Chapter 13 Learners with Low-Incidence, Multiple, and Severe
Disabilities
13.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) Each of the following statements about severe and multiple disabilities is true
EXCEPT
A) A person with TBI can be expected, with time and care, to recover completely
and function without disabilities.
B) Many people with severe and multiple disabilities can now live independently
or semi-independently.
C) People who cannot speak can still carry on conversations.
D) Many people with severe and multiple disabilities can be employed outside of
sheltered workshops.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC3K1
2) Each of the following statements about severe and multiple disabilities is true
EXCEPT
A) It includes all individuals with disabilities who require extensive ongoing
support in more than one major life activity.
B) Nearly any severe disability will involve extensive ongoing support in more
than one major life activity.
C) People with a severe disability in any area typically have more than one
disability.
D) Even combinations of mild disabilities do not constitute severe educational
problems.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
3) All low-incidence, severe, and multiple disabilities combined probably affect what
percentage of the population?
A) about 2%
B) less than 1%
C) about .2%
D) about .1%
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
4) Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common injuries of
A) children over 5 because of falls.
B) males over 30 because of vehicular accidents.
C) the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
D) adults over 20 because of risk-taking.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
5) Each of the following is a feature of definitions of TBI EXCEPT
A) injury to the brain can be caused by a degenerative or congenital condition.
B) injury to the brain is caused by an external force.
C) there is a diminished or altered state of consciousness.
D) neurological or neurobehavioral dysfunction results from the injury.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
6) Brain damage caused by internal compression, stretching, or other shearing motion of
neural tissues within the head is due to
A) open head injuries.
B) external force.
C) closed head injuries.
D) degenerative conditions.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
7) Possible effects of TBI include each of the following EXCEPT
A) problems learning new information.
B) difficulty processing information.
C) sudden improvement in memory.
D) becoming easily tired.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC3K1
8) Which statement about TBI is TRUE?
A) The age range in which TBI is most likely to occur in males is late adulthood.
B) Males are more prone to TBI than females are.
C) The age range in which TBI is most likely to occur in females is early
childhood.
D) Females and males have about the same prevalence rate for TBI, with it most
likely occurring in late adolescence.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
9) The prevalence of TBI has increased so much in recent years that it is now sometimes
referred to as
A) a silent epidemic.
B) an invisible epidemic.
C) a preventable epidemic.
D) a pervasive epidemic.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
10) Carl was three years old when he acquired TBI. Which of the following was the most
likely cause of his brain injury?
A) He was accidentally shot by a playmate when showing off his father’s gun.
B) He was violently shaken by a babysitter.
C) He was in a car that was hit by another car.
D) He fell off a counter in his home.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
11) After age 5, and increasingly through adolescence, the primary cause of TBI is
A) assaults.
B) accidental falls.
C) vehicular accidents.
D) gunshot wounds.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
12) Each of the following characteristics is an essential feature of appropriate education
for students with TBI EXCEPT
A) emphasis on catching up to academic content, rather than spending time trying
to develop basic cognitive skills.
B) assistance with transition from a hospital or rehabilitation center to the school.
C) educational procedures to help solve problems in focusing and sustaining
attention for long periods.
D) an IEP concerned with cognitive, social/behavioral, and sensory-motor
domains.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
13) Many teachers don’t want students with TBI in their classrooms, probably because
A) the students may exhibit characteristics the teachers find troublesome.
B) there are no support services available to students with TBI in the regular
classroom.
C) they do not want the other students exposed to the trauma of having a student
with TBI in the room.
D) there are no effective strategies for behavior management of students with
TBI.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
14) The greatest complicating factor in most students’ return to school following TBI is
A) social skills.
B) physical appearance.
C) physical strength.
D) language or speech disorders.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K2
15) Each of the following is true about TBI EXCEPT
A) brain injury may be accompanied by a variety of serious social and emotional
effects.
B) behavior management strategies used with students who have emotional or
behavioral disorders are not appropriate for use with students who have TBI.
