Accommodations and Modifications: Supporting Students with Disabilities

To ensure that all students, including those with disabilities, have equitable access to education, schools often implement accommodations and modifications. While the goal is to align a student's program as closely as possible with the general education curriculum, individual needs may necessitate specific supports. These supports are typically outlined in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), developed by a multidisciplinary team including parents and the student.

Understanding the Basics: Accommodations vs. Modifications

It's crucial to understand the distinction between accommodations and modifications:

Accommodation: A strategy used to help a student with learning needs access the same curriculum as their peers. Curriculum learning expectations and outcomes remain the same. Accommodations typically occur in the general education classroom. Tools, materials, technology, visual aids, physical space, and timing are used to help the student access the curriculum. Grading is the same as for other students.
Modification: A strategy used to help a student with learning needs achieve the same curriculum as their peers. Curriculum learning expectations and outcomes are different. Modifications typically occur in the general education classroom. Tools, materials, technology, visual aids, physical space, and timing are used to help the student achieve the curriculum. Grading is different and appropriate to the student’s specific developmental level and learning needs.

In essence, accommodations level the playing field, while modifications change the learning goals.

Categories of Accommodations and Modifications

Accommodations and modifications can be classified into four categories:

Presentation: Changes the way information is presented to the student.
Setting: Changes to the conditions or locations of instruction or assessment.
Timing and Scheduling: Changes to the time allotted for tasks or the scheduling of assessments.
Response Mode: Changes to the way students express their knowledge and skills.

Examples of Accommodations

Here are some examples of accommodations across different categories:

Read also: Navigating SAT Accommodations

Presentation Accommodations

Visual Supports:
- Visual Schedules: Using objects, photographs, icons, or words to communicate the sequence of upcoming activities or events. This is especially helpful for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- Visual Structure: Adding a physical or visual component to tasks to help students understand how an activity should be completed.
- Graphic Organizers: Word webs and other visual organizers to relate words and ideas heard or read on paper.
- Picture Books, Graphic Notes, and Story Kits: Visual supports helpful for teaching and supporting literacy development.
- Color-coding: Using color to highlight important information or differentiate between concepts.
Auditory Accommodations:
- Simplify and Repeat Directions: As needed, ensure the student understands the instructions.
- Provide Verbal Prompts: For vocabulary words or responses.
Material Adaptations:
- Enlarged Text: Providing materials in a larger font size for students with visual impairments.
- Adapted Paper: Using paper with raised lines or different textures to aid handwriting.
Technology:
- Text-to-Speech Software: Allows students to listen to written text.

Setting Accommodations

Preferential Seating:
- Seating the student near the teacher or away from distractions.
- Consideration of lighting, noise level, distracting visuals, and physical arrangement.
Quiet Area: Providing a designated space for the student to work or take breaks.
Sensory Considerations:
- Adjusting the environment to be aware of lighting, noise level and distracting visuals.
- Allowing for focus or calming breaks (quiet area, a place to move, “special helper”).
- Allowing for focus or calming materials (squeeze ball, putty, sensory item).

Timing and Scheduling Accommodations

Extended Time: Allowing the student more time to complete assignments or tests.
Flexible Scheduling: Breaking up tasks into smaller chunks or scheduling activities during times when the student is most alert.
Provide support for transitions: Visual and verbal cues, songs, materials, ringing bell.

Response Mode Accommodations

Alternative Response Options:
- Allowing the student to answer questions orally instead of in writing.
- Using a communication board or device.
- Allowing children to demonstrate understanding in multiple ways (in own words, songs, pointing, using visuals).
Assistive Technology:
- Providing access to a computer or other device for writing.
Manipulatives:
- Using concrete materials to solve math problems.
Easing Handling:
- Make materials larger, add handles, attach rubber grips to pencils, provide different materials such as spring loaded scissors, adaptive paper, or hole punch.

Examples of Modifications

Modifications alter the curriculum or learning expectations. Here are some examples:

Reduced Workload: Giving the student fewer assignments or problems to complete.
Simplified Assignments: Modifying the content to be less complex or at a lower grade level.
Alternative Assessments: Allowing the student to demonstrate their knowledge in a different format, such as a project or presentation.
Modified Grading: Adjusting grading criteria to reflect the student's individual progress and effort.

