# data[].attributes.headline
Supports, Modification, and Accommodations for Students 

# data[].attributes.subject
Supports, Modification, and Accommodations for Students 

# data[].attributes.body
Gives different types of supports, helps explain terminology, and tells you about different services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
September 2010 | Links updated, February 2016
A legacy resource from NICHCY

For many students with disabilities-and for many without- the key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations, and modifications made to the instruction and other classroom activities.

Some adaptations are as simple as moving a distractible student to the front of the class or away from the pencil sharpener or the window. Other modifications may involve changing the way that material is presented or the way that students respond to show their learning.

Adaptations, accommodations, and modifications need to be individualized for students, based upon their needs and their personal learning styles and interests. It is not always obvious what adaptations, accommodations, or modifications would be beneficial for a particular student, or how changes to the curriculum, its presentation, the classroom setting, or student evaluation might be made. This page is intended to help teachers and others find information that can guide them in making appropriate changes in the classroom based on what their students need.

Part 1: A Quick Look at Terminology
Part 2: Different Types of Supports

Part 1: A Quick Look at Terminology

You might wonder if the terms supports, modifications, and adaptations all mean the same thing. The simple answer is: No, not completely, but yes, for the most part. (Don't you love a clear answer?) People tend to use the terms interchangeably, to be sure, and we will do so here, for ease of reading, but distinctions can be made between the terms.

Sometimes people get confused about what it means to have a modification and what it means to have an accommodation. Usually a modification means a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student. Making an assignment easier so the student is not doing the same level of work as other students is an example of a modification.

An accommodation is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability. Allowing a student who has trouble writing to give his answers orally is an example of an accommodation. This student is still expected to know the same material and answer the same questions as fully as the other students, but he doesn't have to write his answers to show that he knows the information.

What is most important to know about modifications and accommodations is that both are meant to help a child to learn.

Part 2: Different Types of Supports

Special Education

By definition, special education is "specially designed instruction" (§300.39). And IDEA defines that term as follows:

(3) Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction-(i) To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability; and(ii) To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. [§300.39(b)(3)]

Thus, special education involves adapting the "content, methodology, or delivery of instruction." In fact, the special education field can take pride in the knowledge base and expertise it's developed in the past 30-plus years of individualizing instruction to meet the needs of students with disabilities. It's a pleasure to share some of that knowledge with you now.

Adapting Instruction

Sometimes a student may need to have changes made in class work or routines because of his or her disability. Modifications can be made to:

For example:

Jack is an 8th grade student who has learning disabilities in reading and writing. He is in a regular 8th grade class that is team-taught by a general education teacher and a special education teacher. Modifications and accommodations provided for Jack's daily school routine (and when he takes state or district-wide tests) include the following:

Jack will have shorter reading and writing assignments.

Jack's textbooks will be based upon the 8th grade curriculum but at his independent reading level (4th grade).

Jack will have test questions read/explained to him, when he asks.

Jack will give his answers to essay-type questions by speaking, rather than writing them down.

Modifications or accommodations are most often made in the following areas:

Scheduling. For example,

giving the student extra time to complete assignments or tests

breaking up testing over several days

working in a small group

working one-on-one with the teacher

providing audiotaped lectures or books

giving copies of teacher's lecture notes

using large print books, Braille, or books on CD (digital text)

Instruction. For example,

reducing the difficulty of assignments

reducing the reading level

using a student/peer tutor

Student Response. For example,

allowing answers to be given orally or dictated

using a word processor for written work

using sign language, a communication device, Braille, or native language if it is not English.

Because adapting the content, methodology, and/or delivery of instruction is an essential element in special education and an extremely valuable support for students, it's equally essential to know as much as possible about how instruction can be adapted to address the needs of an individual student with a disability. The special education teacher who serves on the IEP team can contribute his or her expertise in this area, which is the essence of special education.