C) emotional and behavioral effects of TBI are determined by physical damage,
age at the time of injury, and the social environment before and after the
injury.
D) language or speech disorders may be the greatest complicating factor in most
students’ return to school after TBI.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K2
16) Effective education and treatment for students with TBI often requires each of the
following EXCEPT
A) Avoid trying to develop a personal relationship.
B) Practice classroom behavior management techniques.
C) Engage in family therapy.
D) Arrange communication training.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
17) Each of the following statements about the outcomes for individuals with deaf-
blindness is true EXCEPT
A) All interactions with adults and the environment should be viewed as learning
opportunities.
B) The quality and intensity of instruction the person receives is critical
C) The more severe the impairments, the greater the impact on a person’s ability
to adapt.
D) Additional disabilities do not tend to increase the impact on a person’s ability
to adapt.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
18) Each of the following is a feature of the federal government’s definition of deaf-
blindness EXCEPT
A) visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye, with correction.
B) hearing impairment so severe that most speech cannot be heard, even with
amplification.
C) problems with vision and hearing that cause extreme difficulty in attaining
independence.
D) hearing impairment of 30 dB or greater in the better ear.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
19) How many children from age 6 to 11 were receiving services for deaf-blindness in
2007 (compared to 32,000 for deafness and 12,000 for blindness)?
A) about 2,000
B) about 1,000
C) fewer than 550
D) only 50
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
20) Each of the following is a category of causes of deaf-blindness EXCEPT
A) prenatal conditions.
B) genetic/chromosomal syndromes.
C) postnatal conditions.
D) perinatal conditions.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
21) A syndrome that causes deaf-blindness and is characterized by a combination of
physical anomalies including cranial nerve damage, heart defects, blockage of the air
passage from the nose to the throat, and retardation in growth and intellectual
development present at birth is
A) Usher syndrome.
B) Down syndrome.
C) Asperger syndrome.
D) CHARGE syndrome.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
22) A condition in which a child is born with an abnormally shaped pupil and/or
abnormalities of the retina or optic nerve is
A) atresia.
B) choanae.
C) coloboma.
D) retinitis pigmentosa.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
23) The absence or closure of a body opening present at birth is
A) atresia.
B) coloboma.
C) choanae.
D) occlusion.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
24) Each of the following is a symptom of CHARGE syndrome EXCEPT
A) abnormally shaped pupils.
B) tunnel vision.
C) paralysis or weakness of facial nerves.
D) heart defects.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
25) An inherited syndrome of deaf-blindness characterized by hearing loss and retinitis
pigmentosa is
A) Usher syndrome.
B) Asperger syndrome.
C) Down syndrome.
D) CHARGE syndrome.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
26) The fact that Usher syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder means that
A) both parents must carry the gene and there is a 50% chance of the child having
the syndrome.
B) one parent can carry the gene and there is a 25% chance of the child having the
syndrome.
C) both parents must carry the gene and there is a 25% chance of the child having
the syndrome
D) one parent can carry the gene and there is a 50% chance of the child having the
syndrome.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
27) Which condition is associated with tunnel vision?
A) Down syndrome
B) Usher syndrome
C) CHARGE syndrome
D) Asperger syndrome
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
28) Each of the following has been shown to sometimes cause deaf-blindness EXCEPT
A) rubella.
B) congenital cytomegalovirus.
C) meningitis.
D) childhood mumps.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
29) Most authorities agree that the biggest obstacle faced by persons with deaf-blindness
is A) self-help skills.
B) accessing information.
C) navigating the environment.
D) communication.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K2
30) The first person who was deaf-blind who was known to be taught language was
A) Helen Keller.
B) Samuel Howe.
C) Laura Bridgman.
D) Annie Sullivan.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
31) In addressing the needs of students with deaf-blindness, two principles that
practitioners and parents should keep in mind are
A) incidental learning and structured routines.
B) direct instruction and structured routines.
C) direct instruction and variable routines.
D) indirect instruction and structured routines.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC5K2
32) Each of the following is an objective to help meet the needs of infants who are deaf-
blind EXCEPT
A) identify predictable sequences within specific activities.
