sound source

Correct Response: B. Auditory figure-ground discrimination entails identifying one sound among many. Students with visual impairments cannot see the sources of sounds around them, and must be taught to locate and focus on one sound against a background noise. Learning this skill will help the student to stay safe when navigating in the environment, and will also help them concentrate on lessons in the classroom.

Competency 0012 
Apply knowledge of practices to establish partnerships with members of the family, school, and community to enhance learning opportunities for students with visual impairments.

9. A new paraprofessional has just begun working with a student with low vision in a third-grade math class. The teacher of students with visual impairments ( T V I ) recognizes that the paraprofessional is providing too much assistance to the student, who is quite capable of working independently. Which of the following actions by the  T V I  represents the best response to this observation?

  1. addressing the student verbally and reminding the student to work independently in the presence of the paraprofessional
  2. overlooking the situation until an appropriate opportunity arises to speak with the paraprofessional about it privately
  3. training the paraprofessional immediately and modeling the desired techniques with the student
  4. reassigning the paraprofessional temporarily and talking with the student to determine whether the student prefers having the extra help

Correct Response: C. In this scenario, the immediate training of the paraprofessional is best practice so that the student is encouraged to work as independently as possible. Over-reliance by the student left paren or the teacher right paren on a paraprofessional may negatively affect the student's progress. Modeling the desired techniques demonstrates to the paraprofessional and the student the expected behaviors and provides immediate feedback.

Competency 0013 
Apply knowledge of professional roles and responsibilities, legal and ethical issues, and trends and key issues relevant to teaching students with visual impairments.

10. State and federal laws guarantee that all children with disabilities will be provided with:

  1. a review of their Individualized Education Program ( I E P ) conducted by the multidisciplinary team twice each year.
  2. summer school and appropriate enrichment placements.
  3. vocational placement after graduation.
  4. a special needs evaluation conducted in their primary language.

Correct Response: D. An important criterion in providing a comprehensive evaluation to determine eligibility for special education is to ensure that assessment tools and practices are nondiscriminatory. As outlined in Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act left paren I D E A, section 300.304 left paren C 1 roman numeral 1, roman numeral 2 right paren right paren, comprehensive evaluations are to be provided in the child's primary language or other mode of communication. A child may not be determined eligible for special education services if the determinant factor is limited English proficiency.