Accommodation and Assessment
Cognitive Disabilities
1. Describe Cognitive Disabilitiesa. Disability that affect the mental processing that includes knowing,
understanding, and reasoning
i. Categorized by low test scores on standardized tests and deficits
with adaptive behavior.
ii. Poor aptitude and adaptive behaviors that result in delayed
development and learning.
2. Describe the common problems CD students have with performing/showing
knowledge on assessments
a. Normal IQ tests would not work because they do not have the knowledge
base for it.
b. Lower IQ, consistent deficits of academic and/or adaptive behavior
c. Because they lack adaptive behavior skills, they may not be able to be
tested with summative assessments.
d. Comprehension difficulties, auditory difficulties, visual difficulties, time
constraint, anxiety, and embarrassment
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made with regards
to assessments for these students
a. Use an Adaptive behavior scale inventory for children: Vineland Adaptive
Behavior Scale
b. Gather all materials needed to meet modification and accommodations
c. Meet all IEP modification for academic and/or adaptive behavior
d. Adaptive Behavior Scale inventory for children
e. Give straight forward short answer questions.
f. Avoid classroom distractions
g. Multiple choice is a better tool than matching
h. Students should not be penalized for being unable to complete a test
i. Teach them appropriate test taking skills
j. Small assessment with simple formatting and larger standard alphabet font
k. Don’t single out for questions, unison answers
l. Teacher needs to be tolerant and flexible in assessments.
Learning Disabilities
1. Describe Learning Disabilities
a. Learning disabilities are mental processing deficits that manifest as a
significant discrepancy between aptitude and achievement.
2. Describe the common problems LD students have with performing/showing
knowledge on assessments
a. LD students may have comprehension difficulties, such as understanding
verbal or written directions.
b. LD students may also have time constraint difficulties where they may be
penalized for not finishing the assessment.
c. LD students may be anxious and embarrassed.
d. Demonstrating best work; staying on task long enough to produce best
work without becoming frustrated
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made with regards
to assessments for these students
a. Page 343 of McMillan
b. Comprehension difficulties
1. Avoid long talks before the test
2. Give test directions both orally and in writing.
3. Administer test/PA both orally and in writing; allow for oral or
written response
c. Time constraint
1. Provide breaks during lengthy test.
2. Avoid timed test
d. Anxiety
1. Give practice test or test items
2. Allow students to retest if needed.
e. Embarrassment
1. Monitor all students the same way.
2. 1st page of all assessment with same formatting
3. Avoid calling attention to mainstream students.
Emotional Disturbance
1. Describe emotional disturbance –
a. a student identified with emotional disturbance consistently exhibits one
or more of the characteristics to a marked degree that clearly interferes
with learning; poor academic performance not due to other disabilities;
poor interpersonal relationship; inappropriate behaviors or feelings
b. Emotional disturbance is defined as consistent, inappropriate behaviors
and feelings not attributed to other disabilities that interfere with academic
work. Also known as emotional disability or behavioral disorder. Some
characteristics of emotional disturbance are unhappiness, inappropriate
behaviors, in normal circumstances, and poor interpersonal relationships.
2. Describe the common problems ED students have with performing/showing
knowledge on assessments –
a. stress, crying or yelling
b. Students with ED have problems completing assessments and showing
their best work. These students have a variability of behavior so their
disability may affect them on day and not the next.
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made with regards
to assessments for these students
a. make adaptation in test construction, test administration, and testing site
b. Make sure violent children have a para-professional everyday!
c. Teachers need to be tolerant and flexible in their assessments, realizing
that on a particular day the disability may pose extreme difficulties for the
student.
d. Develop a routine for all activities, instruction, and assessment; make sure
all who work in your classroom are aware of this routine and all rules and
expectations
e. Limit distractions
f. Consult with counselor
g. Create a “cool down” zone for children to calm themselves.
