Instructional Accommodations vs. Modifications
Two important terms to understand in serving children with special needs are
accommodation and modification. Most students with special needs will need
accommodations or strategies that help them perform at their grade level. Modifications
are for students who are not able to perform at their grade level. The term adaptation
refers to both accommodations and modifications that are made but does not differentiate
regarding altering curriculum or expectations. (Lozano Smith Legal Consortium 2007)
Accommodations
Accommodations (or adaptations) are changes in the ways the:
 Material is presented to a student
 Student expresses his/her knowledge
 Environment enables a student to access grade level curriculum
Accommodations DO NOT fundamentally alter the curriculum or lower expectations or
standards in instructional level, content or performance criteria. Examples of
accommodations are:
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Giving information using different input (i.e., written, oral).
Student expresses the information using different output (i.e., verbal, written,
manipulative, computer).
Student is given more time or more breaks when completing a task.
The amount or type of adult or peer support is increased.
Quantity of items the learner is expected to learn is decreased.
Environmental changes are made (i.e., sitting close to the teacher, working in peer
groups, using a desk with walls, defined work space) to allow for more space or
fewer distractions.
Accommodations help the student access the curriculum and the staff determine if the
student has learned the material. Students are given the same classroom tests as their
peers but need to use the same accommodations that they use in the classroom.
It is important to identify the student’s learning style (visual, auditory or kinesthetic) and
confirm that the optimal teaching strategies are used to instruct and demonstrate
outcomes. Accommodations can be used with general education and students at-risk,
learners of varying abilities, students with special needs and students receiving special
education services.
Input strategies enable a student to access the subject matter and instruction
depending on the student’s needs:
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Use visual aids.
Enlarge text.
Plan more concrete examples.
Use more graphic representation of concepts.
Use hands-on activities.
Place students in cooperative groups.
Give student written directions along with oral explanations.
Pre-teach key concepts.
The After School Inclusion Project is administered by the
California Services for Technical Services and Training Project (CalSTAT)
at the Napa County Office of Education for the
California Department of Education’s After School Programs Office.
03/11
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Give one direction at a time.
Give student a written outline of the lesson.
Have student verbally repeat the directions.
Teach mnemonic devices (acronyms or rhymes).
Output strategies help a student demonstrate knowledge. Have the student:
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Explain or give oral answers.
Demonstrate a concept using manipulatives, such as puzzles and games.
Use a computer to complete writing assignments.
Participate in cooperative groups to problem solve together and report outcomes.
Share in pairs rather than share with large group.
Use a calculator to work math problems.
Use multiple choice rather than essay questions.
Demonstrate rather than write.
Environmental strategies keep the student from being distracted and help the student
complete the assignment. Examples are:
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Provide more time to complete the task.
Seating away from group.
Sitting near the teacher or at a desk with three walls blocking student’s view from
distractions.
Frequent breaks during an assignment.
Use earphones to mask extraneous noises.
Modifications
Modifications are changes in the content, standards, expectations and other attributes
so that a student with special needs can participate. They provide productive learning
experiences for the student and are required to be addressed in the Individualized
Education Program or “IEP.”
Modifications DO fundamentally alter the curriculum or lower expectations or standards,
in instructional level, content or performance criteria to meet the student’s needs.
Students may not need modifications in all topics. Grading is different for a student with
modifications. A student may not be able to do the written language, reading or
mathematics work at his/her grade level so may need to be given reading material,
math problems, or written material at a lower grade level in order to make progress.
Students are given different tests because achievement should not be compared to peers.
It is advisable that a student who needs modifications, work on the same core subject
as his/her peers but work with different material. For example, the student:
 Writes one sentence/paragraph when the class is working on writing an essay or story
 Works on math facts when the class is working on two place multiplication
 Reads a short, high interest, low vocabulary book on the same subject as is read
by the class
The After School Inclusion Project is administered by the
California Services for Technical Services and Training Project (CalSTAT)
at the Napa County Office of Education for the
California Department of Education’s After School Programs Office.
03/11
2