Study Guide

Field 228: Teacher of Students Who Are Blind/Visually Impaired 
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Each multiple-choice question has four answer choices. Read each question and its answer choices carefully and choose the ONE best answer.

During the test you should 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 NOT be penalized for choosing an incorrect response.

Objective 0001 
Understand the visual system and the significance of vision loss for human development and learning.

1. A teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired notices that a four-year-old child with a congenital visual impairment walks with a shuffling gait. The reason for this type of walk is to:

  1. support the child in achieving an erect posture.
  2. provide the child with clues about the walking surface while increasing balance.
  3. support the child in maintaining a line of direction.
  4. provide the child with increased endurance and strength.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Children often develop a gait, also known as a walking pattern, by visually observing walking patterns of others. Children often model their walking patterns after the gaits of those they see around them. Children also use vision to determine when obstacles are present in their paths while walking. Children who are blind or visually impaired are often not able to visually observe walking patterns of others, and also are not able to see obstacles in their paths while walking, and so they develop gaits based on other criteria. Walking with a shuffle supports children's abilities to detect if there is a change to the walking surface (e.g., something lying on the floor, a wall) without using vision. This type of gait can support children's abilities to change direction or lift their foot over the obstacle without falling or losing their balance.
Objective 0001 
Understand the visual system and the significance of vision loss for human development and learning.

2. A middle school student with optic nerve atrophy has been observed as becoming increasingly discouraged. Recently, the student has refused to begin assignments, saying it is not worth it to try because "everything is too difficult." In which of the following ways can the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired most effectively improve the student's self-esteem?

  1. asking the general education teachers to shorten the student's assignments
  2. training peer volunteers to assist the student with classwork
  3. conducting a Functional Vision Assessment (F V A) with the student
  4. setting short-term goals with the student that the student can likely accomplish
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
When a student is becoming overwhelmed or discouraged by schoolwork or another responsibility, it is important to find ways to make the required task manageable and achievable for the student. When a task is too large or has too many components, it can be difficult for the student to know where to begin or how to complete it. An important component of working with students who are blind or visually impaired is to implement the use of S M A R T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) goals. These goal components make it easier to break tasks down into manageable pieces, and to concretely understand the beginning and end of a task. When a teacher designs a goal that is attainable for the student—something that the student can accomplish—the teacher is setting the student up for success. When the student realizes that they can focus on a short-term goal and achieve it, they will then feel more confident in their abilities to accomplish other similar goals. By achieving many short-term goals over time, a student will be able to complete bigger tasks comprised of the smaller goals and develop greater self-esteem.
Objective 0002 
Understand the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of education for students who are blind or visually impaired.

3. In the history of education for students who are blind or visually impaired, the trend toward inter-agency collaboration is most evident in the:

  1. development of transitional programming by educators and rehabilitation specialists.
  2. movement of parents/guardians and educators to establish a National Agenda.
  3. formation of national guidelines for teacher preparation programs.
  4. establishment of formal training programs for orientation and mobility specialists.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
One of the first steps in transition planning for students who are blind or visually impaired is to recognize that multiple people who work with students and multiple agencies (including teachers and rehabilitation specialists) should be involved in the planning. Transition planning requires shared expertise and perspectives to create comprehensive individualized plans for students. In the past, schools and agencies that worked with students who were blind or visually impaired often worked in isolation of each other. This practice led to services that were not coordinated and that did not meet each student's strengths and needs. Interagency collaboration in transition promotes coordinated services and supports, identification and addressing of gaps of services within the community, shared and leveraged resources, and efficient service delivery. The trend toward interagency collaboration has led to more thorough transition services for students who are blind and visually impaired.
Objective 0002 
Understand the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of education for students who are blind or visually impaired.

4. A high school student with a progressive visual impairment is doing well in school academically, but the student's teachers are concerned that the student is becoming socially isolated. Which of the following instructional approaches would best support the student in combining academic learning with development of specific social skills?

  1. inductive learning
  2. direct instruction
  3. class discussion
  4. cooperative learning
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Cooperative learning is an instructional strategy during which students work together in small groups and learn through interaction with each other while the teacher coaches and scaffolds instruction. During cooperative learning, the teacher provides instructions and goals for the work, organizes the students in the group into clearly defined roles, and facilitates a number of components of the activity, including students' academic learning, social skills, and cooperative behavior. Cooperative learning is a beneficial means to integrate academic and social skills in a low-stakes environment. When teachers use this method, they can learn about students' academic abilities as well as notice students who work well together, which can lead to friendship beyond academic work. This approach can support students who are becoming socially isolated and help them connect with other students academically and socially.
Objective 0003 
Understand assessment instruments and procedures used for screening, evaluating, and identifying students who are blind or visually impaired.