Related Services

One look at IDEA's definition of related services at §300.34 and it's clear that these services are supportive in nature, although not in the same way that adapting the curriculum is. Related services support children's special education and are provided when necessary to help students benefit from special education. Thus, related services must be included in the treasure chest of accommodations and supports we're exploring. That definition begins:
§300.34 Related services.
(a) General. Related services means transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes...

Here's the list of related services in the law.

speech-language pathology and audiology services

interpreting services

psychological services

physical and occupational therapy

recreation, including therapeutic recreation

early identification and assessment of disabilities in children

counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling

orientation and mobility services

medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes

school health services and school nurse services

social work services in schools

This is not an exhaustive list of possible related services. There are others (not named here or in the law) that states and schools routinely make available under the umbrella of related services. The IEP team decides which related services a child needs and specificies them in the child's IEP. Read all about it in our Related Services page.

Supplementary Aids and Services

One of the most powerful types of supports available to children with disabilities are the other kinds of supports or services (other than special education and related services) that a child needs to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate. Some examples of these additional services and supports, called supplementary aids and service s in IDEA, are:

adapted equipment-such as a special seat or a cut-out cup for drinking;

assistive technology-such as a word processor, special software, or a communication system;

training for staff, student, and/or parents;

peer tutors;

a one-on-one aide;

adapted materials-such as books on tape, large print, or highlighted notes; and

collaboration/consultation among staff, parents, and/or other professionals.

The IEP team, which includes the parents, is the group that decides which supplementary aids and services a child needs to support his or her access to and participation in the school environment. The IEP team must really work together to make sure that a child gets the supplementary aids and services that he or she needs to be successful. Team members talk about the child's needs, the curriculum, and school routine, and openly explore all options to make sure the right supports for the specific child are included.

Much more can be said about these important supports and services. Visit our special article on Supplementary Aids and Services to find out more.

Program Modifications or Supports for School Staff

If the IEP team decides that a child needs a particular modification or accommodation, this information must be included in the IEP. Supports are also available for those who work with the child, to help them help that child be successful. Supports for school staff must also be written into the IEP. Some of these supports might include:

attending a conference or training related to the child's needs,

getting help from another staff member or administrative person,

having an aide in the classroom, or

getting special equipment or teaching materials.

The issue of modifications and supports for school staff, so that they can then support the child across the range of school settings and tasks, is also addressed in our article on Program Modifications for School Personnel.

Accommodations in Large Assessments

IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or district-wide assessments. These are tests that are periodically given to all students to measure achievement. It is one way that schools determine how well and how much students are learning. IDEA now states that students with disabilities should have as much involvement in the general curriculum as possible. This means that, if a child is receiving instruction in the general curriculum, he or she could take the same standardized test that the school district or state gives to nondisabled children. Accordingly, a child's IEP must include all modifications or accommodations that the child needs so that he or she can participate in state or district-wide assessments.

The IEP team can decide that a particular test is not appropriate for a child. In this case, the IEP must include:

an explanation of why that test is not suitable for the child, and

how the child will be assessed instead (often called alternate assessment).

Ask your state and/or local school district for a copy of their guidelines on the types of accommodations, modifications, and alternate assessments available to students.

Even a child with many needs is to be involved with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. Just because a child has severe disabilities or needs modifications to the general curriculum does not mean that he or she may be removed from the general education class. If a child is removed from the general education class for any part of the school day, the IEP team must include in the IEP an explanation for the child's nonparticipation.

Because accommodations can be so vital to helping children with disabilities access the general curriculum, participate in school (including extracurricular and nonacademic activities), and be educated alongside their peers without disabilities, IDEA reinforces their use again and again, in its requirements, in its definitions, and in its principles. The wealth of experience that the special education field has gained over the years since IDEA was first passed by Congress is the very resource you'll want to tap for more information on what accommodations are appropriate for students, given their disability, and how to make those adaptations to support their learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supports, Modifications, and Accommodations for Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
September 2010 | Links updated, February 2016 A legacy resource from NICHCY For many students with disabilities-and for many without- the key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations, and modifications made to the instruction and other classroom activities.

