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Reading comprehension can sometimes be a challenge for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).﻿﻿ In order to grasp the reading material, a student must be able to recognize and decode words as well as sustain attention and effort. Reading comprehension requires the ability to effectively use working memory and process information in an efficient and timely manner.

Because children with ADHD have deficits in these areas, reading can be difficult. While research shows that treatment of ADHD is important in improving reading skills,﻿﻿ there are other strategies these students can use to improve literacy.

Expose Children With ADHD to High-Interest Literature

Have a kid with ADHD who's struggling to read well? Try giving such children books about subjects that actually interest them. If a student likes trains, for instance, have the child read a book about the topic. Giving children books about topics they enjoy can help them do a better job of recalling what they've read.﻿﻿ During the process, teach the student a variety of literacy strategies, including how to become an active reader.

Help Students With ADHD Stay Focused

Minimize outside distractions during reading time.﻿﻿ Some students do better reading in quiet places, while others prefer white noise, such as background sounds or music while reading. Allow the student to read in chunks of time, taking breaks to move around and refocus. Teach students how to use a bookmark to keep their place on the page. Slide the bookmark down the page one line at a time. When reading longer passages, help students break down reading material into shorter segments so it is not as overwhelming.

Teach Active Reading Strategies

Teach active reading strategies like underlining and note-taking.﻿﻿ Provide students with both regular and colored pencils, colored pens and highlighters, and post-it-notes. Use post-it-notes to jot down points to remember. Use various colors for highlighting important points or passages. Use pencils or markers to underline, star, circle, etc.

If the student is not able to write in the book, one option is for the parent to purchase a second copy of the book so that the student can highlight key information. Another option is to provide a photocopy of the material.

Walk the student through this process, explaining and modeling strategies, highlighting important points together. Continue to provide this guided practice to help the student develop competence with this "active reading" skill and others.

Preview Content to Improve Reading Comprehension

Preview content with the student. Summarize key points of the material to be read in the same sequence as it appears in the passage. Provide general information about the topic area, setting, characters, conflicts in the story, etc. Before the student begins reading a passage, walk him through several previewing techniques by reviewing the title of the reading selection, headings, illustrations, bolded or italicized sentences, sidebars, and chapter questions. Talk about how the reading material is organized.

Teach students how to find introductory paragraphs and summary paragraphs. Use story maps to help students identify and organize the main components of the reading material.﻿﻿ Review and provide definitions for any new vocabulary that will be found in the reading sections.

Teach Kids to Quietly Read Aloud

Teach the student how to subvocalize when reading. In contrast to silent reading, subvocalizing means saying the words you're reading aloud but very softly. Others should not be able to hear the student reading. Reading aloud is a good strategy to help with comprehension,﻿﻿ but for some students, it slows down the reading process and can be frustrating.

Use Monitoring Methods

Teach students techniques to monitor how well they understand what they're reading. Practice paraphrasing and summarizing paragraphs, asking questions about the material while reading, making predictions about what may happen next, and rereading for better clarity.

The teacher can model this skill by reading aloud to students and stopping at various points in the text to comment on the mental processes related to reading comprehension. When students read material they may benefit from using a tape recorder to summarize these processes with guided help from the teacher.

Another idea is for the teacher to help the student underline key ideas. Have the student read the highlighted points into the tape recorder, replay, and then talk about those ideas. Some students benefit from visualizing material, illustrating points, making diagrams and pictures to increase recall and comprehension of the main elements in a passage.﻿﻿

Give Students More Time to Read

Allow the student extended time for reading. Many students with ADHD who have weaknesses in working memory and a slower speed of processing information benefit from additional time to read and comprehend the material.﻿﻿ This extended time gives the student ample opportunity to effectively process the material. With more time, they can look back to clarify any confusion and reread the text for better understanding.

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The Best Way to Improve Reading Comprehension in Students With ADHD

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Reading comprehension can sometimes be a challenge for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).﻿﻿ In order to grasp the reading material, a student must be able to recognize and decode words as well as sustain attention and effort. Reading comprehension requires the ability to effectively use working memory and process information in an efficient and timely manner.

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For kids with dyslexia, reading can be challenging. Spelling and writing can be challenging too. What classroom accommodations help level the playing field for students with dyslexia? Here's a look at some of the supports teachers can use to help students who struggle with reading, spelling, and writing.