B) identify and use specific auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, and kinesthetic
cues to help the infant anticipate familiar activities.
C) avoid using subroutines within specific activities as this leads to confusion.
D) create a predictable routine by identifying at least five daily activities that can
be scheduled in the same sequence each day.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
33) Tactual signals that can convey a number of messages depending on the situation and
context are
A) hand-under-hand guidance.
B) touch cues.
C) adapted signs.
D) tactual signs.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
34) An adaptation that may be used by a person who is deaf-blind to communicate with
the public is
A) assistance cards.
B) pictorial cards.
C) the long cane.
D) tape-recorded messages.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
35) Most authorities agree that a student with Usher syndrome should
A) begin using braille and O & M training as soon as all sight is gone.
B) begin using braille while sighted, but wait for O & M training until all sight is
gone.
C) begin braille and O & M training while functioning as a seeing person.
D) begin O & M training while sighted, but wait until sight is gone to begin
braille.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
36) Any manual or electronic means by which a person who is unable to communicate
through normal speech can express wants and needs, share information, engage in
social closeness, or manage social etiquette is
A) facilitated communication.
B) augmentative or alternative communication.
C) manual communication.
D) applied functional communication.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6K4
37) Manual signs that closely resemble the object or action they represent (i.e., gesturing
throwing a ball for “throw”) are
A) symbolic.
B) transparent.
C) iconic.
D) self-evident.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6K4
38) Manual signs that easily convey their meaning (i.e., cradling one’s arms while gently
rocking back and forth to represent “baby”) are
A) symbolic.
B) self-evident.
C) iconic.
D) transparent.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6K4
39) Each of the following is a challenge particular to users of augmentative or alternative
communication (AAC) not faced by natural communicators EXCEPT
A) There are no systems that allow for expression of complex, abstract thoughts.
B) AAC is much slower.
C) Users of AAC who are not literate must rely on a vocabulary and symbols
selected by others.
D) AAC must be constructed to be useful in a variety of social contexts, allow
efficient communication without undue fatigue, and support learning of
language and academic skills.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6K4
40) Any repetitive, stereotyped behavior that seems to have no immediately apparent
purpose is
A) self-mutilation.
B) self-injury.
C) self-stimulation.
D) tantrums.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
41) Each of the following statements about self-stimulation is true EXCEPT
A) The type of self-stimulation among those with disabilities is what
differentiates it from the norm.
B) It may take a wide variety of forms.
C) Nearly everyone engages in some form of self-stimulation.
D) Only the high rate, lack of subtlety, and social inappropriateness of disabling
self-stimulation differentiates it from the norm.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
42) Repeated physical self-abuse, such as biting, scratching, or poking oneself, head
banging, and so on is called
A) self-torture.
B) self-injurious behavior.
C) self-abuse.
D) self-stimulation.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
43) Madeline’s mother told her to pick up her stuffed bear and put it away. Madeline
threw herself to the ground and began kicking and screaming. Madeline’s mom put
the bear away herself, telling Madeline, “O.K, O.K., calm down.” Madeline quickly
ended her tantrum and returned to playing. Which statement is true?
A) The mother’s behavior makes future tantrums less likely.
B) The mother’s behavior reinforced the tantrum behavior.
C) The mother imposed an unreasonable demand on her child.
D) People with multiple severe disabilities should not be expected to do chores.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC5S10
44) The process of finding out why or under what circumstances problem behavior is
exhibited is called
A) positive behavioral support.
B) functional behavioral assessment.
C) functional behavioral analysis.
D) positive behavior management.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC7S4
45) The process of identifying alternative, acceptable ways to communicate through
teaching more appropriate behaviors and/or changing the environment to reduce the
likelihood of prompting the undesirable behavior is
A) positive behavioral support.
B) functional behavioral assessment.
C) functional behavior analysis.
D) positive behavior management.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC5S10
46) Which of the following is a fundamental assumption of positive behavioral support?
A) Typically, one factor alone is responsible for the presence of specific behavior.
