Study Guide
Overview and Test Objectives
Field 128: Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Test Overview
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time | 2 hours 30 minutes* |
| Passing Score | 220 |
*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial
Test Objectives
| Subarea | Range of Objectives | Approximate Percentage of Questions on Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | 001–002 | 20% |
| 2 | Assessing Students, Developing Individualized Programs, and Building Collaborative Partnerships | 003–006 | 20% |
| 3 | Developing and Promoting Language and Communication | 007–008 | 30% |
| 4 | Promoting Student Learning and Independence | 009–012 | 30% |
Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.
Sub area 1 20%, Sub area 2 20%, Sub area 3 30%, and Sub area 4 30%.
Subarea 1—UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
Objective 001—Apply knowledge of the auditory system and identify factors affecting the development of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- unique needs and implications of hearing status on language acquisition, auditory skill development, and learning
- understanding the terminology used to describe hearing levels: degree (e.g., mild to profound), configuration (e.g., unilateral, bilateral, shape), type (e.g., conductive, sensorineural, and mixed), and longevity (e.g., permanent, progressive, fluctuating)
- etiologies that can result in additional sensory, motor, and/or learning differences in students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- key terminology to identify the structures and key functions of the auditory system, including terminology and characteristics of the peripheral auditory system and the central auditory system
- interrelationships between the age of onset, age of identification, type and etiology, level of residual hearing, auditory development, age of amplification and/or signed language, and provision of services and the effect they have on the development of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including awareness that not all students use amplification
- implications of additional disabilities on the development of communication, learning, and social-emotional development for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
Objective 002—Apply knowledge of the historical, legal, and ethical foundations of education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- current theory and models of practice for the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including how first and/or multiple languages develop in both students who are hearing and students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- key models and theories of spoken and signed languages (e.g., total communication, oral/aural, listening and spoken language, American Sign Language [A S L]/English Bilingual Education)
- historical and philosophical foundations of deaf education
- contemporary issues and evidence-based practices in deaf education (e.g., advances in technology, early identification and intervention, modes of communication, and provisions of services for students with multiple disabilities)
- sociocultural considerations unique to Deaf culture and the field of education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- policies and practices within the Michigan Code of Educational Ethics and of the Council for Exceptional Children (C E C) Code of Ethics, including those related to mandated reporting and confidentiality
- regulations, rules, and guidelines relevant to the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (e.g., procedural safeguards, due process rights of parents/guardians and students, free appropriate public education [F A P E], least restrictive environment [L R E], Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education [M A R S E])
Subarea 2—ASSESSING STUDENTS, DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAMS, AND BUILDING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Objective 003—Apply knowledge of various assessment instruments and assessment practices for evaluating the strengths and needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- basic assessment terminology, including concepts associated with formal, informal, and alternative assessments (e.g., validity, reliability, diagnostic screenings, formative and summative measures, criterion-referenced assessments)
- types and characteristics of formative, summative, and diagnostic assessments of auditory skills, visual language skills, and functional skills
- processes for creating, selecting, and evaluating assessment instruments and assessment methods, including the impact of hearing status on test score validity and procedures to ensure the use of culturally responsive (nonbiased) formal and informal assessment practice
- methods for collecting and analyzing a range of spoken, signed, written, or other language and communication samples from students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- key terminology associated with audiological evaluations, audiograms, and other diagnostic hearing assessments for use in determining educational programming (e.g., bone conduction threshold, mean length of utterance, pre- and post-lingually deafened, pure tone audiometry, functional listening evaluation)
- uses and limitations of various types of assessment instruments and assessment methods, including procedures to ensure the use of culturally responsive, nonbiased, formal, and informal assessment practices for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- principles and procedures for modifying and adapting assessments (e.g., formal and informal assessments) to accommodate individual abilities and needs, including those of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and the implications of modifications or adaptions to the validity and reliability of assessment results
Objective 004—Apply knowledge of procedures for conducting assessments and for interpreting and communicating the results of assessments to address the individual strengths and needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- collect and analyze a range of spoken, signed, written, or other language communication samples
- interpret the results of an audiological evaluation, including unaided/aided test results
