Accommodations vs Modifications What teachers need to know

Accommodations vs. Modifications What teachers need to know

Accommodations • Are changes made in the way materials are presented or in the way the child demonstrates learning • Are designed to: • Provide EQUITY, not ADVANTAGE – “level the playing field” for students with disabilities • Reduce or even eliminate the effects of a child’s disability when used appropriately • They DO NOT reduce learning expectations • May be appropriate for instruction, but may not be appropriate for use on state assessments • May promote equal access to grade-level content when provided during instruction and assessments • Accommodations DO NOT reduce expectations for learning

Accommodations • Providing Each Child with Equal Access to Grade-Level Content • Academic content standards are educational targets outlining what children are expected to know and be able to do at each grade level • For children with disabilities, accommodations are provided during instruction and assessments to help promote EQUAL ACCESS to grade-level content

Accommodations • Most students with disabilities are able to achieve academic content standards when three conditions are met: • Instruction is provided by teachers who are qualified to teach in the content areas addressed by the academic content standards and who know how to differentiate instruction • IEPs for children with disabilities are developed to ensure provision of specialized instruction • Appropriate accommodations are provided to help children access grade-level content

Categories of Accommodations • Presentation Accommodation – change how an assignments or assessment is given to a child • Response Accommodations – allow children to complete assignments, assessments, and activities in different ways (alternate format or procedure) or to solve or organize problems using some type of assistive device or organizer • Timing/Scheduling Accommodations – increase the allowable length of time to complete assignment or assessment • Setting Accommodations – change the location in which an assignment or assessment is given of the conditions of

Modifications • Actually do change that target skill or the construct of interest • They often reduce learning expectations or affect the content in such a way that what is being taught or tested is fundamentally changed • Can increase the gap between the achievement of children with disabilities and for proficiency at a particular grade level • Providing modifications to children during classroom instruction and/or classroom assessments may have the unintended consequence of reducing their opportunity to

Examples of Modifications • Requiring a child to learn less material (e. g. , fewer objectives, shorter units or lessons, fewer pages or problems) • Reducing assignments and assessments so a child only needs to complete the easiest problems or items • Using an accommodation that invalidates what is being measured by the assessment • Revising assignments or assessments to make them easier (e. g. , crossing out half of the response choices on a multiplechoice test so that a child only has to pick from two options

Accommodations vs. Modifications How to remember the difference: * Accommodations – Make sure kids have equal ACCESS to curriculum and a way to be successful while learning the SAME target skills as those students without disabilities * Modifications – Curriculum and/or instruction is CHANGED; therefore students with disabilities are NOT expected to master the same academic content as others in the classroom