5. Which of the following statements best describes the use of a Learning Media Assessment (L M A) when evaluating a student who is blind or visually impaired?

  1. The L M A is a rubric used to determine a student's need for a differentiated curriculum.
  2. The L M A is a checklist used to determine a student's visual needs in the education environment.
  3. The L M A is an observation done to determine a student's use of functional vision in the classroom.
  4. The L M A is a process that guides informed decisions on selecting appropriate literary programs for a student.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
A Learning Media Assessment (L M A) is conducted by the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to determine what types of literacy and functional learning materials are appropriate for an individual student. The L M A is a systematic way of collecting information about sensory preferences, learning environments, and intervention materials and methods. It is used with the Functional Vision Assessment (F V A) to describe sensory abilities. The L M A identifies sensory preferences and enables the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to understand how to present information to the student.
Objective 0004 
Understand procedures used for interpreting assessments and communicating assessment results to design instruction for students who are blind or visually impaired.

6. A teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired wants to assess a student's literacy growth as a result of using a braille literacy program. To achieve this goal most effectively, the teacher should:

  1. keep an anecdotal record of the student's reported experiences with the braille literacy program.
  2. ask the student to complete a series of comprehension questions to determine how much the student understands from the braille literacy program.
  3. use multiple sources of data, including progress monitoring and teacher observations of the student's experiences with the braille literacy program.
  4. give the student a standardized achievement test to measure the student's progress in literacy as a result of the braille literacy program.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
When assessing a student's literacy growth as a result of using a braille literacy program, it is important to consider a number of components. As with other areas of assessment, it is important to implement a multi-faceted approach and conduct these assessments in an ongoing manner. Progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice used to assess students' academic progress and measure the effectiveness of instruction over time, and teacher observations are reports that teachers create that include what the teacher has noticed about the student's progress while using the braille literacy program. Using multiple sources of data such as progress monitoring and teacher observations provides a wide and varied amount of information that is anecdotal, concrete, and measurable, and can inform the teacher of the student's comprehensive growth in the program.
Objective 0005 
Understand procedures for the development and implementation of individualized programming, including Individualized Education Programs (I E Pees), Individualized Family Service Plans (I F S Pees), and transition plans for students who are blind or visually impaired.

7. The Individualized Education Program (I E P) team for a fourth grader who is blind or visually impaired is determining the student's placement for braille instruction and orientation and mobility training. The team should base its placement decision on which of the following considerations?

  1. the availability of alternative literacy materials such as large print
  2. the types of assessments used to determine special education eligibility
  3. the size of the caseloads of the special education teacher and the orientation and mobility specialist
  4. the goals and objectives outlined in the student's I E P
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
The decision about where a student should receive special education services is called educational placement. The Individualized Education Program (I E P) team, including parents/guardians, decides the educational placement and services for the student. Decisions about placement are made at least once each year at the I E P meeting and are based on the student's individual needs including the goals and objectives outlined in the student's I E P. If the I E P team decides that a general education classroom is not the most appropriate setting for the student for certain parts of the school day or all of the school day, then they can consider other placement options such as special classes or the resource room. The I E P team must consider the least restrictive environment (L R E) that will support the student's goals and objectives as outlined in their I E P.
Objective 0005 
Understand procedures for the development and implementation of individualized programming, including Individualized Education Programs (I E Pees), Individualized Family Service Plans (I F S Pees), and transition plans for students who are blind or visually impaired.

8. During the school year, an itinerant teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired observes the students in a variety of settings and uses questionnaires and interest inventories with transition-age students. The teacher shares all of this information during Individualized Education Program (I E P) meetings to assist the teams in setting realistic goals and expectations for each student. These behaviors indicate that the teacher is committed to:

  1. improving personal skills in teaching students who are blind or visually impaired.
  2. educating others about students who are blind or visually impaired.
  3. developing the potential abilities of students who are blind or visually impaired for postsecondary life.
  4. advocating for the least restrictive environment (L R E) for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Transition planning involves making choices and decisions about post-high school life for students with identified exceptionalities. Illinois regulations require that transition planning and the implementation of a transition plan begin by the time a student with an Individualized Education Program (I E P) reaches 14 ½ years of age (or younger, if appropriate). The transition plan becomes an official part of the student's I E P. There are a number of ways transition planning is determined, such as through formal and informal assessments such as questionnaires and interest inventories in conjunction with other information from the student, teachers, and other staff. Interest inventories allow students to identify the types of work they enjoy doing and are interested in learning about, and also how they like to spend their spare time. Questionnaires can also provide information about the student's academic interests, study skills, and self-identified strengths and needs. This information can support the creation of a post-high school plan for the student that aligns with the student's individualized interests and goals.
Objective 0006 
Understand methods for promoting the use of braille for students who are blind or visually impaired.