- methods for administrating assessments including using the preferred language and communication mode of the student who is deaf or hard of hearing, identifying and developing informal assessments that allow for alternative forms of reception and/or expression, recommending appropriate accommodations and modifications, and collaborating with educational team members
- collect and interpret information from formal and informal assessments, including the use of multiple measures of assessments, to inform eligibility and placement decisions, determine student goals, and recommend appropriate accommodations and modifications
- practices for using a balanced assessment system (e.g., pre-assessment, formative assessment, summative assessment) to identify students' strengths and needs, including establishing baseline data, developing differentiated instructional plans, and adjusting instruction using progress monitoring
- strategies for effectively communicating assessment results to stakeholders (e.g., students, parents/guardians, general education teachers, administrators, related service providers), including culturally responsive strategies and appropriate accommodations and modifications
Objective 005—Apply knowledge of the procedures for developing, implementing, and amending Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), and transition plans for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- components of a comprehensive evaluation used to determine eligibility for special education and related services
- components of Individualized Education Programs (I E Pees) (e.g., Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance [P L A A F P], transition plans, annual goals, benchmarks) and the roles and functions of the I E P team members in planning and implementing I E Pees, transition plans, behavioral intervention plans (B I Pees), and other individualized plans
- components of Individualized Family Service Plans (I F S Pees) (e.g., information about the child's status, family information, measurable outcomes) and the roles and functions of the I F S P team members in planning and implementing the delivery of early intervention services, and developing transition from Part C plans and other individualized plans
- procedures for developing, implementing, and amending I E Pees and I F S Pees in collaboration with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, parents/guardians, general education teachers, administrators, and other related service providers
- instructional, assessment, environmental, and technological modifications and accommodations that support access to all areas of the general education curriculum for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- identifying and supporting all least restrictive environment (L R E) options to facilitate the I E P team decisions and to address the individual communication strengths and needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- procedures for developing and monitoring transition plans through school and postsecondary environments
Objective 006—Apply knowledge of ways to promote and develop collaborative partnerships to support students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- ways to provide students, parents/guardians, and stakeholders with information in an impartial manner to make informed choices regarding amplification, communication modes, assistive technology, educational options, and transition opportunities
- methods and strategies to integrate educational interpreters and/or interveners into the general education classroom and school environment to support student access to instruction and communication
- strategies for collaborating with students, parents/guardians, teachers, outside agencies, and other professionals to develop and implement programs and activities that support students' social, interpersonal, self-advocacy, and self-determination skills and transition planning
- ways to provide and facilitate ongoing opportunities for students who are deaf or hard of hearing for interactions with peers and role models who are deaf or hard of hearing
- considerations and approaches for coordinating and collaborating with teachers, related service providers, educational interpreters, interveners, and support staff to ensure appropriate planning, instruction, and effective two-way communication between students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their hearing peers
Subarea 3—DEVELOPING AND PROMOTING LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
Objective 007—Apply knowledge of principles of language acquisition and communication development for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- approaches for facilitating communicative development consistent with students' preferred language and communication mode
- advocating for equal access to language and communication across all educational settings and environments
- components of nonlinguistic, prelinguistic, and linguistic communication
- methods and key components of language acquisition including early and consistent access to fluent language models
- effects of sensory input (e.g., visual, auditory, tactile) on language development and communication
- key components and features of American Sign Language (A S L)
- methods and key components of Listening and Spoken Language (L S L), including principles and hierarchy of auditory skill development
- key components and features of visual learning and visual modes of communication
- key components and features of tactile learning and tactile modes of communication
- factors that impact visual and/or auditory learning (e.g., differences in quality and quantity of incidental language, early learning experiences, age of amplification, access to fluent language models)
Objective 008—Apply knowledge of ways to facilitate language and communication skills for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- strategies, methods, and activities to develop receptive language skills and create opportunities to practice receptive language skills in the students' preferred language and communication mode
- strategies, methods, and activities to develop expressive communication skills and create opportunities to practice effective spoken, signed, and written communication in the students' preferred language and communication mode