Classroom materials and routines

Post visual schedules and also read them out loud.

Provide colored strips or bookmarks to help focus on a line of text when reading.

Hand out letter and number strips so the student can see how to write correctly.

Use large-print text for worksheets.

Use audiobooks like those available through services like Bookshare, a free online library for students with disabilities.

Allow the student to use a text reader like a Reading Pen or text-to-speech software.

Use speech-to-text software to help with writing.

Have on hand "hi-lo" books (books with high-interest topics for students reading below grade level).

Provide extra time for reading and writing.

Give the student multiple opportunities to read the same text.

Use reading buddies during worktime (as appropriate).

Partner up for studying - one student writes while the other speaks, or they share the writing.

Pre-teach new concepts and vocabulary.

Provide the student with typed notes or an outline of the lesson to help with taking notes.

Provide advance organizers to help the student follow along during a lesson.

Provide a glossary of content-related terms.

Use visual or audio support to help the student understand written materials in the lecture.

Give step-by-step directions and read written instructions out loud.

Simplify directions using key words for the most important ideas.

Highlight key words and ideas on worksheets for the student to read first.

Check in frequently to make sure the student understands and can repeat the directions.

Show examples of correct and completed work to serve as a model.

Provide a rubric that describes the elements of a successful assignment.

Help the student break assignments into smaller steps.

Give self-monitoring checklists and guiding questions for reading comprehension.

Arrange worksheet problems from easiest to hardest.

Completing tests and assignments

Grade the student on the content that needs to be mastered, not on things like spelling or reading fluency.

Allow understanding to be demonstrated in different ways, like oral reports, posters, and video presentations.

Provide different ways to respond to test questions, like saying the answers or circling an answer instead of filling in the blank.

Provide sentence starters that show how to begin a written response.

Provide extended time for taking tests.

Provide a quiet room for taking tests, if needed.

Do you have a student with dyslexia? Read a one-page fact sheet to learn more about this common learning difference.

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

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Accommodations for Students With Dyslexia | Help in the Classroom

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For kids with dyslexia, reading can be challenging. Spelling and writing can be challenging too. What classroom accommodations help level the playing field for students with dyslexia? Here's a look at some of the supports teachers can use to help students who struggle with reading, spelling, and writing.

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Application of universal design to a science lab

Students with disabilities face access challenges to typical science labs in precollege and postsecondary settings. Access barriers may prevent a student from:

gaining knowledge,

demonstrating knowledge, and

fully participating in lab activities.

There are two approaches to making academic activities accessible to students with disabilities-accommodations and universal design (UD). Accommodations are alternate formats, assistive technology, and other adjustments for specific students once they are enrolled in a class. For examples of accommodations in science classes, consult the publications Working Together: Science Teachers and Students with Disabilities and The Winning Equation: Access + Attitude = Success in Math and Science.

Universal Design

The Center for Universal Design defines universal design as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." Applications of UD in education take proactive steps to create aademic products and environments that are accessible to students with a wide range of characteristics, including disabilities, thereby minimizing the need for future accommodations. For example, if a science lab contains an adjustable-height workstation, an accommodation will not be needed for a future student who uses a wheelchair that is too high for standard-height workstations. This workstation may also be comfortable for a student who needs to remain seated because of a health impairment or someone who is very tall or short in stature. In a science lab, UD can be applied to:

lab climate;

physical access, usability, and safety;

delivery methods;

information resources;

interaction; feedback;

assessment; and

plans for accommodations.

Making accommodations is reactive, whereas universal design is proactive.

Accommodations

Following are examples of accommodations that might benefit a student with a disability.

Use wheelchair-accessible labs and field sites.

Talk to a student about special learning needs and accommodation alternatives.

Provide a lab partner.

Use plastic instead of glass.

Allow extra time for set up and completion of lab work.

Address safety procedures for students with a variety of sensory and mobility abilities.

Use institutional resources for students with disabilities.

Typical science lab accommodations for students with specific disabilities include those in the following lists.

