Study Guide
Early Childhood Special Education
Test Design and Framework
The test design below describes general assessment information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.
Test Design
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) and online-proctored test |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time* | 2 hours |
| Passing Score | 220 |
*Does not include 15-minute tutorial
Test Framework
| Content Domain | Range of Competencies | Approximate Percentage of Test Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. | Understanding Young Children with Disabilities | 0001–0003 | 19% |
| II. | Assessment and Program Planning | 0004–0005 | 13% |
| III. | Promoting Development and Learning | 0006–0013 | 50% |
| IV. | Foundations and Professional Practice | 0014–0016 | 18% |
Domain I–Understanding Young Children with Disabilities
Competency 0001–Understand the significance of disabilities for young children's development.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of typical and atypical human growth and development and the effects of disabilities on young children's physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of developmental similarities and differences between young children with disabilities and their nondisabled peers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how disabilities relating primarily to one domain of development may affect other developmental domains.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting young children's development that are responsive to their needs and build on their strengths.
Competency 0002–Understand the characteristics and needs of young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of types and characteristics of various disabilities (e.g., developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the etiologies of various disabilities, including biological and environmental factors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of common medical conditions that may affect young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effects that disabilities in infants, toddlers, and young children may have on parents'/guardians' concerns, priorities, and resources.
Competency 0003–Understand factors that affect learning in young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes through which young children's learning typically occurs.
- Demonstrate knowledge of learning as an active, constructive process and the importance of play in the learning process.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors that may affect young children's learning, including cultural and linguistic factors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors other than disability that may impede learning (e.g., abuse/neglect, limited opportunities for interaction with same-age peers).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles parents/guardians and communities play in young children's learning.
Domain II–Assessment and Program Planning
Competency 0004–Understand assessment concepts, tools, and procedures used by multidisciplinary teams to evaluate individual differences and make placement and programming decisions for young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the types, characteristics, and uses of informal and formal assessments, including authentic assessments, used with infants, toddlers, and young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the strengths and limitations of different types of assessment tools and how to evaluate the appropriateness of normed assessment tools (e.g., in terms of reliability, validity, and norming).
- Demonstrate knowledge of principles and procedures for screening, pre-referral, school-based systems of intervention (e.g., Multi-Tiered System of Supports [MTSS]), and referral used in the assessment of young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the role of parents/guardians in the assessment process.
- Demonstrate knowledge of components of a comprehensive evaluation to determine eligibility for special education programs and related services.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways to work with the multidisciplinary team to interpret assessment information to make placement and program recommendations for young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways to use and/or create assessments to monitor young children's learning and progress.
- Demonstrate knowledge of assessment-related issues in early childhood special education (e.g., early identification and intervention, unbiased assessment, alternative assessment).
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for effectively communicating results of assessments to all stakeholders (e.g., students, parents/guardians, service providers, general education teachers).
Competency 0005–Understand strategies and procedures for developing, implementing, monitoring, and amending Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) for young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of placement and services available for young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the concept of family-centered practice shapes the development, implementation, and evaluation of IFSPs for infants and toddlers and their families.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of all team members (e.g., parents/guardians, early intervention personnel, general education teacher, special education and related service personnel) and how to promote parents'/guardians' involvement in planning and implementing IEPs and IFSPs.
- Demonstrate knowledge of procedures for gathering and maintaining information, determining appropriate service options, and developing IEPs and IFSPs for young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the components of IEPs and IFSPs and how to write goals, objectives, and outcomes.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies and procedures for evaluating young children's progress with respect to IEP and IFSP goals.
- Demonstrate knowledge of procedures and strategies for promoting successful transitions for young children with disabilities (e.g., transitions between home-based and school-based services, teachers, and programs).
Domain III–Promoting Development and Learning
Competency 0006–Understand how to create a safe, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for providing services to infants and toddlers that promote independent functioning in children's natural environments (e.g., in the home, community child-care facilities, Head Start programs, and school district preschool programs).
- Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and interventions for structuring stimulating indoor and outdoor environments that include activities, materials, media, and technologies that are responsive to individual differences and promote development in all domains.
- Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and interventions for creating a safe, supportive, and positive classroom environment that fosters respect for diversity and positive intracultural and intercultural experiences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways to design and adapt learning environments to promote all children's active participation, engagement, and development of competence, self-regulation, autonomy, motivation, and sense of self-worth.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the concept of universal design for learning (UDL).
- Demonstrate knowledge of routines-based intervention for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of procedures for modifying learning environments in the context of different types of programs (e.g., home based, general preschool, self-contained special education preschool) to address children's diverse physical, social-emotional, cultural, linguistic, and cognitive needs.
Competency 0007–Understand how to use developmentally appropriate individual and group guidance strategies to provide an atmosphere that enhances development and learning in young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors, processes, and issues related to individual and group guidance in learning environments that include young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for managing routines and transitions and for establishing and maintaining developmentally appropriate standards of behavior.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to use a variety of positive strategies that are responsive to the age and development of individual children in order to teach appropriate skills and reduce challenging behavior.
- Demonstrate knowledge of management strategies for creating a productive and cooperative learning environment.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for crisis prevention and intervention.
