1. Choosing & Using
Accommodations
Grades 3-12
How to Select, Administer,
and Evaluate Use of
Accommodations for
Instruction and Assessment
of Students with Disabilities
2. OUTCOMES for this session:
1. Expose students with disabilities to grade level
academic content standards
2. Learn about accommodations and modifications for
instruction and assessment
3. Select accommodations and/or modifications for
individual students
4. Administer accommodations and/or modifications
during instruction and assessment
5. Evaluate and improve accommodation and/or
modification use
3. Accommodations or Modifications?
Modifications
Accommodations
Do NOT fundamentally alter or DO fundamentally alter or lower
expectations or standards in
lower expectations or standards instructional level, content, or
in instructional level, content, or performance criteria.
performance criteria.
Provide student meaningful and
Provide equal ACCESS to productive learning experiences
learning and equal based on individual needs and
OPPORTUNITY to demonstrate abilities.
what is learned
Grading and credit is the Grading and credit are
SAME as typical students DIFFERENT
5. STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN
ASSESSMENTS
The participation of students with disabilities
in assessments is required by the following
federal and state laws:
– No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
– Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA)
– California High School Exit Examination
(CAHSEE)
6. ASSESSMENTS FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY
Assessments for Accountability help to
measure:
– How successful schools are in including all
students in standards-based education
– How well students are achieving standards
– What needs to be improved for specific groups of
students
7. INCLUDE ALL STUDENTS IN
INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENTS
To include all students in standards-based
instruction and assessments:
– Provide accommodations/modifications during
instruction and assessment to increase access
– Use alternate assessments for students with
significant cognitive disabilities (CAPA)
8. PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS
1. Teachers qualified to teach content areas
and who know how to differentiate
instruction for diverse learners
2. IEPs that provide specialized instruction
(e.g., reading strategies, study skills)
3. Accommodations and modifications which
increase access to instruction and
assessment
9. Accommodations OR
Modifications?
Accommodations do not reduce learning
expectations. They provide access.
Modifications or alterations refer to practices
that change, lower, or reduce learning
expectations.
10. Examples of Modifications
Requiring a student to learn less material than is
required to meet grade level standards
Reducing assignments so a student only needs
to complete the easiest problems or items
Revising assessments to make them easier or
change the content being assessed
Giving a student hints or clues to correct
responses on assignments and tests
11. EQUAL ACCESS TO GRADE LEVEL
CONTENT THROUGH
ACCOMMODATIONS
Remember that equal access to grade level
content is the goal
Every IEP team member must be familiar
with state and district content standards and
where to locate standards and updates
Collaboration between general and special
educators is key
12. BENEFITS OF COLLABORATION
Definition: General and special education
staff working as a team for the benefit of
students with disabilities
Promotes understanding of general and
special education staff roles and
responsibilities
13. COLLABORATION
Provides opportunities to gain new skills
(e.g., general educator’s knowledge of
content—special educator’s knowledge of
specialized instructional techniques)
Serves as a support building process that
fosters the creation of a collaborative school
culture
14. ROLES IN COLLABORATION
Who are the stakeholders?
How often do they meet?
Who is responsible for generating materials?
Who implements each accommodation?
Who is responsible for collecting data on
the use of the accommodation?
What are the agreed upon standards for
grading the student?
15. Outcome 2
Learn about accommodations and
modifications for instruction and assessment
16. ACCOMMODATIONS
Definition: Accommodations are practices
and procedures in the areas of presentation,
response, setting, and timing/scheduling that
provide equitable instructional and
assessment access for students with
disabilities.
Accommodations reduce or eliminate the
effects of a student’s disability and do not
reduce learning expectations.
17. ACCOMMODATIONS APPLICATIONS
The use of accommodations is linked through
each of these areas:
Classroom
instruction
Classroom State & district
assessments assessments
Content standards
18. ACCOMMODATIONS CATEGORIES
Presentation Accommodations
– Allow students to access information in ways that
do not require them to visually read standard
print. These alternate modes of access are
auditory, multi-sensory, tactile, and visual.
– Example – book on tape for a literature
assignment.
19. ACCOMMODATIONS CATEGORIES
Response Accommodations
– Allow students to complete assignments, tests,
and activities in different ways or to solve or
organize problems using some type of assistive
device or organizer.
– Example – use of calculator, fill in the blank
instead of essay.