9. A student with a progressive visual impairment will be transitioning from middle school to high school during the next school year. The student will be taking general education classes as well as receiving ongoing instruction in braille. When assessing the student's needs for braille assistive technology, the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired should consider which of the following components first?

  1. the braille devices that are in the school's inventory
  2. the requirements of the student's academic program
  3. the financial resources available for the student to purchase materials
  4. the reliability of various devices and whether the student would be able to maintain them
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
When deciding how to include assistive technology when teaching braille to a student who is blind or visually impaired, it is necessary to determine what skills the student will need for the courses the student will be taking in the near future and in the coming years. If the student will need to take notes, it will be important for the student to learn to use an electronic note taker. If the student will need to complete readings, it will be important for the student to use braille translation software. It will be most important to consider how each type of braille assistive technology could benefit the student, and to select those that will best support the student in accessing the academic curriculum efficiently.
Objective 0006 
Understand methods for promoting the use of braille for students who are blind or visually impaired.

10. A middle school student who is blind or visually impaired and has recently moved to the United States is also an English language learner who reads braille. One of the student's long-term Individualized Education Program (I E P) goals is to learn to read Unified English Braille (U E B). In planning instruction for the student, the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired should remember that the student's success in reaching this goal depends most upon the:

  1. student's understanding of braille rules.
  2. number of similarities between the student's native language and English.
  3. availability of age-appropriate materials in U E B.
  4. student's proficiency in the English language.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
To become fluent in Unified English Braille (U E B), the student will need to also become fluent in English. It would be important for the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to work with the English as a Second Language (E S L) teacher to assess the student's level of English proficiency. The teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired can then match instruction in braille to the student's level of proficiency in English. As the student becomes more proficient in English, the teacher can align braille instruction to that level, as well.
Objective 0007 
Understand methods for promoting the social, communication, and independent living skills for students who are blind or visually impaired.

11. A middle school student who is blind or visually impaired has expressed interest in joining a community service organization. To support the student's integration into the group, which of the following strategies would be most effective for the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to implement?

  1. working with the orientation and mobility specialist and the student's parents/guardians to plan the student's transportation to group meetings
  2. meeting with the student, the group leaders, and members of the group to discuss the student's strengths, needs, and interest in the group
  3. researching information about the group with the student through Web sites and pamphlets discussing the information with the student
  4. asking members of the group to list their names and phone numbers and transcribing the list into braille or another accessible format for the student
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Extracurricular activities may include participation in community service organizations, sports, the arts, music, and student leadership, and other such events that are not typically part of the general curriculum. These activities allow students to explore aspects of society and of themselves that they may not have the opportunity to learn about in general academic classes. It is important for all students who are interested in doing so to be able to participate in these activities. It is necessary for the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to identify any barriers to participation or misconceptions about students that may exist in a group to provide the best experience possible for all students. A student who is blind or visually impaired may have needs about which leaders of and participants in groups may not be informed or understand. It is beneficial to all involved for the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to work with the student who is blind or visually impaired, the group leader, and members of the group (as they would with the student's teachers and classmates, as necessary) to educate the group members on the student's strengths, needs, and interests to facilitate the student's active and positive inclusion and membership.
Objective 0008 
Understand methods for creating learning experiences and environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation for students who are blind or visually impaired.

12. A fifth-grade student who is blind or visually impaired is learning how to use appliances to make snacks as part of the Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C). Which of the following actions should the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired take to facilitate the student's generalization of this skill?

  1. developing a cross-curricular instructional unit for the student using snacks as the theme
  2. working with the student to determine appropriate times at which to make snacks
  3. teaching the student how to use a variety of microwave ovens
  4. brainstorming with the student to make a list of snacks
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
The Expanded Core Curriculum (E C C) is a set of skills that teaches students who are blind or visually impaired strategies to compensate for vision loss, and is foundational to all other learning. The E C C focuses on independence, assistive technology, vocational training, social engagement, sensory efficiency, orientation and mobility, recreation and leisure, independent living, and other aspects to support students in living their fullest lives possible. As part of independent living learning, students who are blind or visually impaired learn many skills, such as personal hygiene, meal skills, and money skills. As with many other skills, it is important to learn how to generalize skills across environments. Generalization is a student's ability to use skills that they have learned in one environment in new and different environments. It will be important for the student to learn that not all cooking tools, such as microwave ovens, are the same. In the example provided in this item, it will be important for the student to learn that different microwave ovens may have different control panels to operate them but that they all can usually do the same tasks. By teaching the student how to use various types of microwave ovens, the teacher is supporting the student's generalization of microwave cooking skills.
Objective 0009 
Understand principles and methods for preparing, selecting, using, and adapting specialized materials, equipment, and assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired.

