Accommodations

and Modifications
What Teachers Need
to Know
 What is the difference?
Accommodations
• For general education and students
with exceptional disabilities
• Students follow the ACOS on grade
level
• Students are assessed on the same
material as the rest of the
students.
• Accommodations are an
Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)
decision.
Good teaching interventions and
strategies!
 Modifications
 For students with significant disabilities within
the general education classroom
 Students follow off-grade level ACOS.
Students use same/similar materials as the
rest of the students to meet Individual
Education Plan (IEP) objectives or other
alternate learning outcomes.
 Getting Started
Simply stated, accommodations, are
changes to the way a student is
expected to learn or how he or she is
tested.
Modifications are changes to what the
student is expected to learn.
 What are accommodations and
modifications?
 Accommodations and modifications are an important part of
planning the educational program for students.
 Many students with disabilities may only need small changes to the
way they are taught and tested.
 Accommodations involve many kinds of techniques and support
systems.
 Examples: students who are blind may need braille textbooks or
books-on-tape
 Students in wheelchairs may need a ramp , elevator or special
desk
Accommodations are “whatever it takes” so a student with disabilities
can have access to the general education and earn a regular
diploma.
 Whatever It Takes!
 Instructional methods and material
 Assignments and assessments
 Learning environment
 Time demands and scheduling
 Special communication systems
 Accommodations are made to the WAY
students learn and HOW they are tested.
 Whatever it Takes!
 Modifications are changes made to
WHAT students are expected to learn