20. ACCOMMODATIONS CATEGORIES
Setting Accommodations
– Change the location in which a test or assignment
is given or the conditions of the assessment
setting.
– Example – let the student take the test in tutorial
or a learning strategies class.
21. ACCOMMODATIONS CATEGORIES
Timing/Scheduling Accommodations
– Increase the allowable length of time to complete
a test or assignment and may also change the
way the time is organized.
– Example – the student works for a specified
period of time and then takes a short break.
– Example – student is given a specified extended
amount of time to complete an assignment or test.
22. Modification/Accommodation
Sorting Activity
In small groups, identify the listed items as:
– ACCOMMODATIONS
– MODIFICATIONS
Discuss what characteristics each group has
in common
23. Case Carrier Responsibilities for
Accommodations/Modifications,
Assessments and Grading
Share information with team
Clarify difference between
accommodations/modifications with team members
Ensure accommodations and modifications are
specifically documented on the IEP at the annual IEP
Share with team at the beginning of marking period
both what accommodations/modifications will be
used and how student will be graded
25. Documenting
Accommodations/Modifications
Need to be specifically identified in the
accommodations/modifications section
Share with each person responsible for
instructing the student
Verify whether accommodations or
modifications were used with staff at
progress reporting periods
26. WHAT DOESN’T WORK
Checking off every accommodation available
on the IEP form, hoping “something” will work
Adding accommodations to an IEP for state
assessments when the student does not use
the accommodation on a regular basis for
instruction and assessment
Unspecified timing and scheduling
Lack of communication with staff
27. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FOR USE
OF ACCOMMODATIONS
What are the student’s learning strengths
and needs?
How does the student’s learning needs affect
the achievement of grade level content
standards?
28. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What specialized instruction (e.g., learning
strategies, organizational skills, reading
skills) does the student need to achieve
grade level content standards?
What accommodations will increase the
student’s access to instruction and
assessment by reducing the effects of the
disability?
29. REVIEW CURRENT
ACCOMMODATIONS
What accommodations are currently used by
the student during instruction and for
assessments?
What are results for assignments and
assessments when accommodations were
used and not used?
Are there effective combinations of
accommodations?
30. REVIEW CURRENT
ACCOMMODATIONS
What difficulties did student experience when
using accommodations?
What is student’s perception of how well
accommodations “worked”?
What are perceptions of parents, teachers
and specialists about how well
accommodations “worked”?
31. BASED ON THIS REVIEW
Decide whether the student should
– Continue using an accommodation “as is”
– Use an accommodation with changes
– Have an accommodation discontinued
32. OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT MATCH
THE STUDENT’S NEEDS, CONSIDER:
The student’s willingness to learn to use the
accommodation
Opportunities to learn how to use the
accommodation in classroom settings
Conditions for use on state assessments
33. PLANNING USE OF NEW
ACCOMMODATIONS
Plan how a student will learn to use each
new accommodation
Be certain there is sufficient time to learn to
use instructional and assessment
accommodations before test day
Plan for the ongoing evaluation and
improvement of accommodations use
34. INVOLVE STUDENTS
Involve students in selecting, using, and
evaluating accommodations
The more input students have in selecting
their accommodations, the more likely the
accommodations will be used
Students should see accommodations as
adding value to their daily life—not only in
school—but for postsecondary, career, and
community life
36. COORDINATING THE LOGISTICS
Accommodations and modifications during
instruction
Logistics of providing the
accommodations/modifications must be mapped out
Case carrier is responsible for coordinating
assessment accommodations and modifications
Prepare for the implementation of accommodations
prior to, on, and after day of assessment
37. Tips for Using Accommodations &
Modifications
Before instruction
– adapting lesson plans
– adapting physical environment
– preview content and access prior knowledge
38. Tips for Using Accommodations &
Modifications
During instruction
– graphic organizers
– adapting teaching techniques
– adapting media
– adapting the format of content
39. Tips for Using Accommodations &
Modifications
After instruction
– study guides
– assessment
40. Outcome 5
Evaluate and improve
accommodations/modifications use
41. USING FORMATIVE EVALUATION
Use formative evaluation to turn over useful
information quickly to make improvements in
accommodation use
Useful information can be obtained from
members of the IEP planning team—
evaluation is a team effort
Formative evaluation is based on the
premise of using information for continuous
improvement
42. QUESTIONS TO GUIDE EVALUATION
What accommodations are used by the student
during instruction and on assessments?
