GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum
The Special Education Adapted Curriculum assessment, offered as part of the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, is divided into two tests.
The first test consists of 60 selected-response questions (80% of the test score) and 2 constructed-response assignments (20% of the test score). The content areas covered by the first test are understanding students and developing individualized programs. The topics covered by the understanding students subarea are: human development; characteristics of significant developmental disabilities; the educational implications of various factors that affect learning in students with significant developmental disabilities; and the effects of significant developmental disabilities on students' social development and the development of functional living skills. The topics covered by the developing individualized programs subarea are: assessment instruments and methods; procedures for determining eligibility for special education and related services for students with significant developmental disabilities; the use of individualized education programs, individualized family service plans, and transition plans; the use of assessment results; the uses of instructional and assistive technologies for students with developmental disabilities.
The second test consists of 60 selected-response questions (80% of the test score) and 2 constructed-response questions (20% of the test score). The content areas covered by the second test are promoting student learning and professional collaboration. The topics covered by the promoting student learning subarea are: providing instruction in a safe, supportive, and inclusive classroom environment; strategies for promoting the development of communication, literacy, social, self-determination, and independent functional living skills; and effective behavior-management and intervention strategies. The topics covered by the professional collaboration subarea are: strategies for communicating and collaborating with students, families, colleagues, administrators, service providers, and community agencies; collaborating with others to support students' transitions; and the historical and social foundations of special education, including trends, legal issues, and ethical issues.
The examination must be completed within four hours. The total test score is placed on a scale of 100 to 300, with 220 as the lowest passing score. Scores are based on the number of selected-response questions answered correctly and the scores assigned by judges to the constructed responses. Test-takers will also receive performance indices indicating their success in each subarea of the examination. Scores will be available approximately a month after the date of the examination; unofficial results are posted on the internet, and an official score report is mailed to the test-taker, the Professional Standards Commission, and the institution specified by the test-taker during registration.
GACE Special Education Adapted Curriculum Practice Questions
1. Which of the following individuals does NOT need to be involved in the planning of an IEP?
A: parent
B: teacher
C: counselor
D: student
2. What is an aural habilitation curriculum?
A: a program in American Sign Language
B: a program that teaches vocational skills
C: a program to help deaf or near-deaf students make use of their residual hearing
D: a program that concentrates on music education
3. A special education teacher has recently begun incorporating natural supports in her classroom. Which of the following changes can he NOT expect to see in his students?
A: improved self-esteem
B: improved fine motor skills
C: improved sociability
D: improved content-area performance
4. Which of the following activities would be the most problematic for a group of students with moderate intellectual disabilities?
A: drawing a picture of their families
B: crossword puzzle
C: using addition rules to keep score of a basketball game
D: reading a short story
5. One of the students in Mr. Reynolds' class has recently become very disruptive. Which of the following initial measures would be most appropriate?
A: Sending the student to the principal's office
B: Talking to the student to determine the cause of the disruptive behavior
C: Calling the students' parents
D: Ignoring the disruptive behavior
Answer Key
1. D. Individualized education programs are developed by parents, educators, and expert liaisons.
2. C. Aural habilitation may include learning to read lips or to adapt to a cochlear implant.
3. B. Research suggests that using natural supports (i.e., mixing general education students and special education students) is a boon to special education students, though it will not improve their fine motor skills.
4. C. Students with moderate intellectual disabilities typically have a hard time applying known rules in a new context.
5. B. Sudden increases in disruptive behavior often have a specific impetus; the best initial strategy is to see if any information can be obtained from the student.