Competency 0008–Understand how to promote the social-emotional development of young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which disabilities and other factors may affect young children's social-emotional development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of relationship intervention and strategies for helping young children and their parents/guardians develop optimum attachments (e.g., helping parents/guardians understand their infant's unique patterns of interaction and how to respond effectively).
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways to address inappropriate social behaviors and enhance the play skills and social skills of young children with given needs.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways to provide young children with opportunities to interact productively with peers and adults in various settings.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to assess young children's social skills and interpret the results of such assessments.
Competency 0009–Understand how to promote the communication development of young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which disabilities and other factors may affect communication development in infants, toddlers, and young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the stages of communication development from preintentional to linguistic communication and strategies for supporting and enhancing infants', toddlers', and young children's development at each stage.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to work with other multidisciplinary team members to conduct and interpret informal and formal assessments of individual children's communication needs and progress.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to select and adapt methods, resources, and technologies to help given children meet specified goals and promote communicative competence.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for supporting both the home language and English in young children who are English Learners (ELs).
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for providing young children with opportunities for meaningful communication in authentic settings.
- Demonstrate knowledge of augmentative and alternative communication technologies and methods for selecting developmentally appropriate technologies to enhance communication.
Competency 0010–Understand how to promote the development of adaptive skills in young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which disabilities and other factors may affect young children's adaptive development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of informal and formal assessment procedures for evaluating young children's needs and progress in the development of adaptive skills.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the values and expectations of parents/guardians may affect the development of self-help skills in infants, toddlers, and young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to interpret given assessment results.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to use task analysis to develop instruction in adaptive skills.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to select and adapt methods, resources, and technologies to address specified self-help goals and needs.
Competency 0011–Understand how to promote the cognitive development of young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which disabilities and other factors may affect young children's cognitive development (e.g., sensory integration delays, expressive/receptive language delays).
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to work with other multidisciplinary team members to conduct and interpret informal and formal assessments of young children's cognitive skills.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for providing developmentally appropriate experiences and activities to promote young children's cognitive development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to select and adapt methods, resources, and technologies to help young children develop cognitive skills and meet specified cognitive goals.
Competency 0012–Understand how to promote the physical development of young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which disabilities and other factors may affect infants', toddlers', and young children's development of gross-motor skills, fine-motor skills, perceptual skills, and sensory integration.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to work with other multidisciplinary team members to conduct and interpret informal and formal assessments of young children's physical skills.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for providing developmentally appropriate experiences and activities to promote physical development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to select and adapt instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to address individual goals and needs.
Competency 0013–Understand how to promote the development of emergent concepts and skills in various areas of the curriculum in young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for integrating learning opportunities in various curricular areas into daily routines and planned activities for young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting early literacy development in young children with disabilities, including young children who are English Learners (ELs).
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting the development of emergent mathematical concepts and skills in young children with disabilities, including young children who are English Learners (ELs).
- Demonstrate knowledge of various prevention and intervention strategies that are used as part of the tiers of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in support of young children's learning.
Domain IV–Foundations and Professional Practice
Competency 0014–Understand how to establish partnerships with others in the school and community to enhance learning opportunities for young children with disabilities.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of early childhood special education teachers and early intervention providers with regard to partnering with others to meet the developmental and learning needs of young children with disabilities and their parents/guardians.
- Demonstrate knowledge of consultation, collaboration, supervision, and communication skills and strategies for working with early intervention personnel, school staff, support service providers, and parents/guardians to solve problems and promote young children's development and learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of resources (e.g., state and local agencies, Department of Mental Health regional offices, disability-specific organizations) that provide support to the parents/guardians of young children with disabilities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for coordinating learning programs between general education and special education staff to meet the needs of young children with disabilities.
Competency 0015–Understand how to promote strong partnerships with parents/guardians.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to establish partnerships with families of young children with disabilities, including parents/guardians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and parents/guardians of infants, toddlers, and young children who are chronically or terminally ill.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how differing cultural perspectives may influence relationships between parents/guardians or early intervention service providers and how to establish strong partnerships with all parents/guardians.
- Demonstrate knowledge of family systems and how to apply this knowledge to work effectively with all parents/guardians.
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways to communicate effectively with all parents/guardians to develop student-centered partnerships and to recognize and overcome communication barriers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to provide information, support, and referrals to parents/guardians whose children have disabilities (e.g., offering education and training, facilitating contact between parents/guardians whose children have disabilities).
Competency 0016–Understand the history and philosophy of early childhood special education, the regulatory history of special education practice, legal and ethical issues relevant to the education of young children with disabilities, and the professional roles and responsibilities of early childhood special education teachers.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and philosophical foundations of early childhood special education, including models and theories of early childhood special education and how approaches to early childhood special education have changed over time.
- Demonstrate knowledge of federal and state laws and the regulatory history that has provided the basis for special education practice in the United States (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act [IDEA]).
- Demonstrate knowledge of legal issues and ethical principles in early childhood special education (e.g., least restrictive environment; continuum of services; definition and identification of infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities; overrepresentation of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; due process rights; confidentiality).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the professional roles and responsibilities of early childhood special education teachers (e.g., ongoing professional development, membership in professional organizations, training and supervision of paraprofessionals and volunteers, serving as an advocate for infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities and their parents/guardians).