What are the results of classroom assignments and
assessments when accommodations are/are not
used? If student not demonstrating expected
performance level, did student have access to
instruction in assessed content, receive
accommodation, or was accommodation not
effective?
43. QUESTIONS TO GUIDE EVALUATION
What is the student’s perception of how well the
accommodation “worked?”
What seem to be effective “combinations” of
accommodations?
What are the difficulties encountered in the use of
accommodations for a student?
What are the perceptions of teachers and others about
how the accommodation appears to be “working?”
44. TALKING TO PARENTS ABOUT
CERTIFICATE & DIPLOMA
Should begin BEFORE transition to high
school
Be data-driven and give examples
Clearly explain diploma requirements
Clearly explain what is gained in a certificate
program
One is not preferable to another; it is based
on student needs and data
45. CONSIDERATIONS FOR
DETERMINING WHETHER A STUDENT
RECEIVES A CERTIFICATE OR A
DIPLOMA
Nature of student’s disability
Rate of past progress
Grades and progress reports
General education teacher input
Use of accommodations and modifications,
and evaluation of their effectiveness
46. Accommodations & Modifications:
The Effect on Grading
Accommodations allow students access to
content AT GRADE LEVEL and students are
still graded on grade level standards
Modifications substantially alter or lower
grade level standards, and students are
graded alternatively according to their IEP
47. Accommodations/Modifications
Continuum
Enhancing
Environmental Participation
or Instructional & Guidance Difficulty
Change
Time
No
Functional
support Curriculum
required
Individualized Quantity Alternate
Reinforcers Input Goals
Output
Least Restrictive to Most Restrictive
48. Grading
Curriculum Standards
and Expectations
This student
meets enough ‘D-’ Grade
standards to
pass the class.
‘C’ Grade
‘B’ Grade
‘A’ Grade
49. Grading
Curriculum Standards
Student who is and Expectations
not able to
achieve a
minimum level
of proficiency
on standards
‘D-’ Grade
‘C’ Grade
MODIFIED
GRADE ‘B’ Grade
‘A’ Grade
51. Content Area Example: Math
The “Modified Algebra” Exception
Examples
– Accommodation: student uses a calculator to
compute volume of a prism; needs a copy of
teacher/student notes during instruction
– Modification: Simplified problems (one step
problems, when the expectation is two or more)
– Modifications must be based on the specific
needs of the student!
52. Content Area Example: English
Accommodation:
– Student uses word processing device for essay
instead of hand-writing it
Modification:
– Student produces shorter assignments on
simplified topics
53. Content Area Example: Social Studies
& Science
Accommodation:
– Student receives copy of teacher/student notes to
enable them to listen fully to lecture
– Oral test taking (without prompting for student
responses)
Modification:
– Student receives simplified assignments
– Removing two choices from multiple choice
questions on tests or exams
54. Content Area Example: P.E., Health &
Fine Arts
Accommodations:
– Oral test taking (without prompting for student
responses)
– Enlarging print on worksheets or assignments
Modifications:
– Expectation on project is lowered due to student’s
fine motor difficulty
55. Students in “Pull-Out” Special
Education Classes
Direct or Collaborative Classes – Are the
expectations the same as general education for the
grade level/content?
Modified (NS and SH)– A “modified” course indicates
that the standards have been fundamentally or
substantially lowered as compared to their general
education equivalents
– Students should not be receiving diploma credit for taking
“modified” courses because they haven’t met the minimum
standards for passing the course
56. Problems with Grade Inflation
Inflating grades because of pressure from
parents who want to see their children pass
classes alongside their same-age peers
Inflating grades via extra-credit assignments
Failing to provide reasonable accommodations
in accordance with the IEP
Failing to make use of differentiated instructional
strategies and co-teaching
57. Grade Inflation
High grades and low testing scores could
signal grade inflation
Be cautious of discrepancies between
student grades and achievement
Consider remediation, reassessments in
place of extra-credit assignments
Promote differentiated instruction so all
students gain equal access to content
58. Grade Inflation Cases
Two cases against Mountain Lakes Bd of Ed.
in New Jersey
Charges that the grades of students with
disabilities were inflated in mainstream
classes so that they could be passed through
the school system without regard to FAPE
59. How do we prevent grade inflation?
Monitor objective assessment data for
discrepancies between student grades and
achievement
Be prepared with concrete examples of equal
instruction and assessment
Editor's Notes
Include Matrix for Assessment Accommodations/Modifications
Refer back to list of “best teacher” characteristics
10 min.