13. A middle school student who is blind or visually impaired has used an assistive technology device successfully for a year and has begun to have difficulty with the device holding a charge. Which of the following steps should the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired take first to support the student's ability to resolve the problem?

  1. discussing with the student consumer rights issues related to warrantees and refunds
  2. role-playing with the student how to contact and ask questions of technical support personnel
  3. assessing the student to determine if a different device would be more appropriate for the student's needs
  4. working with the student and the student's parents/guardians to obtain a new device
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
It is important for teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired to instruct their students in self-advocacy in many areas, including in using assistive technology. Assistive technology includes products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for students with exceptionalities, including students who are blind or visually impaired. Assistive technology can be very beneficial in supporting a student who is blind or visually impaired in completing tasks for which many people rely on vision. However, many types of assistive technology can be subject to the malfunctions common to any type of technology. By becoming adept at troubleshooting potential problems with assistive technology and in asking for help from knowledgeable personnel when necessary, the student will become more empowered in the use of the assistive technology and will be less likely to lose time using it due to not knowing how to handle a malfunction. Role-playing how to contact technical support personnel and the types of questions to ask of personnel will support the student in developing the skills and confidence to handle this type of situation if and when it arises.
Objective 0009 
Understand principles and methods for preparing, selecting, using, and adapting specialized materials, equipment, and assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired.

14. A high school student who is blind or visually impaired hand writes English homework assignments and submits them to the teacher during each class. Which of the following methods would be most efficient for the student's English teacher to provide timely feedback on the student's homework assignments using technology?

  1. offering comments on the assignments to the student through e-mail
  2. using spreadsheet software to record the student's grades on the homework assignments
  3. recording audio and video comments about the homework for the student on a weekly basis
  4. providing large-print comments in word processing software for the student once a week
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Providing feedback to students on classwork and homework in a timely manner supports the student's understanding of the material, clarifies potential misconceptions, and informs students of what they are doing well and where they could improve. E-mail is a useful tool that is often accessible through computer, mobile phone, laptop, or tablet. By providing the student with feedback on the assignments through e-mail, the student will receive almost instant information that can be used to apply to further assignments. The more frequently a teacher provides a student with feedback, the more useful details the student has about their teacher's viewpoint on their work and progress, and the better the student's understanding of what they need to do to improve in the future.
Objective 0010 
Understand principles and methods involved in individualizing instruction for students who are blind or visually impaired.

15. An abacus would be most useful to a student who is blind or visually impaired in developing which of the following mathematics concepts?

  1. sets and place values
  2. coordinates and points
  3. percentages and fractions
  4. area and volume
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
An abacus is a counting tool that consists of rows of movable beads set on rods and built into a frame. The movable beads represent mathematical digits and are used to conduct mathematical equations. The use of the abacus is taught to students who are blind or visually impaired because it is a concrete and manipulatable tool that can be used in a universal manner to learn about and complete mathematical problems that are otherwise abstract and often learned through written or typed numbers and equations accessed through vision. To begin working on the abacus, students must understand basic number concepts, be able to count, and know the complement numbers that add up to ten. These concepts should first be taught concretely with manipulatives, by forming and rearranging sets of objects. Students also need to learn that some beads on the abacus stand for one, some for five, some for ten, and so on, as well as knowing the basic concept of place value. As students work with sets, they can set relevant numbers on the abacus. As students learn about place value, they can then reinforce this concept as well with the abacus.
Objective 0010 
Understand principles and methods involved in individualizing instruction for students who are blind or visually impaired.

16. A teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired is working with a fourth-grade student who is blind on accessing maps during a geography unit. Which of the following actions would best support the student's access to these materials and concepts?

