Accommodations
and Modifications
Making classroom instruction work
for all students.
The challenge is to see this as an opportunity
to raise aspirations for all students by creating
a unified education system that works for
all students .
In decreasing the separation between the worlds
of special and general education, there are really
two sets of related questions:
How can special education programs help students to meet
the challenging education standards, curriculum, and assessments
that are now being developed in the general education system?
1.
2. How can the general public education system be tailored
and individualized to better serve its diverse learners-whether
or not those students have disabilities?
• Special and general educators have much to offer one another
in finding answers to these questions.
√ IDEA regulations expect all teachers to use
different learning strategies to accommodate the
individual needs of all students, whether disabled or not.
√ The IEP team is required to identify what accommodations
and modifications will be applied when instructing the
student in all learning situations.
√ The specific, detailed times and environments when
accommodations are necessary for the student will be left
to teacher discretion.
• The methodology of instruction and content to be learned
will be left to the regular teacher with the expectations that
the accommodations and modifications will be incorporated
into the instructional outcomes for each student.
Good teachers know how to reach/teach most all students. Some
teachers will struggle with how they must accommodate and
modify instruction. Ideally teachers will assist each other
to understand how to provide the support for the disabled student
and use these strategies for all at-risk learners.
The changes will come slow. This is to be expected.
Accommodations

-are supports or services provided to help
students progress in the general
education curriculum and demonstrate
their learning. These do not mean big
changes in the instructional level, content,
or standards. Rather, support is provided
so that students have an equal
opportunity to learn and to demonstrate
what they have learned.
ACCOMMODATIONS -
Provisions
made in how a student accesses/demonstrates learning





They do not substantially change
instructional level or content
Provides student an equal access
to learning
Provides student equal opportunity
to demonstrate what is known
Based on individual strengths and
needs
May vary in intensity and degree
Accommodations are:



Techniques utilized to help
students access curriculum
Strategies that validly demonstrate
what students have learned
Methods used that alter the
academic setting or environment
so students can easily access
information
Accommodations are also:

Approaches to information that
level the laying field for students
with disabilities
 Extended
time
 Large print
 Braille
 Signed instruction
Other Accommodation
Definitions - (Eshilian, & Hibbard, ‘98)

Appropriate arrangements that
allow for access to same
information, activities,
opportunities, ex: books on tape,
computer writing programs, tape
recorders, calculator, checklists,
dictation of answers, etc.
Accommodations do NOT:


Change the information to be
learned
Change the amount of information
that is to be learned…modifications
do this!
MODIFICATIONS -
Changes in
what a student is expected to learn and
demonstrate



Change in the instructional level or
benchmark
Change in the number of key concepts
mastered within a benchmark or unit of
study
Changes in content
Modifications

-change the content and performance
expectations for what a student should
learn. For example, a student may work
at a different level ( for example, at a 4th
grade level instead of a 6th grade level
in reading) or study fewer concepts or
skills.
Don’t be fooled by
“Adaptations”
for this refers to:


Accommodations and Modifications
Changes made in instructional and
assessment practices to facilitate student
success. For example:
 Size
√
 Time
√
 Input
√
 Output
√
 Difficulty
Participation
Level of Support
Alternate Goals
Substitute Curriculum
Meeting the California
Framework Standards
√ Academic Standards are to be addressed for
all special education and at risk students.
√ The California Frameworks are guides for schools to
use to identify what all students should learn.
√ These Frameworks will address the delivery of
content-rich curriculum to special needs students and
at-risk learners.
Steps in the IEP /
Standards Process
Individualized Goals:
1) Which standards closely relate to the
educational concerns / needs
identified?
2) How will the student meet the
standard?
• Regular
• Modified
• Regular with Accommodations
• Expanded
What are the primary
grade level expectations?
• How will the student meet these
content standards? (Not IEP Goals)
• Regular
• Modified
• Regular with Accommodations
• Expanded
Regular
The student can meet the age
appropriate standard in the same
way as general education students
with no changes.
Regular with Accommodations
Provisions are made in “how” a student
accesses information or demonstrates the
standard. The student can meet all of the
components of the regular standard if
necessary accommodations are provided.
Examples: oral tests, assignments read orally
or taped assignment shortened yet reflects
all of the required components; access to a
word processor for written
assignments/tests, etc.
Modified Standard
Changes the expectation of “what” the
student is to learn.
Examples: change in the number of key
concepts learned within a standard or
benchmark, change in the
instructional level, limit in the number
of concepts expected to master within
a unit of study, etc.
Expanded Standard
The learning is aligned with the standard, but
performance of the standard varies
significantly from “traditional” performance.
Examples: functional reading using picture
symbols or single words for grocery lists,
menus, schedules, vs. reading books /
stories; writing functional lists, letters using
single words / pictures vs. writing
paragraphs or essays; developing mobility
skills vs. traditional geography, etc.
Classroom/District Wide and STAR Testing Requirements
Any accommodations must be linked to the IEP and necessary
(not just helpful) based on the student’s disability.
Harcourt Brace Educational Measurement has categorized
accommodations in the STAR program as standard or nonstandard.
StandardStandardStandardStandardStandard-
No accommodation used
Flexible setting
Large print test
Revised test directions
Out of level testing (one grade level above/below only)
NonstandardNonstandardNonstandardNonstandardNonstandard-
Braille test
Flexible scheduling
Revised test format
Use of aids and/or aides to interpret (or respond) to test items
Out of level testing (more than one grade level above/below)