FACULTY OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITY STUDIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

B.SC. (HONS) SPECIAL EDUCATION

B.SC. (HONS) PSYCHOLOGY

SPED101: INTRODUCTION TO DISABILITY AND SPECIAL NEEDS

EDUCATION

November/December 2013

Time: 3 Hours

INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION A: Answer ALL questions in the booklet provided.

SECTION B: Answer ALL questions in the booklet provided.

SECTION C: Answer any TWO (2) questions on the examination answer

booklet provided.

Credit will be given for answers that are clear.

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SECTION A. Multiple Choice (1 mark each). Answer all questions by writing the
letter of the most suitable answer only.

1. When does a special educational need exist?

a. When any disability affects learning
b. When able bodies are contaminated by those with disability
c. When society rejects people with physical disabilities
d. When the person with disabilities is identified

2. __ are only rough approximations of characteristics used to describe, identify and

distinguish one person from another
a. Stigma
b. Label
c. Impairment
d. Special needs education

3. The following is characterised by bodily impairments that interfere with an individual’s

mobility, coordination, communication, learning and personal adjustment
a. Deafness
b. Partial sightedness
c. Intellectual disabilities
d. Physical disabilities

4. Which of the following persons cannot understand speech through the ear?
a. Persons with visual impairment
b. Persons with deafness
c. Hard of hearing persons
d. Persons with communication disorders

5. __ has a total loss of vision

a. Persons with blindness
b. Persons with visual impairment
c. Persons with physical disabilities
d. Persons with partial sightedness

6. Which concept is a key criterion in cognitive disabilities?

a. Communication
b. Toilet training
c. Adaptive behaviour
d. Academic performance

7. __ show difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, writing, reasoning
or mathematical skills
a. Communication disorders
b. Learning disabilities
c. Intellectual disabilities
d. Multiple disabilities

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8. Why is it difficult to determine the true prevalence of hearing impairment?
a. Because of lack of specialist teachers
b. Because of difficulties in accurate early identification
c. Because of myths attached to hearing impairment
d. Because of brain drain in a country

9. Hearing loss is measured in __

a. Decibels
b. Milligrams
c. Severity
d. Intensity

10. Which are the two main types of interventions for children with hearing impairment?
a. Educational and rehabilitation
b. Medical and assistive devices
c. Educational and special classes
d. Educational and medical

11. The world for persons with visual impairment is one of the following except __
a. Vision
b. Sounds
c. Smell
d. Textures

12. The following may enhance language development among children with visual
impairment
a. Interaction with people and the environment
b. Body language
c. Daily living skills
d. Medical intervention

13. The most widely accepted adaptive behaviour skills are those related to __
a. Toileting
b. Feeding
c. Functional independence
d. Maintenance of minimal level of health and safety

14. __ is an infection found in raw meat and faecal material, thus causes mental
retardation
a. Toxoplasmosis
b. Encephalitis
c. Rubella
d. Neurofibromatosis

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15. Students with __ do not acquire academic skills at grade expectancy or at a normal
rate and will lag in some academic areas
a. Mental retardation
b. Cognitive impairment
c. Hearing impairment
d. Learning disabilities

16. The following increase the risk of serious problems at birth including intellectual
disabilities
a. Stigmatisation
b. Prematurity and low birth weight
c. Parents antisocial behaviour
d. Parents’ disability

17. The following are causes of learning disabilities except __

a. Minimal brain dysfunction
b. Genetic factors
c. Biochemical disturbances
d. Giftedness

18. Which of the following is not a speech disorder?

a. Omissions
b. Phonology disorder
c. Voice disorder
d. Articulation

19. __ range from disruptive and cantackerous outbursts to severe withdrawal

a. Mental retardation
b. Hearing impairment
c. Behaviour disorders
d. Cerebral palsy

20. Which of the following term describes high achieving students?

a. Gifted
b. Creativity
c. Precocious
d. Talent

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SECTION B. Short Paragraph Questions. Answer ALL questions. Each answer
must be at most half a page long. [40 marks]

1. Identify three negative effects of labels. [6]

2. Differentiate deafness and hard of hearing. [4]

3. State 3 constitutions of the visual system. [6]

4. What are three major causes of hearing impairment? [6]

5. What is the difference between learning disability and intellectual disability?

[6]

6. Differentiate mental retardation from mental illness. [6]

7. State three educational strategies for gifted students. [6]

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SECTION C. Answer any two (2) questions. [20 Marks each]. Each answer should
be at least two pages long.

1. Assess the intervention programmes for children with multiple disabilities in

Zimbabwe. [20]

2. Describe any four major categories of disabilities and show how cross category
classification works across these disabilities. [20]

3. Identify the major causes of hearing impairment in Zimbabwe and state possible
prevention strategies. [20]

END OF PAPER

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