Sensory Impairments and Physical Impairments
1. Describe sensory and physical impairments:
a. Sensory – students whose vision, hearing, or speech deficits
b. Physical- other disabilities fall under physical impairments; orthopedic
impairments, physical illness (epilepsy, diabetes, severe food allergies)
2. Describe the common problems and SI and PI students have with
performing/showing knowledge on assessments
a. S.I
i. Visual- understanding written directions and test items, distracted
by noises.
ii. Auditory- understanding written directions and test items decoding
symbols and letters, vocabulary limitation, limited sentence
structure knowledge
iii. Speech – embarrassment and anxiety when communicating in
others, may not write/sign/type well enough to communicate with
teacher or other students
b. P.I.— may not be able to write assessments, communicate, or move at all,
comprehension difficulty time constraint difficulties, anxiety,
embarrassment
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made with regards
to assessments for these students
a. Give assessments or directions orally and written and in sign if needed and
possible
b. Ask for an interpreter
c. Make sure to have all of the materials/equipment that will be needed to
meet accommodations.
d. Adaptations in test directions
e. Adaptations in test administration
f. Adaptations in testing site
g. Sit child close to where the instruction/presentation is taking place
h. Set up classroom to provide as much mobility for PI child as possible
i. Check ingredients when using food based manipulatives
Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
1. Describe ADD and ADHD
a. ADD- often unable to sustain attention, are easily distracted, have
difficulty organizing, make careless mistakes, tend to lose things, and may
be forgetful
b. ADHD- fidget excessively, have difficulty sitting, appear restless,
constantly on-the-go, may be identified as hyperactive
2. Describe the common problems ADD and ADHD students have with
performing/showing knowledge on assessments
a. Students demonstrate significant inattention
b. Students are easily distracted
c. Students make careless mistakes
d. Time constraint difficulties because they get off task easily comprehension
problems if they have a hard time concentrating, variability of behavior
because of different attention spans.
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made with regards
to assessments for these students
a. Break assignments into segments of shorter tasks
b. Reduce number of concepts presented at one time
c. Schedule frequent short conferences to check for comprehension
d. Highlight important concepts
e. Give frequent reminders of assignments
f. Check assignment sheet for accuracy
g. Increase time allowed for the tests
h. Seat student in area free of distractions.
English Language Learners/Limited English Proficiency
1. Describe ELL and LEP
a. ELL- English Language Learners are students who are still learning
English.
b. LEP- Students legally designated as having Limited English Proficiency
are only those who do not meet the standard on a test of English
proficiency. This results in the students being legally labeled as having
LEP (Limited English Proficiency)
2. Describe the common problems ELL and LEP students have with
performing/showing knowledge on assessments
a. ELL and LEP students might have difficulty comprehending an
assessment written in English if they must translate word by word with a
dictionary. The differences in grammar and word meanings in different
languages may cause students to misinterpret sentences.
b. ELL and LEP students show difficulty in reading text as well as
comprehending it and translating. This is because of the difference
between grammar and word meanings for different languages.
c. Students may appear to be fluent when talking to other students, but have
trouble keeping up with reading or clearly expressing academic ideas
through writing.
d. These students also do not have a great amount of cultural knowledge
about the new country and teachers may take it for granted when they give
assignments.
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made with regards
to assessments for these students
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Allow extra time to complete work/assignments
Give them a translation dictionary
Provide translation help
Provide pictures to represent simple tasks (picture of scissors for the word
cut; picture of an open book for the word read)
Request a verbal response to confirm comprehension of task/item
Block assignments into smaller segments
Provide directions in native language when possible and appropriate
Include native language books in classroom
Teach English speaking children simple words in native language of the
ELL child
Create learning opportunities that provide concrete experiences rather than
verbal ones
i. (example) If students are asked to understand the characteristics of
certain minerals, instead of giving them a paper pencil assessment,
students could represent minerals in a lab to do the mineral sorting.
Portfolio Assessments
1. Describe portfolio assessments:
a. Help provide documentation of the student’s progress and it shows what
they have done and their capabilities
b. They are a tool that evaluates specific criteria as well to increase student
active environment. It highlights not only what students have done, but
also their capabilities.
c. They are both formative and summative assessments.