Blindness

Low Vision

verbal descriptions of demonstrations and visual aids

preferential seating to assure visual access to demonstrations

large print, high contrast instructions and illustrations

raised-line drawings or tactile models for illustrations

large print laboratory signs and equipment labels

video camera, computer or TV monitor to enlarge microscope images

hand-held magnifier, binoculars

large print calculator

Mobility Impairments

wheelchair-accessible field site

uncluttered lab; clear, wide aisles

preferential seating to avoid physical barriers and assure visual access to demonstrations

mirrors above the instructor giving a demonstration

an enlarged screen

wheelchair-accessible, adjustable-height work surface

non-slip mat

utility and equipment controls within easy reach from seated position

electric stirrer, container filler

support stand, beaker and object clamp; test tube rack

handles on beakers, objects, and equipment

surgical gloves to handle wet or slippery items

modified procedures to use larger weights and volumes

extended eyepieces so students who use wheelchairs can use microscopes

flexible connections to electrical, water, and gas lines

single-action lever controls in place of knobs

alternate lab storage methods (e.g.,"Lazy Susan," storage cabinet on casters)

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

preferential seating to view demos and watch instructor captioning for video presentations

written instructions prior to lab

visual lab warning signals

Learning and Attention Disabilities

Health Impairments

avoid chemical materials to which student is allergic or provide alternate assignment

flexible schedule and time allocation

Universal Design Considerations

Some of the accommodation suggestions listed above could be implemented within a lab now, anticipating that at some point a student with a disability may need access to the lab and that some changes may benefit all students. Here are some strategies that could be implemented in a science lab as a part of universal design efforts:

Provide both written and verbal instructions.

Give verbal and visual descriptions of demonstrations and visual aids.

Use plastic instead of glass.

Allow extra time for set up and completion of lab work.

Address safety procedures for students with a variety of sensory and mobility abilities, including the provision of visual lab warning signals.

Make laboratory signs and equipment labels in large print, with high contrast.

Ensure that field sites are wheelchair accessible.

Maintain wide aisles and keep the lab uncluttered.

Incorporate an adjustable-height work surface for at least one workstation.

Install a mirror above the location where demonstrations are typically given.

Use lever controls instead of knobs.

Install flexible connections to water, gas, and electricity.

Buy lab products that can be used by students with a variety of abilities (e.g., plastic lab products instead of glass, tactile models, large-print diagrams, non-slip mats, support stands, beaker and object clamps, handles on beakers and equipment, surgical gloves to handle slippery items, video camera with computer or TV monitor to enlarge microscope image).

Ensure that utility and equipment controls are within easy reach from a standing or seated position.

Provide surgical gloves for handling wet or slippery items.

Additional Resources

DO-IT has created a collection of videos and publications that help teachers make math and science teachers coursework accessible to students with disabilities. They include:

These titles may be freely accessed online. DVDs can also be purchased from DO-IT. Permission is granted to reproduce DO-IT videos and publications for educational, noncommercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.

For more information about universal design in academic settings, read Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction and Universal Design in Education: Principles, Practices, and Applications. For a comprehensive set of resources, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education. The book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice published by Harvard Education Press shares perspectives of UD leaders nationwide.

Communication Hints

Treat people with disabilities with the same respect and consideration with which you treat others. There are no strict rules when it comes to relating to people with disabilities. However, here are some helpful hints.

General

Blind or Low Vision

Be descriptive. Say, "The computer is about three feet to your left," rather than "The computer is over there."

Speak all of the content presented with overhead projections and other visuals.

When guiding people with visual impairments, offer them your arm rather than grabbing or pushing them.

Learning Disabilities

Offer directions or instructions both orally and in writing. If asked, read instructions to individuals who have specific learning disabilities.

Mobility Impairments

Sit or otherwise position yourself at the approximate height of people sitting in wheelchairs when you interact.

Speech Impairments

Listen carefully. Repeat what you think you understand and then ask the person with a speech impairment to clarify or repeat the portion that you did not understand.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Psychiatric Impairments

Provide information in clear, calm, respectful tones.

Allow opportunities for addressing specific questions.

About DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the University of Washington.

Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.

Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the University of Washington is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of Washington. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:

DO-IT
University of Washington
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
www.uw.edu/doit
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane

Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
DO-IT Funding and Partners
Acknowledgment

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement #HRD-0227995. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2008, 2006, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.

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Making Science Labs Accessible to Students with Disabilities

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Application of universal design to a science lab Students with disabilities face access challenges to typical science labs in precollege and postsecondary settings. Access barriers may prevent a student from: gaining knowledge, demonstrating knowledge, and fully participating in lab activities.

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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.

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Supports, Modifications, and Accommodations for Students

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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.

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I get a lot of questions about how I modify instruction and accommodate for Special Education students.

