Accommodation vs Modification Developed by Heather Jackson Kelly

Accommodation vs Modification Developed by: Heather Jackson, Kelly Jacob and Tanis Lattanzio Cont 506 Module 2: Leadership Development in Special Education October 2014

Animal School Putting things into perspective

Table Share Icebreaker • Choose one of the animal pictures from your table. • Thinking about the video consider one strategy you could use to increase their chances of success record it on the back of your picture • Share the following with your table • Your name, school position • Your strategy for your animal • Which animal you most relate too and why

Brief History of Special Education • A student right to education has been protected in Ontario since 1980 under Bill 82. • school boards to establish programs and services for exceptional students • Universal access and appropriate programs are two of the five principles of Bill 82. • In recent years, school divisions have committed to developing inclusive classrooms where exceptional students have access to curriculum with their peers

Why are we here? • Inclusion is “the social value and policy that persons with disabilities are entitled to full participation in all aspects of Canadian society, including education. "1 • With inclusive education there emerges a need for educators to have a solid understanding of how to make curriculum accessible to all students in part through accommodations and modifications • 1 Hutchinson, N. (2002). Inclusion of Exceptional Learners in Canadian Schools. Toronto, ON: Pearson Education, Canada, Inc. , p. 325

Accommodations vs. Modifications Workshop Objectives • Provide information on the difference between accommodations and modifications • Provide examples of both accommodations and modifications for students • Give participants an opportunity to implement new knowledge by creating modifications and accommodations for a particular student and course

The difference between accommodations and modifications • Accommodations refers to the special teaching and assessment strategies, human supports and / or individual equipment required to enable a student to learn and to demonstrate learning. Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for the grade.

The difference between accommodations and modifications • Modifications are changes made in the age-appropriate grade level expectations for a subject course in order to meet the student’s learning needs. These changes may involve developing expectations that reflect knowledge and skills required in the curriculum for a different grade level and / or increasing or decreasing the number and or complexity of the regular grade level curriculum expectations. Reference: The Individual Education Plan A Resource Guide, 2004, http: //www. edu. gov. on. ca

Modifications Grade 8 Geography Student Profile : Grade 8 student, Mild Intellectual Disability Curriculum Strand : All Strands Annual Program Goal: By the end of the year the student will achieve 75% of the grade eight curriculum expectations modified to a grade 6 level.

Modifications Grade 8 Geography Learning Expectations Teaching Strategy Assessment Method Demonstrate understanding of population density by using formula to calculate and then classify into one of three classifications. Teacher modelling Small group resource support Test Will be able to identify spatial Teacher modelling patterns in human settlements, Small group resource support classifying them into three basic classifications Assignment Will be able to construct a population pyramid using a chart Assignment Teacher modelling Small group resource support

Accommodations Grade 8 Geography Student Profile: Grade 8 student, Exceptionality Physical Disability This student has access to Assistive Technology through SEA Equipment Instructional Accommodations Environmental Accommodations • • • Preferential seating within • Assistive Technology the classroom • Oral testing as required • Verbatim scribing/typing as required • Alternative setting as required • • Assistive Technology EA support for mobility issues and curriculum accessibility Peer assistance in Math, particularly for concepts that require drawing Reduction in the number of tasks as required Rewording/ Rephrasing Verbatim Scribing as required Assessment Accommodations

Student Profile of student requiring Modifications to grade 9 Applied Geography Student Profile : Grade 9 student, exceptionality Autism Annual Program Goal: This needs to be stated in the IEP Example for this student taking CGC 1 P Student will demonstrate basic knowledge of Canada’s geographic makeup, including topography, culture and climate to meet 70% of the curriculum expectations by the end of the course.

Modifications to grade 9 Applied Geography CGC 1 P Performance Tasks/ Learning Teaching Strategies Expectations Methods of Assessment Locate and label the provinces Cut out computer generated and capital cities on a map with labels 75% accuracy Checklist Create a visual representation of an environmental footprint Pictures Poster Culminating Task: Research and report on a tourist attraction in a major Canadian city. Visual Instruction Plan Oral Presentation Poster

Accommodations to grade 9 Applied Geography Student Profile: grade 9 student, exceptionality Learning Disability This student has access to Assistive Technology through a SEA Instructional Environmental Assessment Accommodations laptop. • • • Chunking Repetition of key concepts Graphic Organizers Prompts to maintain focus Assistive Technology Organization coaching Duplicated notes Manipulatives Rewording/Rephrasing • Preferential seating with the classroom, close proximity to teacher • Additional Time • Alternate setting, quiet space • Use of Assistive Technology for tests and assessments • Reduction in the number of tasks to assess a concept or skill • Clarification of questions on assessments • Use of calculator for mathematical computation • Verbatim scribe when necessary

Activity: Chalkboard Splash Scott is included in a grade 3 class and learns to read in a small group in the resource room. Scott was born with Down syndrome. Like many students with Down syndrome, Scott learns much by watching. For the past two years he has watched and asked Billy, a friend and classmate, whenever he didn’t know what to do. Scott’s parents and teachers know that the gap between Scott’s academic achievement and that of his classmates will gradually increase. However, Scott works hard, likes school and especially like learning to read. Scott recognises and sounds out many words, is reading small books, and recognises the names of all the students in his class. In math, Scott can add and subtract the numbers less than 10 and hopes to learn to use his new calculator this year. His IEP lists his exceptionality as mild intellectual disabilities and refers to Scott’s lower-than-average intellectual, social, and adaptive functioning. * If you were given a pink sticky note, write one modification for Scott and paste it on the left wall. If you were given an orange sticky note, write one accommodation for Scott and paste it on the right wall. *Adapted from: Hutchinson, N. (2002). Inclusion of Exceptional Learners in Canadian Schools. Toronto, ON: Pearson Education, Canada, Inc. , p. 69

Activity: Brainstorm Get into groups of 3 or 4. Brainstorm accommodations and modifications that could be provided for the student in the description you’ve been given. Record these on chart paper. Be ready to share.

Closure • Parking Lot Review • Discussion of questions and thoughts from Parking Lot • Objective Review • Provide information on the difference between accommodations and modifications • Provide examples of both accommodations and modifications for students • Provide an opportunity to implement new knowledge by creating modifications and accommodations for a particular student and course

Closure • Reflection • Think back to the animal you chose at the beginning of the day and the strategy you suggested to implement. • As a result of your learning today would you label your strategy an accommodation or a modification? Would you now suggest a different strategy? • Exit Slip • On the back of the provided post card record one next step you would like to take as a result of today. This post card will be sent to you in 30 days to help prompt you to take some time to self-reflect on how you are doing at implementing accomoodations and modifications.