- strategies to promote effective communication in students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including developing students' communicative competence in instructional and non-instructional settings
- instructional practices, strategies, and activities that promote language and literacy across all content areas in the students' preferred language and communication mode
- strategies, methods, and activities to develop and promote visual learning and other forms of visual communication
- strategies, methods, and activities to develop and promote tactile learning and other forms of tactile communication
- strategies, methods, and activities to develop and promote auditory learning
Subarea 4—PROMOTING STUDENT LEARNING AND INDEPENDENCE
Objective 009—Apply knowledge of methods for creating learning environments and experiences that encourage active engagement and access to instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- create and maintain a safe, equitable, and productive learning environment for all students, including establishing and clearly communicating routines, managing transitions, and maintaining high expectations
- facilitate and ensure clear communication and access among all students and adults within the learning environment and classroom
- manage and use environmental adaptations and accommodations, including strategic seating, acoustics, lighting, line of sight, and visual supports
- design a language-rich learning environment that maximizes cognition, language competencies, communication, self-advocacy, and social-emotional development opportunities through multisensory learning
- identify the value of peers and role models who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind on family perceptions, decision making, and student outcomes
- select, adapt, and implement developmentally appropriate classroom management strategies that reflect an understanding and respect for all aspects of cultural and linguistic diversity
Objective 010—Apply knowledge of strategies and methods to individualize instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- strategies and practices for developing individualized programming that is responsive to diverse populations across multiple settings, including consideration of various aspects of hearing status and auditory development to determine and support a student's preferred language and communication mode
- first- and second-language instructional strategies (e.g., A S L and English Bilingual Education) appropriate to student needs and preferred language and communication mode
- methods to teach students who are deaf or hard of hearing the appropriate use of educational interpreters in academic settings and social situations
- strategies and methods for the use of visual and/or tactile tools, organizers, and other specialized materials that enhance access to curriculum, communication and support programming, and instruction across a variety of instructional settings and in the students' preferred language and communication mode
- strategies and activities to promote vocational and career awareness, enhance work-related skills, and support access to employment
- strategies and practices for fostering communication access to facilitate students' active engagement and individual academic success in one-to-one, small-group, and large-group settings and for facilitating students' independence (e.g., direct instruction, modeling, ongoing monitoring of goal progress)
- identify and use local, state, and national resources to support students who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind, their families, and their educational program
Objective 011—Apply knowledge of strategies for promoting the social-emotional competence and independence of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- evidence- and research-based behavior management principles and interventions, including positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and explicit social skills instruction, to effectively address the needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
- evidence- and research-based instructional strategies and methods for teaching social skills, including coping strategies
- strategies and methods to teach and support students' use of developmentally appropriate self-advocacy and self-determination skills
- strategies to provide access to peers who use the same language/communication mode to facilitate understanding and social-emotional development
- strategies, methods, and activities for teaching and developing students' functional communication, self-advocacy, self-determination, self-care, and safety skills to promote personal independence and independent living
- strategies and activities that promote students' knowledge and use of instructional accommodations in their preferred language and communication mode to improve access to instruction, to participate in academic and social activities, and to promote independence across settings
Objective 012—Apply knowledge of principles and methods for preparing, selecting, using, and adapting specialized materials, equipment, and assistive technology to provide access for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes:
- types, components and functions of hearing assistive technology and amplification systems (e.g., F M and D M systems, loop systems)
- strategies for integrating telecommunications (e.g., video and text communication systems) to promote access to instruction, assessment, and social interaction
- manage assistive technology in learning environments across settings and methods for assisting students with routines and responsibilities related to assistive technology use and maintenance
- strategies for planning and implementing instruction in the use of augmentative and alternative communication (A A C) systems, including digital applications, visual alert systems, and captioning
- key terminology of the components and their function of various types of hearing devices (e.g., cochlear implant, acoustic hearing aid, bone conduction hearing aid, tactile aid)
- strategies to support audiological management of listening devices, troubleshooting of equipment, educating families, and providing training for school staff