# data[].attributes.body
Explains what accommodations are and what they are for.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kids with learning and attention issues often face barriers to learning. For instance, if your child has ADHD, she may not be able to sit still long enough to do math problems. If she has reading issues, she may struggle to learn history from a traditional textbook. Fortunately, there are changes in the classroom-called accommodations -that can remove these barriers.

Read on to learn more about what accommodations are and how they can help your child.

What Accommodations Are

Accommodations are changes that remove barriers and provide your child with equal access to learning. Accommodations don't change what your child is learning. Rather, they change how your child is learning.

Here's a classic example. Let's say your child is taking an American history class, but she struggles with reading. As an accommodation, the teacher lets her listen to an audiobook version of the textbook.

By using an audiobook, she can learn history without her reading issues getting in the way. This has removed a barrier to her learning.

Accommodations don't change what your child is expected to know or learn. They don't lower expectations. Your child may use an audiobook in American history, but she's still expected to learn about events like the Civil War. And she still must complete all assignments and take exams, just like her peers. The accommodation simply helps her work around her challenges.

This is what makes accommodations different from modifications. A modification changes what your child is expected to know or learn. In American history, for instance, a modification may be that a child only needs to learn half of the material in the textbook.

Types of Accommodations

Accommodations work best when they target a specific barrier or challenge. For instance, for the child who can't sit still to do math, an accommodation may be frequent breaks. For the child who struggles to write out answers on tests, an accommodation may be to have her give answers orally. The accommodation matches the need.

Here are four categories of accommodations for different needs.

How to Get Accommodations for Your Child

If you think accommodations may help your child, talk to her teacher. Often, the teacher may agree to informal supports. These simple changes don't require paperwork. It doesn't take much, for example, for the teacher to move your child's seat away from a noisy classroom door that's distracting.

If your child needs bigger changes, however, you may want to seek formal accommodations. Under federal law, kids with disabilities have the right to equal access to learning. This means accommodations for their disabilities, which can include learning and attention issues. To exercise this right, you must ask the school to evaluate your child.

"Accommodations don't change what your child is expected to know or learn. They don't lower expectations."

The evaluation can lead to an IEP or a 504 plan for your child. You and the school decide together what accommodations to write into the plan. By law, this must also cover any accommodations on state tests. (Learn about the difference between IEPs and 504 plans.)

Just because an IEP or a 504 plan lists accommodations, however, doesn't mean they're always followed in the classroom. It's still important to check in with the teacher. And it's important to talk with your child about how the accommodations are working.

Schools are usually open to providing accommodations. The bigger challenge is choosing the right accommodations and keeping track of which ones are most helpful.

If an accommodation is in place, but your child isn't using it, find out why. Also, if your child gets accommodations on state tests, it's important for her to use them regularly in class. This helps her get familiar with the accommodations.

Accommodations Outside the Classroom

Learning and attention issues don't just create challenges in school. They also affect everyday life. That's why accommodations also exist outside the classroom. But instead of providing an equal opportunity to learn, they provide an equal opportunity to participate.

Accommodations can apply to many activities. You may see them used in driver's tests, the workplace, summer camps, sport clubs and even at Disney World.

Some of these accommodations are provided informally. Often, though, there's a specific process you need to follow to get them. Outside of school, kids with disabilities have a legal right to reasonable accommodations. To learn more, read how the Americans with Disabilities Act protects your child.

Accommodations can be a powerful tool for helping your child by removing barriers to learning. Learn more:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Accommodations: What They Are and How They Work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids with learning and attention issues often face barriers to learning. For instance, if your child has ADHD, she may not be able to sit still long enough to do math problems. If she has reading issues, she may struggle to learn history from a traditional textbook.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a video of an example of implementing accommodations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
NCEO - National Center on Educational Outcomes

# data[].attributes.body
Explains the difference between modification and accommodations

# data[].attributes.headline
Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities 

# data[].attributes.subject
Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities 

# data[].attributes.body
Gives examples of possible accommodations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What are accommodations?