B) Each behavior carries a communicative intent.
C) Some behaviors have no communicative intent.
D) Positive behavioral support is not like to behavior modification.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC5K2
47) Each of the following is considered a criterion essential for early intervention
programs in special education EXCEPT
A) research-or value-based practices.
B) family-centered practices.
C) disregard for the principle of normalization.
D) chronologically age-appropriate practices.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
48) Michelle is an early intervention specialist who works with families who have
children with severe disabilities. Although they are not proven to be effective by
research, she knows that she needs to provide individualized practices for each
family, communicate with family members in a non-paternalistic manner, and ensure
that any placement she recommends be safe and clean. These are examples of
A) multiculturally-based practices.
B) cross-disciplinary collaboration.
C) family-centered practices.
D) value-based practices.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC9S5
49) Each of the following statements about early intervention is true EXCEPT
A) It is best to assume that all parents need to be educated about how to be better
parents to avoid overlooking a likely problem.
B) Someone in the program, or immediately available, should speak the family’s
preferred language.
C) Professionals in related disciplines should work collaboratively, not
independently.
D) Developmentally appropriate practices should be balanced with practices that
are also chronologically age appropriate.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
50) Each of the following is an example of vocational training that would likely occur in
elementary school EXCEPT
A) learning to keep a schedule.
B) student volunteering at different jobs.
C) performing work-like tasks.
D) building social skills.
Praxis: III.D.
CEC: CC3K2
13.2 True/False Questions
1) People with a severe disability in any area often have more than one disability.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
2) The effects of TBI are always severe and permanent.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
3) Before age 5, the main cause of TBI is vehicular accidents.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
4) Many of the behavior management or modification strategies used with students with
E/BD are not effective with students with TBI.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC5K2
5) The term deaf-blindness includes those with a combination of low vision and mild
hearing impairments.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
6) The major symptoms of Usher syndrome are hearing loss, vision loss, and mental
retardation.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
7) Most authorities agree that the biggest obstacle faced by people with deaf-blindness is
accessing information.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC3K1
8) The need for AAC has been decreasing as more people with severe disabilities are
being taught to use natural language.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6K4
9) Teachers and others who work with individuals who have tantrums know they
frequently need to withdraw demands for performance, even when the demands are
reasonable.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC5K2
10) The best place to teach domestic skills is not always the student’s home.
Praxis: III.D.
CEC: CC4S4
13.3 Short Answer Questions
1) Write a case description of an individual with traumatic brain injury (TBI) that
illustrates (by example) four possible effects of TBI.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC3K1
2) Explain why traumatic brain injury (TBI) is sometimes considered “invisible” and a
“silent epidemic.”
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K3
3) Describe two major problems that students with TBI experience with reentry to school
after their trauma.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC2K2
4) Write a description of what you think life might have been like for Helen Keller and
Laura Bridgman if they had not had the intensive and extensive instruction they
received from Annie Sullivan and Samuel Gridley Howe, respectively.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC7K1
5) Explain why hand-under-hand guidance is often recommended as an alternative to
hand-over-hand guidance.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6S1
6) Why should students with Usher syndrome receive intensive and extensive instruction
in Braille and orientation and mobility even when they are still able to see?
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC4S5
7) Describe augmentative and alternative communication systems. What problems are
associated with AAC? What are the benefits of AAC?
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC6K4
8) Write a case description involving a teacher and a young student with a severe
disability who exhibits repeated tantrums (describe one tantrum event). In so doing,
describe what the tantrum consists of, why the student has a tantrum, and what the
teacher’s reaction to the tantrum should be.
Praxis: III.F.
CEC: CC5K2
9) Describe four ways that teachers of students with multiple and severe disabilities can
collaborate with others to provide services.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC10K1
10) Why should “early intervention” be seen as having two meanings: (1) early in the
child’s life and (2) as soon as possible after the disability is detected?
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
Chapter 13 Learners with Low-Incidence, Multiple, and Severe
Disabilities
13.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
13.2 True/False Questions
13.3 Short Answer Questions