  1. asking the student to write the title, legend, and compass and outline of the map in braille with a slate and stylus
  2. providing the student with an audio recording of a description of the map the student is studying
  3. instructing the student in exploring a tactile map using systematic scanning
  4. teaching the student to use various manipulatives such as plastic cubes and circles to represent different areas of a map
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Learning to read a map is an important geography skill and also an important skill for independence. Maps that are examined visually can be inaccessible for students who are blind or visually impaired. Tactile maps are designed to be read through touch. They use raised points, lines, and textures to represent rivers, mountains, and cities or to represent objects and identify rooms. A tactile map may have a key similar to a key in a visual map that describes what each texture represents on the tactile map. Tactile maps can be read in a number of ways. Systematic scanning is a system to read a tactile map or graphic used by students who are blind or visually impaired that allows an entire area to be read tactually in an organized manner. This includes teaching the student to use a consistent pattern for exploring the tactile map and to select a reference point within the graphic to determine when the entire graphic has been read or explored.
Objective 0011 
Understand how to promote and develop communicative and collaborative partnerships to support students who are blind or visually impaired.

17. A transcriber would most likely provide which of the following services for students who are blind or visually impaired?

  1. enlarging teacher-made assignments using a photocopier
  2. creating audio recordings of lectures
  3. narrating instructional videos
  4. producing teacher-made tests in braille using software and an embosser
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired often do not have enough time to produce all the braille that is needed for a student who is blind or visually impaired who reads and writes in braille as a primary mode of communication. The role of a transcriber is to create educational materials in braille through the use of software or an embosser. Transcribing print into braille requires knowledge of the braille code and the skills required to create braille.
Objective 0011 
Understand how to promote and develop communicative and collaborative partnerships to support students who are blind or visually impaired.

18. Which of the following activities is most typically one of the responsibilities of a clinical low vision specialist?

  1. evaluating a student's need for specific optical devices
  2. teaching a student who is blind or visually impaired how to use the human guide technique
  3. evaluating the receptive and expressive communication skills of a student who is blind or visually impaired
  4. organizing vision screenings to identify students who may have visual impairments
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
A clinical low vision specialist may be an optometrist (medical doctor specializing in eye care), an ophthalmologist (medical doctor specializing in surgical procedures of the eye), or a university-trained professional with knowledge of low vision and optical devices. They specialize in assisting students who are blind or visually impaired in optimizing their remaining vision. They conduct low vision testing and prescribe low vision and specific optical devices. The clinical low vision specialist works with the student to determine the best way to enhance the student's vision—through a handheld magnifier, a telescope, high-powered glasses, or other low vision device.
Objective 0012 
Understand the professional roles and responsibilities of teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired.

19. A teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired participates in a number of professional development activities. Which of the following activities would most likely benefit students who are blind or visually impaired and their families by providing the teacher with opportunities to advocate for important issues?

  1. reading journal articles related to visual impairments
  2. taking a graduate-level special education course about visual impairments
  3. joining a specialized organization for teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired
  4. attending a districtwide in-service workshop about visual impairments
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Specialized organizations for teachers of individuals who are blind or visually impaired dedicate their time and resources to support professionals who work with students and other individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Their missions are to enhance and improve the lives of those who are blind or visually impaired, and they have access to and information about the latest research and practices in education and surrounding issues. These organizations provide opportunities for networking, mentoring, and connectivity that can strengthen and support goals to advocate for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Objective 0012 
Understand the professional roles and responsibilities of teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired.

20. A teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired is facilitating an Individualized Education Program (I E P) team meeting to conduct an annual review of a middle school student who is blind or visually impaired. The following dialogue is an excerpt of their discussion about orientation and mobility services.

Student's parent/guardian: Our child should be receiving orientation and mobility training in the community. He needs to practice his skills away from school. He won't be ready to get a job in high school if he doesn't have this opportunity.

Administrator: I understand your concerns, but there are significant liability problems if your child receives instruction off campus.

Orientation and Mobility Specialist: At this time, I can't provide your child with more time than I already am working with him.

At this point of the meeting, it would be most beneficial for the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired to refocus the team on which of the following topics?

  1. the orientation and mobility specialist's scheduling conflicts
  2. possible career-training options for the student
  3. the student's potential need for increased services
  4. legal issues raised by the administrator
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
When facilitating an Individualized Education Program (I E P) team meeting, it is of the utmost importance for the facilitator (in this situation, the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired) to keep the student and the student's needs at the center of the conversation. It can be difficult to balance all of the components of creating an I E P that supports the student's needs and also takes into consideration the time constraints of professionals who work with the student and the specialized requests of all stakeholders involved, including parents/guardians. To best facilitate these meetings, the teacher must give each participant a chance to voice their opinions and needs, and then come to a consensus within the group about how best to balance these opinions and needs with what is legally, ethically, and academically most appropriate for the student.