 Not all students with a disability are able

to meet all requirements of the regular
school program. Some students may
not be able to work on grade level or
pass the required courses for
graduation. Some students may need a
different curriculum to meet their priority
educational needs.
 The IEP Team decides if curriculum
modifications are needed for a student with
disabilities. Modifications may include:
 Completion of part of the program or some
course requirements
 Curriculum expectations below grade level
 Alternate curriculum goals
 Alternate assessments
 More about
Accommodations
 To decide which accommodation the student needs, think
first about the learning problems the student has. The
Special Education Teacher is the person to ask these
questions to, this is a collaborative process.
 Assistive technology encompasses a wide range of tools
and techniques. Some low-tech tools are pencil grips,
study guides, or highlighted materials. High tech tools
include calculators, talking calculators, some students
may need access to basic word processing technology
such as classroom computers and/or computer labs.
 Suggestions for Accommodations
for Reading
 Learning problem-difficulty finding
the main ideas or knowing what is
important to remember
Examples:
 highlight important ideas and tell
students to read first
 Provide a study guide
 Allow the use of a book written at
a lower grade level
 Provide tape-recorded version of
the material
Reading Accommodations
 Learning problem- Students can understand
information when they listen, but cannot
read material required for class
assignments. Example:
 Provide tape-recorded version of the
material
 Use a videotape or movie that presents the
same information
 Have a learning buddy read aloud textbooks
or printed material
 Provide books-on-tape
 Accommodations for
Lectures and Discussions
 Learning Problem-Students have
difficulty understanding what they
are suppose to learn.
Examples:
 Use visual overheads,
PowerPoint's
 Provide an overview of the content
at the beginning of the lesson
 Give summary sheets of important
information with a list of questions
to be answered
Discussion Accommodations
 Learning problem-Students have trouble following
the ideas during the discussion.
 Keep student involved by encouraging them to ask
questions or by breaking up into small group
activities
 Identify the main steps or key components
 Give student copies/outline of the Teacher’s
lesson/discussion notes
 Provide help for note taking
 Use visuals as much as possible
 Math Accommodations
 Learning problem-students have difficulty
understanding math concepts and solving
problems
Examples:
 Let student use concrete materials and objects
to learn about math
 Color-code or highlight key words in math
problem
 Let student use a calculator or chart for basic
facts for computation
 Math Accommodations
 Learning problem-Student has difficulty solving math
word problems
 Make sure the student’s inability to read is not the
cause of his/her difficulty
 Provide word problems that require a one-step
process
 Teach the student to look for “clue” or “key” words in
a word problem
 Have student restate math word problems in their
own words.
 Writing Accommodations
 Learning problem- student has difficulty
with fine motor control and handwriting
 Let student write directly in the workbook
or on a copy of the workbook page
 Let student use word processor
 Let student dictate their work to a
classmate
 Let student use adapted devices: pencil
grips or special pens, erasable pens,
special paper with raised lines, or color
coded lines
 Following Instructions
Accommodations
 Learning problem-students have trouble
remembering what to do
 Have student say directions in their own words
 Teach students how to use an assignment notebook
or personal planner to keep track of assisignments
and tests
 Give step-by-step instructions. Outline the steps in
writing or use pictures
 Complete sample problems
 Use diagrams
 Organization
Accommodations
 Learning problem-students are confused by
complex instructions and materials
 Use color-coding to help students identify
different task or materials
 Use uncluttered tests and worksheets.
Arrange problems or work so that it is easy to
know where to start and how to proceed
Organization Accommodations
 Learning problem-student has difficulty keeping their
material and belongings organized
 Let student use a special folder or binder to keep
material organized
 Use dividers or folders to keep subjects organized
and use a different color for each unit or subject
 Give students a checklist of materials needed for
each class. The checklist can be kept in the locker or
binder
 Remember if it is written in the IEP it better be
implemented!
 More about Modifications
 Modifications to the expectations of the curriculum
may be necessary if the student can’t work on grade
level. Curriculum modifications should only be
considered by the IEP Team only after documented
attempts of accommodations have been exhausted.
 When thinking about modifications, the IEP Team
must consider LONG-RANGE IMPACTS of lowering
the expectations. This decision will affect diploma
options. Requirements for a standard diploma
includes passing a set of regular courses with a “C”
average and passing graduation exams.
 Alternate Curriculum Goals
 For some students the IEP Team may decide the
student’s priority educational needs are different
from the general curriculum and due to significant
cognitive disability may require an alternate
curriculum. In the state of Alabama this would be the
Extended Standards Curriculum. The state
assessment for the Extended Standards is the
Alabama Alternate Assessment.
 This is an IEP Team decision. The ALSDE has
established guidelines to help the IEP Team
determine whether or not the student should
participate in the state or district assessments.
 IEP Team Membership
 All members of the IEP Team are
very important!
Team Members:
1. Parents of the student with a disability
2. Not less than one Regular Education
Teacher of the student
3. Not less than one Special Education
Teacher of the student
4. Representative of the public agency
(LEA)
5. Individual who can interpret the
instructional implications of
evaluations results
 IEP Team Membership
6. At the discretion of the parent or agency
other individuals who have knowledge or
expertise regarding the student
7. Whenever appropriate, the student with a
disability
8. Secondary Transition Services
Participants
9. Early Intervention Representatives
***All of the members listed must stay in the
IEP meeting until it is completed!
“TOP TEN” EXCUSES for Violating an
IEP

 “It’s not fair to my other students.”

 “I don’t have time.”
 “He doesn’t want my help.”
 “I didn’t sign on for this.”
 “I don’t get paid enough for this !”
 “The parents are the REAL problem!”
 “TOP TEN”
 He’s just lazy!”
 “No one told me I supposed to do anything.”
 “I’m ready to retire anyway.”
 “I think this is stupid.”
 Important Points
 An IEP is a legally binding contract
 Any failure to provide a service, aide, or
instruction provided in the IEP
constitutes a violation of this contract,
and may lead to liability for the school,
district and/or teacher.
“ There is a 2-year statute of limitation for
IEP’s.”
Melinda Baird, Esq.
Let’s Have a Great Year!
 Resources
 Alabama State Department of Education
www.alsde.edu.us
 University of Florida:
www.myfloridaeducation.com
 Georgia Learning Connections:
www.glc.k12.ga.us/
• Pre-Referral Intervention Manual (PRIM)
• Melinda Baird, Esq.
www.mbairdlaw.com