2. Describe the pros/cons of using portfolios with special needs students. Explain
common problems and/or benefits
a. Pros
- allows ongoing assessment across environments
- promote critical thinking through the self-evaluations
- provides a way to examine a student’s performance from a variety
of perspectives
- individualized documentation of growth
b. Con- become bulky and difficult to manage and store
- time consuming
- without careful planning they can take up to much time to compile
and they omit traditional standardize evaluation tools.
- very subjective in nature
- organization can be problematic
c. Problems and/or Benefits
- they promote critical thinking through self evaluation and improve
self advocacy.
1. Can be difficult if children have not reached a selfevaluative stage of development
- Promotes student motivation by allowing students to see their
improvement
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made to portfolios
a. using rubrics that go with IEP goals
b. focusing on specific goals
c. evaluate portfolio for individual goals rather than whole class comparison
d. Based on work generated by the individual instead of being compared to
others.
e. Aid students with organization
f. Aid students with self evaluation
Performance Assessments—
1. Describe performance assessments:
a. give students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills by
using their strengths
b. Assesses students by having them perform or create some type of product
i. Examples: role playing/artistic work
2. Describe the pros/cons of using Pas with special needs students. Explain common
problems and/or benefits
a. Cons and problems:
i. must follow IEP accommodations, must use only necessary
adaptations
ii. can entail a large amount of reading or writing
iii. can ask students to move outside their “comfort zone” – leading to
frustration and embarrassment
iv. mobility issues can prevent students from being able to participate,
some activities will exclude these students
b. Pros and benefits:
i. All students are assessed, no stress or test anxiety, special learning
objectives stated in IEP can be met
ii. Not Pencil/Paper; helps with social skills; can be individualized to
show progress
iii. Learning occurs DURING the assessment
iv. More engaging and encourages self-assessment
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made to Pas
a. Longer time
b. Dictation of written parts to a voice recognizer or note taker,
c. Translation dictionary.
d. Modify learning objectives and/or assignment to meet individual needs
e. Provide clear, short, simple directions
f. Teacher goes over students’ projects before final assessment; note taker or
audio/visual aid or device
Traditional Assessments
1. Describe traditional assessments:
a. Paper and pencil test
i. May include both objective & subjective items
ii. Can be oral or written administration with oral or written response
2. Describe the pros/cons of using TAs with special needs students. Explain
common problems and/or benefits
a. Pros and benefits:
i. teacher doesn’t have to make out a special test,
ii. students know what to expect;
iii. can be used in an alternative testing location to allow for freedom
in asking questions, higher comfort level, and extended tine period;
iv. May work better for some students who do not do well with a more
abstract form of testing, for example, portfolio reflection, projects,
etc.
b. Cons and Problems:
i. takes more time (some special needs students may need the
questions read aloud etc.), may require an aide,
ii. textbook tests are not tailor made to fit students needs;
iii. ESL students or students with other disabilities may find that a
time limit prevents them from completing the assessment;
iv. Students with visual impairments may also find the font on a
traditional assessment to be too small;
v. Vocabulary and sentence structure can be too complicated for
comprehension of items.
3. Describe the types of accommodations/modifications that are made to TAs
a. Accommodations- ELL students needs a translation dictionary, physical
disabilities may need someone to write for them
b. Modifications- similar content but with less-sophisticated level, make test
out to be plain and simple, not visually distracting
c. Eliminate volume on a longer assessment, provide breaks for longer
assessments, provide word banks, use a different set of numbers for a math
assessment or different spelling words, use a larger font for visually
impaired students, give a word bank, be careful to create a simple design
on the page, line up items vertically down the page, aid children in
checking for missed/skipped items.
d. Change testing location and allow for retesting or “starting over”
e. Similar formatting on 1st page for all students and monitor all students
using a similar manner
f. Oral administration and/or oral response can be used when reading
comprehension or writing difficulties are at issue.