Accommodations & Modifications

1997 Amendment to IDEA

The reauthorization of this federal law emphasized the disabled student’s involvement and progress in the general curriculum including addressing the unique needs that arise out of the student’s disability

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

This is a federal civic rights act that protects qualified individuals from being discriminated against on the basis of their disability

Evaluation data

What is section 504 of the rehabilitation act based on?

To level the playing field amongst children with disabilities and their non-disabled peers and ensure that barriers are removed

Why are accommodations provided?

• Curricular

• Extracurricular

• Navigate the hallway

• Play on the playground

By leveling the playing field, what are some areas that students with disabilities will be able to participate in?

Maximum extent possible

This is when you look at various options, supplementary aids, services, which include accommodations and modifications, to determine if the student has the ability to make progress within the curriculum and have access to the general education setting

Least Restrictive Environment

Students with disabilities have been given the right to be educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent possible

True

T or F: While we may want the child to be in the regular education classroom, the least restrictive environment would be outside of that classroom and possible be free of distractions and more intensive instruction

True

T or F: There is a continuum of the least restrictive environment

False

T or F: We can automatically or unilaterally place all children with disabilities in a pull-out setting based on the least restrictive environment mandate

Supplementary Aids and Services

Aids, services (consultation) and other supports are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to enable students with disabilities to be taught with non-disabled peers

True

T or F: We want to educate the individual in a setting that isn’t restrictive or apart from everyone else

Special Education

What is specially designed instruction also called?

Specially Designed Instruction

Addresses the unique needs of the student by adapting the content, methodology, and / or the delivery of instruction

Access to the general curriculum to meet educational standards

By utilizing specially designed instruction, this ensures WHAT?

False

T or F: We often see supplementary aids and services provided separate from the delivery of specially designed instruction

Ensure that the child is being educated as much as possible within the regular education setting with non-disabled peers

What is the ultimate goal when utilizing specially designed instruction?

• Classroom assignments

• Instructional methodology

• Homework assignments

• State and district wide assessment programs

• Goals and objectives

• School environment

• Specially designed instruction

What are some areas that accommodations and modifications can be reflected in?

Classroom assignment modification

The child is required to do a limited amount of work on the assignment. For example, rather than doing all the questions on a worksheet, they only need to focus on the odd ones

Instructional methodology

Instead of the teacher lecturing orally, the teacher can lecture and provide notes

Homework assignments accommodations / modifications

The child could have assistance with organization and this organizational system can be checked by someone in the school

Goals & objectives accommodations / modifications

While goals and objectives are targeted, accommodations and modifications are used. The child is getting direct services while the child is also benefitting from some sort of accommodation

School environment accommodation / modifications While goals

• Use of a ramp

• Use of a button to open doors automatically

• Child could leave early if they have a motor impairment to navigate the hallway

Child’s goals and objectives

Specially designed instruction can be enhanced to work towards WHAT?

Accommodations

Changes the way a child learns the material. In other words, there are changes to how the child is learning, the expectations, environment, etc.

Modifications

Change what a student is expected to learn

• Changes made in the WAY teachers teach the content standards

• Allows the student to participate fully in the content standards

• Changes in the WAY the materials are presented

• Changes in the WAY students respond to the materials

• Changes in the setting, timing, and scheduling

What are some examples of accommodations?

• Student gets preferential seating

• Student is moved away from distracting noise

What are some examples of accommodations in the setting of a classroom?

• Can pre-teach the information or the main lesson

• Teacher can speak slower

• Child can get more “wait” time to process the information and respond

What are some examples of accommodations in the timing?

• Things that require more cognitive load can be done in the morning when the child is fresh

• Can do more motor based activities in the afternoon if the child is tired from sitting

• Can work with the child’s schedule to maximize attention to motor fatigue

What are some examples of accommodations in scheduling?

• Instructional Methods and Materials

• Assignments

• Assessments

• Physical Learning Environments

• Time Demands

• Scheduling

• Special Communication Systems

Accommodations can be provided for…

• Kinds of techniques

• Kinds of strategies

• Kinds of support systems

• Ways for the student to work AROUND limitations related to their disability

Accommodations involve many…

Making things more multi-sensory

What is a technique that accommodations may involve?

• Providing visual supports in addition to lecture

• Providing pre-teaching before the main lecture

What are some strategies that accommodations may involve?

• Organizational supports to organize homework

• Maps so child can navigate things

• Visual schedule

What are some visual schedules that accommodations may involve?

True

T or F: Accommodations are used with the same expectations that the child with a disability has compared to those with no disability. However, it is the way the child does it

• Enables the student to demonstrate his / her knowledge more effectively

• Enables the student to demonstrate his / her skills more effectively

• Reduces the effects of the disability and removes that barrier

What are some reasons that accommodations are used?

False

T or F: By making modifications, children will be able to acquire later developing skills, such as comparing and contrasting, if they haven’t learned topics like same or different

• Partial completion of program requirements

• Partial completion of course requirements

• Teaching less material

• Curriculum expectations are below age nad grade level

• Using alternative assessments

• Alternate curricular goals

What are some areas where modifications are made?

• Allow the student to advance appropriately toward attaining annual goals rather than keeping the child stagnant

• Allow the student to be involved and to make progress in the general curriculum

• Allow the student to be educated and participated with other children who are non-disabled

• Establish high expectations for academic performance for the student

What are some reasons that modifications are used?

• Terms are not interchangeable

• Not every students needs them

• Not the same for every student

• Not the same year after year

What are some misconceptions about accommodations and modifications?

• Data from the interventions

• Parent input

• Teacher recommendation

• Physical conditions of the school

• Variety of assessment tools and strategies

How are accommodations and modifications determined?

Assessment Accommodations

Accommodations are determined by IEP and 504 plans that the student requires daily and are permitted in standardized environments

• Changes in the procedures (timing, scheduling, ways items are presented, way the child responds)

• Changes in the materials (e.g., test is enlarged)

• Changes in setting (small group or distraction free)

What are some district and state assessment accommodations?

The construct of content being tested

While we want to allow students to have access to the test, what do we not want to change?

• Is it feasible to ask the teachers to do this?

• What strategies can be used to motivate the students to continue to use these accommodations and modifications over time?

• Are we working towards independence?

• Are we working to fade out and eliminate unnecessary accommodations or modifications?

• How will we communicate the purpose of these accommodations and modifications to the students, parents, teachers, etc.?

• How do we fit these with goals and objectives?

• Will these distract from the learning of other students in the class?

• Are we evaluating the effectiveness of these on an ongoing basis?

• How and when can we implement these accommodations and modifications so they don’t put the student in an unfavorable light?

What are some questions to ask before selecting accommodations and modifications?