Accommodations & Modifications
IEP Training
Welcome
Required Sections
PresentPerformance
Goals & Objectives
Supports & Services
Accomodations & Modifications
Measures of Progress
Placement
Conclusion
Example IEP GOALS for:
Copying
Organization
Reading
Spelling
Written Expression
L. A. Kids Home Page
Accommodations and Modifications: Help your child access general curriculum
Accommodations are changes in the presentation of classroom content, maintaining the same general curriculum material taught to typical students in a class, while making information more accessible to a student with special needs. Accommodations are provided to allow a child to participate in typical learning activities, while circumventing weaknesses. This provides your child with a relatively equal education. Since IDEA's goal is for every child to participate in general curriculum learning as much as possible, accommodations should be considered before modifications.
If a child is unable to understand general curriculum content, then they should be taught at the highest level possible. Teaching which does not cover the general curriculum is "modified content" where changes made for the child may be referred to a modification. Having curriculum modified can have long-term knowledge consequences for a child because the child's education is being changed and is no longer equivalent to peers'; the child may never regain lost knowledge. Modifications should only be made when absolutely necessary.
Accommodations and Modifications vary widely. Some examples have been provided to give you a clear idea of the difference between the two.
- Accommodations:
- Knowledge of addition is demonstrated by manipulating blocks instead of through writing.
- Books on tape are provided for all content reading in the general classroom.
- Extra textbooks are provided for the home when a child has great organizational difficulties.
- Unlimited time frames are provided on tests.
- A scribe is provided to take notes for a child.
- The teacher copies and sends home study notes.
- A child is tested orally in a one-on-one setting.
- A multiple choice test on identical facts is provided while other children "fill in the blank".
- Modifications:
- A child works on addition while classmates work on multiplication.
- A child learns letters and letter sounds while classmates read chapter books.
- The child blocks to build structures while other children do science experiments.
- A child
is given a test on continents while classmates are tested on
countries of Europe.