Accommodations are alterations in the way tasks are presented that allow children with learning disabilities to complete the same assignments as other students. Accommodations do not alter the content of assignments, give students an unfair advantage or in the case of assessments, change what a test measures. They do make it possible for students with LD to show what they know without being impeded by their disability.

How does a child receive accommodations?

Once a child has been formally identified with a learning disability, the child or parent may request accommodations for that child's specific needs. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states that a child's IEP (Individualized Education Program) team - which both parent and child are a part of - must decide which accommodations are appropriate for him or her. Any appropriate accommodations should be written into a student's IEP.

Here are some examples of possible accommodations for an IEP team to consider, broken into six categories:

Presentation:

Provide on audio tape

Provide in large print

Reduce number of items per page or line

Provide a designated reader

Present instructions orally

Response:

Allow for verbal responses

Allow for answers to be dictated to a scribe

Allow the use of a tape recorder to capture responses

Permit responses to be given via computer

Permit answers to be recorded directly into test booklet

Timing:

Allow frequent breaks

Extend allotted time for a test

Setting:

Provide preferential seating

Provide special lighting or acoustics

Provide a space with minimal distractions

Administer a test in small group setting

Administer a test in private room or alternative test site

Test Scheduling

Administer a test in several timed sessions or over several days

Allow subtests to be taken in a different order

Administer a test at a specific time of day

Other

Provide special test preparation

Provide on-task/focusing prompts

Provide any reasonable accommodation that a student needs that does not fit under the existing categories

Should accommodations have an impact on how assignments are graded?

School assignments and tests completed with accommodations should be graded the same way as those completed without accommodations. After all, accommodations are meant to "level the playing field," provide equal and ready access to the task at hand, and not meant to provide an undue advantage to the user.

What if accommodations don't seem to be helping?

Selecting and monitoring the effectiveness of accommodations should be an ongoing process, and changes (with involvement of students, parents and educators) should be made as often as needed. The key is to be sure that chosen accommodations address students' specific areas of need and facilitate the demonstration of skill and knowledge.

To find specific technology for particular accommodations, go to Tech Matrix . Choose a subject area and /or a learning support need. The matrix will generate a list of products to consider.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
individuals with disabilities education act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The National Center for Learning Disabilities presents examples of accommodations that allow students with learning disabilities to show what they know without giving them an unfair advantage. Accommodations are divided into the following categories: how information is presented to the student, how the student can respond, timing of tests and lessons, the learning environment, and test scheduling.

# data[].attributes.body
Shows examples of the types of modifications that are NOT appropriate

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Good modifications are a wonderful way to support your students with disabilities so they can experience everything the general curriculum has to offer. But bad modifications-at best, they don't help, and at worst, they can do more harm than good.
So how do you know the difference?
Before we get to that, here's a quick refresher on the difference between modifications and accommodations, in case you'd like a clearer definition. Our friend Nicole Eredics at came up with this elegant little chart that summarizes the differences really well; with her permission, I'm including it here:

To summarize the difference, here's a quote from "Accommodations change Understood.org: how a student learns the material. A modification changes what a student is taught or expected to learn." Both happen within the general education classroom, but an IEP team might choose modifications to make the curriculum accessible and appropriate for a student with more significant learning needs.

When modifications are chosen over accommodations, sometimes there's confusion about what types of alterations should be made to best help the student succeed. Let's look at some examples. In The Speech-Language Pathologist's Handbook for Inclusive School Practices, Julie Causton and Chelsea Tracy-Bronson list the top 10 worst types of classroom modifications for students with disabilities. (They count them down from 10 to 1 like Letterman used to, but this top 10 is definitely the opposite of funny.)

