SPED 5313
WEEK 1 CASE STUDY
| 2026 UPDATE |
Special Education Foundations
& Initial Case Study Analysis
Comprehensive Week 1 Practice Review — 50 Questions
2026|2027 Aligned | With Complete Solutions
April 22, 2026
Prepared for Graduate Special Education Candidates
,SPED 5313 • Week 1 Case Study Review • 2026-2027 Aligned
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1: Foundations of Special Education, Historical Context & Legal Frameworks Q1 – Q10
Section 2: Disability Categories, Eligibility Criteria & Contemporary Definitions Q11 – Q20
Section 3: Equity, Access, UDL & Culturally Responsive Practices Q21 – Q30
Section 4: Foundational Assessment Concepts, Screening & Prereferral Processes Q31 – Q40
Section 5: Case Study Introduction, Data Synthesis & Professional Documentation Q41 – Q50
Answer Key (All 50 Questions)
—1— Comprehensive Practice Review
, SPED 5313 • Week 1 Case Study Review • 2026-2027 Aligned
SECTIO Foundations of Special Education, Historical Context &
N1 Legal Frameworks
Q1: A school administrator suggests delaying an evaluation for a kindergarten student with
suspected speech delays until second grade to see if he "outgrows" the issue. Which foundational
special education principle directly prohibits this practice?
A. Least Restrictive Environment mandate
B. Zero Reject principle
✓ C. Procedural Due Process requirement [CORRECT]
D. Transition Planning mandate
Rationale: The administrator's suggestion to delay evaluation violates IDEA's procedural safeguards requiring timely
evaluation once a disability is suspected. Procedural Due Process ensures families have the right to prompt evaluation and
cannot be subject to arbitrary delays based on educator assumptions about maturation.
Q2: Which legislative act first established the federal mandate for a Free Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE) for children with disabilities?
✓ A. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) [CORRECT]
B. Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EHA)
C. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA)
D. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
Rationale: Section 504 (1973) was the first federal legislation to address the educational rights of individuals with disabilities,
prohibiting discrimination in programs receiving federal funding. While EHA (1975) later established the specific FAPE
mandate for special education, Section 504 laid the foundational precedent establishing that exclusion from educational
programs based on disability constitutes discrimination under federal law.
Q3: A teacher recommends a self-contained placement for a student with autism based on
classroom management convenience. Under IDEA, what must the IEP team demonstrate first?
A. The general education teacher lacks autism-specific training
✓ B. The student cannot achieve meaningful educational progress in general education even
with supplementary aids and services [CORRECT]
C. The parents formally requested a specialized setting in writing
D. The district has budget allocations specifically for segregated classrooms
Rationale: LRE requires that removal from general education only occurs when the disability's nature/severity prevents
satisfactory education despite appropriate supports; convenience, budget, or parental preference alone are insufficient.
Q4: During an IEP meeting, a parent refuses to sign consent for an initial psychoeducational
evaluation. What is the school's legally compliant next step?
A. Proceed with the evaluation using alternative assessment tools
✓ B. Document the refusal and provide Prior Written Notice explaining the denial of services
without evaluation [CORRECT]
C. Place the student on a behavior contract until consent is obtained
D. Request a mediation hearing immediately to override parental refusal
Rationale: Schools cannot proceed with an initial evaluation without parental consent; they must document the refusal, issue
Prior Written Notice, and cannot override consent except through specific due process hearings in limited circumstances.
Q5: A district consistently places English Learners with suspected disabilities in intensive
intervention programs before evaluating them for special education. Which legal requirement is
—2— Comprehensive Practice Review
WEEK 1 CASE STUDY
| 2026 UPDATE |
Special Education Foundations
& Initial Case Study Analysis
Comprehensive Week 1 Practice Review — 50 Questions
2026|2027 Aligned | With Complete Solutions
April 22, 2026
Prepared for Graduate Special Education Candidates
,SPED 5313 • Week 1 Case Study Review • 2026-2027 Aligned
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1: Foundations of Special Education, Historical Context & Legal Frameworks Q1 – Q10
Section 2: Disability Categories, Eligibility Criteria & Contemporary Definitions Q11 – Q20
Section 3: Equity, Access, UDL & Culturally Responsive Practices Q21 – Q30
Section 4: Foundational Assessment Concepts, Screening & Prereferral Processes Q31 – Q40
Section 5: Case Study Introduction, Data Synthesis & Professional Documentation Q41 – Q50
Answer Key (All 50 Questions)
—1— Comprehensive Practice Review
, SPED 5313 • Week 1 Case Study Review • 2026-2027 Aligned
SECTIO Foundations of Special Education, Historical Context &
N1 Legal Frameworks
Q1: A school administrator suggests delaying an evaluation for a kindergarten student with
suspected speech delays until second grade to see if he "outgrows" the issue. Which foundational
special education principle directly prohibits this practice?
A. Least Restrictive Environment mandate
B. Zero Reject principle
✓ C. Procedural Due Process requirement [CORRECT]
D. Transition Planning mandate
Rationale: The administrator's suggestion to delay evaluation violates IDEA's procedural safeguards requiring timely
evaluation once a disability is suspected. Procedural Due Process ensures families have the right to prompt evaluation and
cannot be subject to arbitrary delays based on educator assumptions about maturation.
Q2: Which legislative act first established the federal mandate for a Free Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE) for children with disabilities?
✓ A. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) [CORRECT]
B. Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EHA)
C. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA)
D. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
Rationale: Section 504 (1973) was the first federal legislation to address the educational rights of individuals with disabilities,
prohibiting discrimination in programs receiving federal funding. While EHA (1975) later established the specific FAPE
mandate for special education, Section 504 laid the foundational precedent establishing that exclusion from educational
programs based on disability constitutes discrimination under federal law.
Q3: A teacher recommends a self-contained placement for a student with autism based on
classroom management convenience. Under IDEA, what must the IEP team demonstrate first?
A. The general education teacher lacks autism-specific training
✓ B. The student cannot achieve meaningful educational progress in general education even
with supplementary aids and services [CORRECT]
C. The parents formally requested a specialized setting in writing
D. The district has budget allocations specifically for segregated classrooms
Rationale: LRE requires that removal from general education only occurs when the disability's nature/severity prevents
satisfactory education despite appropriate supports; convenience, budget, or parental preference alone are insufficient.
Q4: During an IEP meeting, a parent refuses to sign consent for an initial psychoeducational
evaluation. What is the school's legally compliant next step?
A. Proceed with the evaluation using alternative assessment tools
✓ B. Document the refusal and provide Prior Written Notice explaining the denial of services
without evaluation [CORRECT]
C. Place the student on a behavior contract until consent is obtained
D. Request a mediation hearing immediately to override parental refusal
Rationale: Schools cannot proceed with an initial evaluation without parental consent; they must document the refusal, issue
Prior Written Notice, and cannot override consent except through specific due process hearings in limited circumstances.
Q5: A district consistently places English Learners with suspected disabilities in intensive
intervention programs before evaluating them for special education. Which legal requirement is
—2— Comprehensive Practice Review