Show Fat City video
Add accommodation page from IEP
Show Fat City video
Accommodation: student uses a calculator to compute the volumes, needs a copy of notes during instruction. Modification: Based on the specific need of the student! Simplify – student can only calculate volume, or a really low level example would be for a student with LIF to be able to describe the attributes of prisms, pyramids, cylinders, etc.
Key points Be cautious of discrepancies between student grades, achievement Consider remediation, reassessments in place of extra-credit assignments Promote differentiated instruction so all students gain equal access to content Prevent perception of grade inflation in inclusive classrooms The National Center for Education Statistics reported earlier this year that the overall grade-point average for high school students rose by a third to 2.89, or a B letter grade, from its average of 2.68 in 1990. Although NCES attributed the rise, in part, to higher student achievement, the federal agency also cited grade inflation as a reason for the increase. Accusations of grade inflation can create legal problems for your special education department. Two cases against the Mountain Lakes (N.J.) Board of Education , for example, included charges that the grades of students with disabilities were inflated in mainstream classes so that they could be passed through the school system without regard to FAPE (J.A. and J.A. ex rel. B.A. v. Mountain Lakes Bd. of Educ., 46 IDELR 164 (U.S. District Court, New Jersey, 2006) and Mountain Lakes Board of Education, 106 LRP 4782 (SEA NJ, 2005)). In both cases, the ruling stated no evidence of grade inflation existed. However, you can protect your special education department from similar accusations by monitoring objective assessment data for discrepancies between student grades and achievement. You also must be prepared to answer accusations with concrete examples of equal instruction and assessment. "Grade inflation is a subjective comment, so our district is very diligent about student data, looking for anything that is out of sync," said Connie Lewis , special education supervisor at the Mt. Lebanon (Pa.) School District . "Grades are validated by state testing, and these numbers create an ongoing discussion with principals and teachers for instruction decisions and teacher training." ________________________________________________________________ Special Ed Connection® related stories: Reports: NCLB must not lower expectations for students with special needs (June 20) Keep student perceptions in mind when plotting inclusive co-taught classrooms (Feb. 7 ) ________________________________________________________________ Administrators with Montgomery (Md.) County Public Schools also keep a close eye on objective assessments to identify any discrepancies between student achievement and grades, according to Gwendolyn Mason , director for the department of special education services. High grades and low testing scores could signal grade inflation. "Each school within MCPS has structured data monitoring teams that include general and special education representatives who examine the progress of all students," she said. Avoid problem practices Even if your district constantly monitors objective exams for evidence of grade inflation, you also should seek to avoid common educational practices that have come under fire. They include: Inflating grades because of pressure from parents who want to see their children pass classes alongside their same-age peers. Sherri Buss Rawlins , director of the Harvey County Special Education Cooperative in Newton (Kan.) Public Schools , recommended that you shift attention away from letter grades and more toward mastery of particular content or skills when discussing academic performance with parents. "The parents of students we serve are more concerned about the learning that is taking place," she said. "I seldom have a parent come to me with a concern about a specific grade." Inflating grades via extra-credit assignments. "We have no data that support a presumption that extra credit is being used to inflate grades in the district," Rawlins said. However, MCPS eliminated extra-credit assignments from all of its schools when the district switched to standards-based grading and reporting five years ago. "All students have the opportunity to be re-taught and reassessed under the new grading system," Mason said, instead of being given extra-credit assignments to make up for poor performance on homework or an exam. Failing to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the IEP. "I can't imagine anyone objecting to a wheelchair, Braille text, or amplification device as 'unfair' for students to have," Rawlins said. "So why is it not acceptable to make some adjustments for a child who has a neurological disability or a chemical imbalance?" The key is to make sure that accommodations are provided in accordance with students' IEPs, Mason said, so that students with disabilities have access to the general education environment to the maximum extent appropriate without giving them an "unfair" advantage. Failing to make use of differentiated instructional strategies and co-teaching. Differentiated instructional strategies should provide evidence that all students have access to the curriculum, and should eliminate the accusation that grades for special education students are in any way skewed to their advantage. Janet Niedzwicki , an inclusion specialist with Mt. Lebanon, said she believes differentiated instruction in inclusive classrooms can eliminate grade inflation because "the equal opportunities to participate benefit all students."