Here's their list of examples:

10. The seventh grade class is doing math, but one student is using Sesame Street blocks to work on counting.

9. The class is watching a video, but one student who is blind is sent out of the room because she can't see.

8. The classroom is arranged with desks in groups of five, but one student is seated in a group with only two desks, one for him and one for his assistant.

7. While the rest of the high school class is doing reports on nutrition, one student is given a tub of dry beans and rice to "explore."

6. Fourth-grade students are adding adjectives to sentences, but because the SLP has not yet put adjectives on one student's communication board, the student does not participate in this lesson.

5. During silent reading, the SLP takes one student to the back of the classroom to work on articulation.

4. Because one student has dressing goals on her individualized education program, she puts on and takes off her shoes two times when she gets ready for gym class.

3. Because one student does not yet read, she listens to a music tape while the teacher reads aloud to the class.

2. A student who types to communicate is provided with a device only during language arts class.

1. A 12-year-old student goes with the second-grade class to physical education because his gross motor skills are "at that level."

You can see what's going on in these examples. Age-inappropriate materials that may embarrass a student and affect the way her peers perceive her. Classroom arrangements and schedules that physically divide a student from his same-age peers. "Modifications" that don't have much to do with the lesson and don't presume a student's competence.

So how do we choose good modifications?

You'll know a modification is good when it helps your student participate meaningfully and productively in class. Good modifications focus on a student's individual strengths and needs, use age-appropriate materials, are relevant to the content everyone else is learning, and reflect a culture of high expectations. Causton and Tracy-Bronson share some solid modification ideas in their book -maybe you've tried some of these already in your own classroom.

( Please note that this list doesn't provide direct, 1:1 alternatives to the "worst modifications" above-these are just a few options for helping students access the curriculum, and they won't work for every learner. Your students will have a broad range of skills and abilities, and the modifications you choose should always be personalized to their specific strengths and needs.)

Reword test items using simplified language.

Reduce the number of problems or questions on a test.

Provide a topic bag filled with a variety of interesting objects that directly relate to the content.

Modify a worksheet with easier-to-read numbers and allow use of a calculator.

Present picture communication symbol choices on tests.

Allow spelling support from a spell-check program.

Have a student create an outline instead of an essay.

Provide a word bank of choices on a test.

Have a peer summarize a reading assignment for a student who needs support (be careful not to call on the same peer to help every time-mix it up, and you'll benefit everyone).

Want more ideas to add to your toolbox? In today's download, you'll get 100+ quick tips for modifications, adaptations, and accommodations. You'll find a list of content-specific ideas for different subjects-math, reading, science, art, and more-and a list of supports for everyday activities, including test-taking, giving oral presentations, and getting organized. Print it and keep it handy (and share with your favorite teacher, too)!

Download 100+ bright ideas for modifying content and activities!

New to the Brookes Inclusion Lab? Keep reading-check out our archive of Inclusion 411 posts , packed with practical tips and free downloads!

Read more posts and get more infographics inspired by Julie Causton's books:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Worst Modifications for Students with Disabilities (and 100+ Good Ones!)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Good modifications are a wonderful way to support your students with disabilities so they can experience everything the general curriculum has to offer. But bad modifications-at best, they don't help, and at worst, they can do more harm than good. So how do you know the difference?

# data[].attributes.body
Excellent ideas of modification based on the subject

# data[].attributes.body
Classroom Based Assessment and Observation Report

# data[].attributes.body
Form to allow student to test depending on their accommodation

# data[].attributes.body
A great video of examples of common misperceptions of accommodation that some teachers might have

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
NCEO - National Center on Educational Outcomes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
V2-1: Discussing Common Misperceptions about Accommodations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A special education teacher and math teacher discuss common misperceptions about accommodations. The special education teacher explains how accommodations "level the playing field" for students with disabilities rather than giving them an unfair advantage. The teachers then discuss which accommodations may be useful for the student.