Here's how I modified students' instruction last year in a 5th grade science classroom. I had 10 students last year with an IEP (5 in two of my three classes). This seems like a lot of work and I'll be honest, it is! But it was a good use of my time to see how successful my students were when they were provided with these accommodations. Of course since every student has different needs, different things are provided. This is just a summary of how I provided the accommodations.

Here are the common accommodations that were commonly listed on IEPs:

Oral Tests:
During district tests or teacher-made quizzes, I had students sit at a table and I read each question aloud.

Oral Directions:
I give all directions aloud anyway. Usually, they are written down too. I read them and have students repeat them back to me.

Extended Time:
Students can have an extra day to complete an assignment or I reduce the assignment length.

Study Aids/ Manipulatives:
Students make models, learn vocabulary through hands-on opportunities, keep notes and information in their science notebooks, maintain a vocabulary notebook, and refer to anchor charts and acronyms posted in the classroom.

Repeated Review:
I meet with students in small group as often as possible for about 15-20 minutes at a time to review previously taught material. This is done while students work in stations.

Preferential Seating:
This depends on the student. Usually (s)he sit near a peer that enjoys helping others and works well with the student. I've seen this play out extremely well in several learning partnerships. The seat is in close view of the teacher when doing a whole group lesson.

Check for Understanding:
Sometimes, I check in with students during warm-ups or while setting up notebooks to preview the information. During the 10 minutes of Output time, I check in with students to make sure they understand the lesson.

Positive Reinforcement:
I use verbal praise for effort most often, as well as the PBIS reward system.

Note Taking Assistance:
Students are provided with notes that have blanks to fill in. They are responsible for adding key words and illustrations. During lessons with notebooks, they fill in what they need to make sense for them.
Here are some additional supports I've used:

Peer Tutoring with Learning Partners during stations

Retyped tests/quizzes so the print is larger, language is more clear, and there are fewer answer choices for multiple choice questions

Differentiated reading options

Online learning opportunities

Help students with setting up notebooks (pre-cut materials for some students or help with writing)

One of the Best Things You Can Do:
Know your kids. Know what works for them. If you're not sure, ask them! Give them different things to do and ask which helped them understand the most.

I hope this helps you generate ideas to assist your students in special education!

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Science Solutions: Special Ed Accommodations - The Science Penguin

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I get a lot of questions about how I modify instruction and accommodate for Special Education students. Here's how I modified students' instruction last year in a 5th grade science classroom. I had 10 students last year with an IEP (5 in two of my three classes).

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Why is My Child Struggling at School?

Learning that your child has LD or ADHD can be overwhelming. You suddenly find yourself in a world of unknowns, where everyone's speaking in terms you don't understand. Take a deep breath. The First Steps section of our website has you covered. Using straightforward, easy-to-understand language, this section provides the information you need to begin addressing your child's learning challenges.

What Are Learning Disabilities offers insights into specific learning disabilities and ADHD, including signs and symptoms, as well as the strengths associated with these difficulties to help you understand your child's unique learning profile.

Evaluating Your Child provides the guidance necessary to ensure that your child receives a comprehensive, reliable evaluation-the foundation upon which plans for his or her education will be built.

Tech Tools helps you evaluate the latest and best technologies designed to make learning easier in the classroom and at home.

Terms & Definitions is a glossary of commonly used words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to those new to LD and ADHD.

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Learning that your child has LD or ADHD can be overwhelming. You suddenly find yourself in a world of unknowns, where everyone's speaking in terms you don't understand. Take a deep breath. The First Steps section of our website has you covered.

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Difficulties in learning math seldom lead to referrals for learning disabilities evaluation, despite being specified in both federal and state LD definitions. School systems provide assessment and special services mostly on the basis of difficulties learning to read (dyslexia). So perhaps math difficulties are uncommon, not particularly serious, or maybe they don't impact adult functioning significantly?

Wrong, on all counts.

Contrary to the widespread neglect of math learning disabilities among children identified as LD, math dilemmas are common. Of course, there are LD students who excel in math. Interestingly, those with strong underlying math potential may stumble in the elementary years, but then soar once they enter higher realms of mathematics (after the language-heavy branch known as arithmetic).

Severe math disabilities exist across ability and achievement levels, even among strong readers successful in other areas-many not identified as LD.