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and Strategies

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) may benefit from targeted accommodations and modifications. Here are some examples:

Reading

Improving Vocabulary and Comprehension:
- Student-developed file of vocabulary words.
- Use of word webs and visual organizers to relate words and ideas heard or read on paper.
- Using illustrations in a book being read to generate conversation, vocabulary and concepts that will relate to what is to be read.
Addressing Copying Difficulties:
- Leaving a space directly under each word, phrase or sentence.
- Providing handouts for those who can’t copy from the blackboard or take dictation accurately.
- For left-handed students, place the list of words at the right margin.
Patience with Auditory Processing:
- Allowing extra time for students who process auditory information slowly.
Integrating Oral and Written Language:
- Teaching oral and written language together.

Mathematics

Focus on Conceptual Understanding:
- Developing concepts and skills within such strands as: numeration, geometry, measurement, collection and interpretation of data, estimation/mental computations, patterns and relations and word problems/applications.
- Introducing concepts with “hands-on” concrete materials.
Developing Estimation Skills:
- Teaching estimation strategies as mental computations skills are developed.
Visual Representations:
- Encouraging students to draw illustrations and representations whenever possible.
Communication and Problem-Solving:
- Encouraging students to consistently discuss, read and write as they solve more complex computational and word problems.
Theories on mathematics disabilities view spatial visualization and verbal skills as critical.

Writing (Dysgraphia)

Accommodations and Modifications: Addressing the signs and symptoms of dysgraphia.
Remediation Recommendations: To help students improve their writing.
Ease handling: Make materials larger, add handles, attach rubber grips to pencils, provide different materials such as spring loaded scissors, adaptive paper, or hole punch.
Ensure accessibility: Add Velcro, develop a hand splint to hold materials, attach an elastic cord or string to objects so that they can be easily moved or retrieved.
Enhance visual clarity or distinctiveness: Add contrast or special lighting.

Social and Emotional Growth

Adjust environment: Be aware of lighting, noise level, distracting visuals, physical arrangement, place materials for easy access, play soft music.
Consider child’s seating to support engagement: Near adult, away from doors or windows, or other children who would distract.
Allow for focus or calming breaks: Quiet area, a place to move, “special helper”.
Allow for focus or calming materials: Squeeze ball, putty, sensory item.
Provide support for transitions: Visual and verbal cues, songs, materials, ringing bell.
Model coping strategies to deal with overwhelming feelings.
Label and discuss children’s feelings.
Establish one-on-one time where child can confide in teacher.
Intervene as needed: Help a child join ongoing play or activity, solve a problem, resolve conflict.

Approaches to Learning

Simplify and repeat directions as needed.
Add visual supports and cues (charts, pictures, color coding).
Sequence learning tasks from simple to complex.
Give repeated opportunities to practice skills.
Provide immediate, positive, descriptive feedback.
Use manipulative and sensory materials that are developmentally appropriate.
Utilize a developmentally appropriate schedule (consider length and order of activities, time for transitions, provide reminders when changes in schedule are planned).
Offer choices so children can follow interests and strengths.
Use concrete materials or examples.
Provide time to process experiences and information.

Physical and Motor Development

Ease handling: Make materials larger, add handles, attach rubber grips to pencils, provide different materials such as spring loaded scissors, adaptive paper, or hole punch.
Ensure accessibility: Add Velcro, develop a hand splint to hold materials, attach an elastic cord or string to objects so that they can be easily moved or retrieved.
Enhance visual clarity or distinctiveness: Add contrast or special lighting.
Allow extra time.
Understand that some children will avoid or seek sensory items or activities (paint, glue, clay) and allow children to pass or explore in order to meet sensory needs.
Provide opportunities to use pincer grasp of thumb/forefinger (gluing small pieces of paper, peeling or sticking stickers, picking up small objects with fingers).

Communication and Language

Provide verbal prompts for vocabulary words or responses.
Allow children to demonstrate understanding in multiple ways (in own words, songs, pointing, using visuals, communication boards or device).
Use increasingly complex words, in context, and explain their meaning.
Understand that some children may speak languages other than English at home, and identify and explain patterns of spoken English.
Use letters of alphabet as they come up in real life situations.

Important Considerations

Individualization: Accommodations and modifications should always be tailored to the specific needs of the student.
Collaboration: The IEP team, including parents and the student, should work together to determine the most appropriate supports.
Data-Driven Decisions: The effectiveness of accommodations and modifications should be regularly monitored and adjusted as needed.
Avoiding Over-Modification: Modifications should be used judiciously, as they can potentially limit a student's access to the full curriculum.

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