Accommodations and Modifications Leveling the playing field

Definitions Accommodations: measures that allow a student to complete the same assignment or test as other students, but with a change in the timing, formatting, setting, scheduling, response and/or presentation. Accommodations: measures that allow a student to complete the same assignment or test as other students, but with a change in the timing, formatting, setting, scheduling, response and/or presentation. Modifications : an adjustment to an assignment or a test that changes the standard or what the test or assignment is supposed to measure (e.g. student may complete work on part of a standard or complete a different, somehow altered assignment). Modifications : an adjustment to an assignment or a test that changes the standard or what the test or assignment is supposed to measure (e.g. student may complete work on part of a standard or complete a different, somehow altered assignment).

The INCLUDE Strategy Identify environmental, curricular & instructional classroom demands; Identify environmental, curricular & instructional classroom demands; Note student learning strengths and needs; Note student learning strengths and needs; Check for potential areas of student success; Check for potential areas of student success; Look for potential problem areas Look for potential problem areas Use information gathered to brainstorm instructional adaptations; Use information gathered to brainstorm instructional adaptations; Decide which adaptations to implement; Decide which adaptations to implement; Evaluate student progress. Evaluate student progress.

Identify Classroom Demands Classroom organization Classroom organization Physical organization Physical organization Classroom routines Classroom routines Classroom climate Classroom climate Behavior management (rules & rewards) Behavior management (rules & rewards) Classroom grouping Classroom grouping Teacher centered or peer mediated Teacher centered or peer mediated Instructional materials Instructional materials Instructional methods Instructional methods Presentation & student evaluation Presentation & student evaluation

Note Student Learning Strengths and Needs Students learning profile Students learning profile start with learning inventories, students IEP information, short interview with the student about what has worked in the past start with learning inventories, students IEP information, short interview with the student about what has worked in the past Academics Academics Basic skills, learning strategies (learning how to learn); survival skills (attendance, organization, interpersonal skills, etc.) Basic skills, learning strategies (learning how to learn); survival skills (attendance, organization, interpersonal skills, etc.) Social-emotional development Social-emotional development Directly teach class rules, expectations, consequences, social skills (group or individual), access program through school councilor Directly teach class rules, expectations, consequences, social skills (group or individual), access program through school councilor Physical development Physical development Attention capacities (diversify instruction) Attention capacities (diversify instruction)

Check Potential Areas of Student Success Analyzing student strengths with respect to your instructional demands and determine in what ways students can be successful. Analyzing student strengths with respect to your instructional demands and determine in what ways students can be successful. How can the student experience success in your classroom? How can the student experience success in your classroom? Academically? Non-academically? Academically? Non-academically? Role in group work should emphasize student strengths (integrate various forms of assessment for information taught/learned) Role in group work should emphasize student strengths (integrate various forms of assessment for information taught/learned)

Look for Potential Problem Areas Review student’s learning needs within your instructional context (classroom, activities) and look for potential mismatches between your demands and student’s learning needs; Review student’s learning needs within your instructional context (classroom, activities) and look for potential mismatches between your demands and student’s learning needs; Adjust class learning activities Adjust class learning activities accommodation or modification accommodation or modification Alter form of student evaluation Alter form of student evaluation accommodation accommodation Adjust how you evaluate student work Adjust how you evaluate student work modification modification

Use Information to Brainstorm Adaptations Identify ways to ways to eliminate or minimize mismatches between your instructional demands and student learning needs Identify ways to ways to eliminate or minimize mismatches between your instructional demands and student learning needs Use Bypass strategies: alternative ways of demonstrating mastery Use Bypass strategies: alternative ways of demonstrating mastery Cannot be used with primary areas of instruction (e.g. spelling check on spelling test) Cannot be used with primary areas of instruction (e.g. spelling check on spelling test) Remediation should still be used in special education setting Remediation should still be used in special education setting Should encourage student indepedance Should encourage student indepedance

Use Information to Brainstorm Adaptations continued Adaptations in classroom teaching and organization Adaptations in classroom teaching and organization Classroom space, grouping, materials and instruction, homework Classroom space, grouping, materials and instruction, homework Intensive instruction on basic skills and learning strategies Intensive instruction on basic skills and learning strategies Take a minute and list 3 learning strategies. Take a minute and list 3 learning strategies. How might all students benefit from instruction in learning strategies? How might all students benefit from instruction in learning strategies?

Decide Which Accommodation to Implement Guidelines for selecting strategies to try: Guidelines for selecting strategies to try: Adaptations should be age appropriate Adaptations should be age appropriate Select the easiest accommodation for you, as the teacher, to implement first Select the easiest accommodation for you, as the teacher, to implement first Select adaptations that you agree with Select adaptations that you agree with IEP should be adhered too, but it must be carefully integrated with your classroom culture and expectations IEP should be adhered too, but it must be carefully integrated with your classroom culture and expectations Select adaptations that have proven to be effective (research based, student approved) Select adaptations that have proven to be effective (research based, student approved)

Evaluate Student Progress Determine strategy effectiveness Determine strategy effectiveness Check in with student Check in with student Evaluate student work via: Evaluate student work via: grades, observations of student participation and student work, portfolio of student work, teacher parent and student ratings…is the adaptation resulting in the effect you were looking for? grades, observations of student participation and student work, portfolio of student work, teacher parent and student ratings…is the adaptation resulting in the effect you were looking for?

Inclusive Classroom Organization Physical organization Physical organization Routines for Classroom Business Routines for Classroom Business Classroom Rules Classroom Rules Monitoring Monitoring Use of time (instructional time; transition time) Use of time (instructional time; transition time) Classroom Climate Classroom Climate Cooperative or communicative, teacher attitudes, friendly or unfriendly? Cooperative or communicative, teacher attitudes, friendly or unfriendly? Take a minute and brain storm actions you can take to develop a “respectful yet friendly atmosphere” in your classroom.

Adapting Instructional Materials Text books Text books Is the text written at a level that the student can read fluently? Is the text written at a level that the student can read fluently? Does the text highlight critical vocabulary? Does the text highlight critical vocabulary? Are chapter questions posed clearly? Are chapter questions posed clearly? Does the text provide clear examples, explanation and steps for problem solving? Does the text provide clear examples, explanation and steps for problem solving? Does the text incorporate real life problems, or connect information to student’s experiences? Does the text incorporate real life problems, or connect information to student’s experiences?

Adapting Materials Continued Text books continued Text books continued How are ideas presented? Does the text stress “big ideas” or facts in isolation? How are ideas presented? Does the text stress “big ideas” or facts in isolation? Does the text support student comprehension? Does the text support student comprehension? Organization of headings and subheadings Organization of headings and subheadings Consistency of organization in discussion of similar topics Consistency of organization in discussion of similar topics Are their clear structural signals Are their clear structural signals Is important background knowledge activated? Is important background knowledge activated? Is the book well written and clear? Is the book well written and clear? Are there clear, supporting graphics? Are there clear, supporting graphics?

Manipulatives and Models Manipulatives: concrete objects or representational items used as part of instruction (e.g. dice for teaching probability; historical artifacts to introduce an era or time period) Manipulatives: concrete objects or representational items used as part of instruction (e.g. dice for teaching probability; historical artifacts to introduce an era or time period) Models: tangible objects that provide a physical representation of an abstraction (e.g. model of the solar system; using a slinky for demonstrating light waves) Models: tangible objects that provide a physical representation of an abstraction (e.g. model of the solar system; using a slinky for demonstrating light waves)