Tragically, these are largely ignored until later years, by which time they have exacted a terrible toll. Despite the commonplace, "I-was-terrible-in-math-ha-ha," adults with serious math difficulties cite painful effects on their professional, practical, and emotional lives.

Sadly, neglect of math disabilities is reflected in teacher preparation. Both special educators and math teachers exit their preparation programs with little understanding of LD students' math needs-and no clue about students with severe math disabilities. The status quo, over decades now, remains: Even when math learning disabilities are noticed, there is little expertise to deal with them.

Profiles of Math LD

Students with LD affecting math experience differing intensities and kinds of difficulty. The profiles below reflect the different foundational math needs of two broad subgroups. Some students fit one profile, some the other (to mild, moderate or severe degrees), while others present with mixed profiles.
Profile 1: Language-Based LD "Glitches"
Students with language-based LD commonly have difficulties with elementary arithmetic procedures and basic facts, along with their reading/writing problems. Their struggles are not from serious math weakness, but are related to underlying language-based disabilities that affect verbal memory, procedural learning, sequential processing, and/or cognitive slippage, and sometimes distractibility and impulsivity.

Teachers assume these students' basic counting skills are intact, when often they are not. Math learners must become adept at a range of counting skills: counting-on, counting-back, counting-by, counting-on-by, and swinging with easy up-ten or back-ten from any number, to name a few. Such counting gymnastics comprise early "mental math" and reflect foundational understanding of the number system. Exercising counting arouses delight in young learners, tickling that sense of "I can" and promoting flexible math thinking.

While a foundational need for many LD youngsters, agility with the count/number system does not encompass all the arithmetic "glitches" they experience, which commonly include slow/inaccurate "basic facts," unreliable computing procedures, bedevilment with "careless" errors, and confusion from their teachers' math-language. All of these require sorting out and attentive, creative compensation.
Profile 2: Severe Math LD
A smaller LD math subgroup experiences spatially based math difficulties, often, though not always, accompanied by weaknesses in writing, interpreting graphs/maps/graphic organizers, along with some social misperception, and navigation confusion.

Students with "severe math-disability" or dyscalculia may (or may not) display neurological deficits and can demonstrate tremendous academic strength and talent, commonly in verbal areas, making it hard for the unskilled observer to catch the seriousness of their math needs.

Math conceptual understanding is grounded in spatial relations. For some learners, this spatial underpinning is underdeveloped or dysfunctional, resulting in their not "getting it" when math teaching attempts to connect with their underlying spatial-numerical substructure.

These students need to be guided back to vivid physical representations, constructing the foundation anew and relying on their relatively well-developed language in the process. Even though they may seem too old or too smart for this basic instruction, the key to securing a math foothold is returning to physical-numerical concrete representations (things), firmly connecting these to verbal representations (words) and to written symbols (numerals), and then linking these to actions on the number line (our number system).

All children benefit from concrete math materials; these students require them. The teacher models combining, separating, feeling/noticing, and comparing, while narrating their actions/thoughts aloud, followed by the student's show and tell.

This basic work proceeds, usually slowly, to connecting actions-and-words with concrete materials to written numerals, the number system (counting, number lines, and number grids), and then written algorithms. Students with severe math disabilities require highly concrete, language-intensified instruction, tailored to their particular needs.
Kate Garnett is a professor in the Department of Special Education, Hunter College, CUNY and a well-known expert on math learning disabilities.

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Difficulties in learning math seldom lead to referrals for learning disabilities evaluation, despite being specified in both federal and state LD definitions. School systems provide assessment and special services mostly on the basis of difficulties learning to read (dyslexia). So perhaps math difficulties are uncommon, not particularly serious, or maybe they don't impact adult functioning significantly?

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Learning Challenges for Students Disabilities

Science and math are critical subjects for students preparing for college and challenging careers. High school students with disabilities

are often discouraged from taking courses in these rigorous subjects, though.

When they do take science and math courses, students with disabilities face challenges in participating in classroom activities and in completing assignments. These challenges can affect students' performance in class and dissuade them from enrolling in college courses in science and math and pursuing careers in these fields.

Determining Accommodations

Accommodations and modifications in any type of class must be provided on an individual basis for students with disabilities. Appropriate accommodations depend on the type of disability - whether it is physical, intellectual, learning or sensory. Remember, though, that two individuals with the same disability can differ greatly in the type of accommodations needed.

