CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION FOR CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION FOR PROFESSIONALS IN EDUCATIONPROFESSIONALS IN EDUCATION

By: Jessica Frisch

Laura Cerulli

Leigh Hogwood

Beth Waltrich

SPED 563

ACCOMMODATIONS VERSUS ACCOMMODATIONS VERSUS MODIFICATIONSMODIFICATIONS

ACCOMMODATIONS VERSUS ACCOMMODATIONS VERSUS MODIFICATIONSMODIFICATIONS

• What are Reasonable Accommodations?• What are Modifications?• How Do These Apply to Instruction and

Testing?

TEACHERS OFTEN ASK…TEACHERS OFTEN ASK…

Professionals should reflect on the

following questions: • Do the alterations a student may

need, change the overall task?• Does the student need to be

provided with changes to the level of difficulty and/or the quantity of a task?

Determining Whether a Technique Is Determining Whether a Technique Is An Accommodation Or A ModificationAn Accommodation Or A ModificationDetermining Whether a Technique Is Determining Whether a Technique Is An Accommodation Or A ModificationAn Accommodation Or A Modification

Both accommodations and modifications are included in federal law, (IDEIA), providing equal access to curriculum.

These terms are often used interchangeably, however, there are notable differences.

Accommodations vs. ModificationsAccommodations vs. Modifications

• are tools or strategies designed to accomplish a goal.

• do not change the integrity of a task.

• do not reduce the expectations for the student

• Example:– A student is given a

multiple choice test on the same content as the rest of the class taking a fill in the blank test.

ACCOMMODATIONSACCOMMODATIONS

• are alterations which change the overall task.

• may provide changes to the level of difficulty and/or the quantity of a task.

• Example– A student works on addition while

the rest of the class works on multiplication

MODIFICATIONSMODIFICATIONS

VS.

• The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act

• No Child Left Behind Act• Section 504 of

Rehabilitation Act

FEDERAL LAW REQUIRING ADAPTATIONS IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS

FEDERAL LAW REQUIRING ADAPTATIONS IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS

• Physical or Architectural Barriers• Academic Adjustments• Aids and Services Assistive Technology

TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONSTYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS

• Curricular• Instructional • Environmental/Physical• Behavioral

TYPES OF MODIFICATIONSTYPES OF MODIFICATIONS

• May be provided through a 504 Accommodation Plan or an Individualized Education Plan.

• The purpose of participation in State and district-wide assessments is to increase expectations, improve teaching and learning, and increase access to the general education curriculum.

HOW DO ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS RELATE TO INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT?

HOW DO ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS RELATE TO INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT?

• Motivational Accommodations

• Assignment Accommodations (Output of Information)

• Setting Accommodations• Material Accommodations• Organizational

Accommodations

TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS WITHIN A CLASSROOM SETTINGTYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS WITHIN A CLASSROOM SETTING

TEACHERS SHOULD REFLECT ON THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

What do I want the student to do? Can the student perform all or part of

the goal or task without accommodations?

3. What type of accommodations are needed?Setting/EnvironmentTiming/SchedulingPresentation FormatResponse Format

4. To what extent is the student able participate in the decision making for this process?

THE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING THE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING ACCOMMODATIONSACCOMMODATIONS

Where does the student perform best?• Near the teacher? (Preferential seating) In

the back or front of the room? Away from the window or door? Away from distractions? Is adaptive seating needed?

• Does the student need physical space to move around, stand, or wiggle?

• Is special lighting needed?• Does the student require visual or auditory

cues to remain on task?• Does the student need to work in a small

group or one-to-one setting for this activity?

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT

• Can the student perform the task in the same amount of time as his or her peers? Does the student require extra time?

• Does the student require that the task be broken up into smaller increments of time? Does the student require frequent breaks?

• What time of day does the student work best?

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMODATIONS FOR TIMING AND SCHEDULING

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMODATIONS FOR TIMING AND SCHEDULING

• Does the student require any assistive technology or augmentative communication device?

• Does the student require and auditory amplification?

• Does the student require a sign language interpreter?

• Does the student need to tape record the lesson for review later?

• Does the student require visual magnification, Braille, or materials in large-print?

• Does the student need material presented in a visual, auditory, or combination format?

• Does the student need tactile, kinesthetic, or a combination of experiences?

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMODATIONS FOR THE PRESENTATION OF ACCOMODATIONS FOR THE PRESENTATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALINSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

• Does the student need to respond verbally? Is dictation needed?

• Does the student need to use a voice recording device in order to provide a response prior to writing?

• Does the student need to use the computer?

• Does the student require assistive technology in order to respond?

• Does the student need to mark answers directly onto the page?

• Does the student need an alternative method to demonstrate his or her learning of the material? For example, a project in place of a written report.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMODATIONS FOR ENCOURAGING ACCOMODATIONS FOR ENCOURAGING STUDENT RESPONSESSTUDENT RESPONSES

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING ACCOMODATIONS FOR ENCOURAGING ACCOMODATIONS FOR ENCOURAGING STUDENT RESPONSESSTUDENT RESPONSES

• Basic needs met• Extrinsic motivation• Intrinsic motivation• Instructional grouping• Peers and mentors• Celebrating multiple

intelligences• Providing Choices

EXAMPLES OF MOTIVATIONAL ACCOMMODATIONSEXAMPLES OF MOTIVATIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS

• Providing alternative questioning • Providing verbal or visual prompts• Reading aloud• Allowing opportunities for oral

expression• Spelling accommodations• Use of memory devices (mnemonics,

acronyms) • Provide a variety of opportunities for

students to show what they know• Provide opportunities for independence

through self-monitoring• Providing rubrics so student knows what

is expected

EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENT RELATED EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENT RELATED ACCOMMODATIONSACCOMMODATIONSEXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENT RELATED EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENT RELATED ACCOMMODATIONSACCOMMODATIONS

• Physical/environmental• Whole Class• Small Groups• Centers• Alternate settings

TYPES OF SETTING ACCOMODATIONSTYPES OF SETTING ACCOMODATIONS

• Rewriting or rewording materials

• Providing Study Guides• Adjusting lesson pacing• Color-coding materials• Providing audiotapes of lesson• Providing opportunities for

students to explore assistive software (ex, Kidspiration)

• Pre-teaching lesson content

ACCOMODATIONS FOR PRESENTING ACCOMODATIONS FOR PRESENTING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALINSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

• Time Management strategies• Explicit Study Skills Instruction• Additional sets of textbooks• Email and webpostings or

Wikispaces• Peer buddies• Graphic organizers • Mnemonics

TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS

SourcesSourcesSourcesSources• National Center for Learning Disabilities• http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/NCLD/A

ccommodations.pdf• Texas Project First• http://www.texasprojectfirst.org/ModificationAccom

modation.html• Learning Disabilities Online• http://www.ldonline.org/article/Accommodations_for

_Students_with_LD• Text : Exceptional Lives: Special Education in

Today’s Schools by Ann Turnball