One student with cerebral palsy (CP) may need a scribe to write assignments, for example, while another student with CP may be able to write, but need a wheelchair-accessible table. In determining individualized accommodations for a student, DO-IT, a project at the University of Washington, has developed a model process centered around these four questions:

1. What does this exercise or assignment require?

2. What physical, intellectual and sensory skills are needed?

3. What components of the exercise or assignment require accommodations?

4. What accommodation options exist?

List of Common Modifications By Need

While there are many accommodations and modifications in science and math for students with disabilities, some common ones include:
Physical Disabilities

Note taker or lab assistant

Group lab assignments

Use of scribe

Adaptive computer to type assignments

Adjustable tables and lab equipment within reach

Classrooms, labs and field trips in accessible locations

Additional time and separate room for test taking

Additional time for in-class assignments

Additional time in lab

Health Impairments

Note taker

Flexible attendance requirements and additional time for tests

Assignments in electronic format, use of email to facilitate communication, web-based materials and assignments

Learning Disabilities

Note takers or audio recorded class sessions

Captioned videos

Additional time for tests in separate room

Visual and tactile instructional demonstrations

Computer with voice output, spelling and grammar checker

Vision Impairments

Seating in the front of the class

Tactile drawings and graphs, and three-dimensional models

Assignments in electronic format

Large-print handouts, lab signs and equipment labels

TV monitor connected to microscope to enlarge images

Computer equipped to enlarge screen characters and images

Blindness

Audio, Braille or electronic notes, handouts and texts

Braille lab signs and equipment labels

Raised-line drawings, clay models, 3-D triangles and spheres for geometric shapes

Verbal descriptions of visual aids

Auditory lab warning signals

Adaptive lab equipment (talking calculators, talking thermometers, light probes, tactile timers)

Staples on sticks to indicate units of measurement

Computer with optical character reader, voice output, Braille screen display and printer output

Hearing Impairments

Interpreter or real-time captioning

Note taker

Open- or closed-captioned videos

Visual aids

Written assignments, lab instructions, and demonstration reviews

Use of email for class and private discussions

Visual warning system for lab emergencies

Science and math teachers should collaborate with special education teachers and students themselves in determining the most appropriate accommodations for individual students. Creative ideas and thoughtful collaboration can provide accessible academic opportunities for all students.

References

University of Washington. (2010). Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking & Technology. Retrieved June 24, 2010, from www.washington.edu/doit/

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Examples of Accommodations and Modifications in Science and Math for Students With Disabilities

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Students with disabilities should be encouraged to take science and math courses despite the challenges their disabilities impose. Accommodations and modifications in science and math for students with disabilities must be provided on an individual basis to create learning opportunities for these students.

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In the following section, suggested learner accommodations and instructional modifications are categorized according to types of problems that students who have math learning problems often display. The categories include: inattention/distractibility, organization, following directions, memory or recall, and understanding or comprehension. These categories are not mutually exclusive.

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Resources >> Browse Articles >> Special Education & Learning Disabilities

"Making the steps feel small and manageable is the key to success."

Kit Richert, Ph.D.

Most general education teachers will encounter students with IEPs. The majority of learning disabled students identified have processing problems that affect their reading or comprehension ability. Students with poor reading ability often have poor writing ability as well, since the two skills go hand in hand.

Although less frequent, there are learning disabilities specific to writing ability. One, called dysgraphia, is defined as difficulty expressing thoughts in writing. Where reading disabilities are typically related to impaired auditory and attention processing, Dysgraphia can be related to either motor, visual, or spatial processing problems.

* Your students with dysgraphia may exhibit the following academic symptoms:

* Slow writing speed

* Delays in writing achievement

* Difficulty with writing out math problems.

* Difficulty taking notes

* Poor spelling and handwriting

* Sometimes writing takes all the students focus and they cannot attend to lecture.

* Sometimes have difficulty with hand-eye coordination, or fine motor skills.

How to Help Your Students With Writing Disabilities

* Like all students with disabilities, make sure to read your student's IEP and list of required acommodations. Consult with the special education teacher or school psychologist for tips about your student's unique learning style.

* If lecture is important to attend to, make sure your student can get a copy of the notes (from either you or a buddy) so they do not miss important information by trying to take their own notes laboriously.

* Allow the student to type instead of writing out assignments. Encourage the use of a spell checker.

* Extend their time limit allowed on tests or writing intensive assignments.

* Decide on a learning goal for each writing assignment. If the focus is on the organization of the content of the writing, than do not grade harshly on spelling and handwriting. If spelling and handwriting are the focus, than go easy on the organization and content. It may help the child to make the goal clear and to alternate the focus so all skills are worked on, but in general, students will enjoy writing more when the focus is on expression of original ideas.

* On tests of knowledge, it may be appropriate to allow for the child to give answers orally, so they can convey what they have learned more easily.

* Provide graph paper for math assignments so it is easier for the student to write equations in columns or rows.

* Make sure the student has an appropriate grip on their pencil.

* Have the student talk aloud during writing assignments.

* Have the student orally construct their paragraphs over a tape recording, and then copy down their language from the recording.

* Break writing assignments into small steps, such as:

1. Making an outline. With topic for each paragraph.

2. Work on one paragraph at a time, on separate pages.

3. Focus first on getting ideas down on paper, saving the grammar, punctuation, and spelling for later drafts.

4. Combine the paragraphs, and re-polish the document.

For students with writing disabilities, motivation may be low for practicing writing. Making the steps feel small and manageable is the key to their success, in addition, hold on to old work over the year, and periodically show the student how much they have improved by comparing their old work with new work. Your student may be comparing their own writing ability to their peers, which may also cause them to get discouraged. Focus on comparing their old work with new work, and on achieving their personal best rather than how other students are writing.

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: accommodate students writing disabilities special education & learning disabilities benefits articles

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How To: Accommodate Students With Writing Disabilities

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Most general education teachers will encounter students with IEPs. The majority of learning disabled students identified have processing problems that affect their reading or comprehension ability. Students with poor reading ability often have poor writing ability as well, since the two skills go hand in hand.

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Students who have a specific learning disability in math (known as dyscalculia) can struggle with both simple and complex math topics. What accommodations can help students with dyscalculia? Here are some ways teachers can make learning easier.

Introducing new concepts/lessons

Review what the student already learned before teaching new skills.

Teach students to "self-talk" through solving problems.

Let the student write out charts or draw sketches to solve problems.

Use graph paper to help line up numbers and problems.

Give the student a list of the math formulas taught in the class.

Use like coins, blocks, and puzzles to teach math ideas.

Use attention-getting phrases like, "This is important to know because...."

Use concrete examples that connect math to real life.

Check in frequently to make sure the student understands the work.

Use graphic organizers to organize information or help break down math problems into steps.

Giving instructions and assignments

Create separate worksheets for word problems and number problems.

Highlight or circle key words and numbers on word problems.

Allow extra time on tests.

Give step-by-step instructions and have the student repeat them.

Provide charts of math facts or multiplication tables.

Use visual aids or manipulatives when solving problems.

Let the student use a calculator when computation isn't what's being assessed

Give a rubric that describes the elements of an assignment.

Use an extra piece of paper to cover up most of what's on a math sheet or test to make it easier to focus on one problem at a time.

Give more space to write problems and solutions.

Break down worksheets into sections.

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What types of accommodations can help students with dyscalculia? Here are dyscalculia accommodations teachers can use at school.

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Many students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have math learning disabilities, like dyscalculia, due to the multiple processes and brain functions needed to solve math problems.

Some math difficulties are specifically related to ADHD - inattention, organization, working memory, self-monitoring.

Others result directly from learning disabilities - sequential learning, perceptual-motor, and language weaknesses. Teachers can use the following math accommodations to support struggling students.
[Self-Test: Could My Child Have Dsycalculia?]
1. Allow extra time on tests so that students are not rushed. Also avoid, if possible, timed tests of basic facts, which students with ADHD or LD have difficulty memorizing. Even if they know facts by memory, they can choke on a timed test.

2. Provide frequent checks for accuracy when students are doing classwork. Set a certain number of problems to complete (one row only, or four or five problems), and check these before the student is permitted to continue. This is helpful for students who become frustrated by having to fix a lot of problems done incorrectly.

3. List the steps/procedures for multi-step problems and algorithms. Post clearly numbered steps, and/or give students a desk-copy model of steps needed to solve problems.

4. Keep sample math problems on the board, and have students write them in a notebook for reference.
[9 + 9 = 18 Tips to Sharpen Your Child's Math Skills]
5. Use individual dry-erase boards. Have students compute one step of a problem at a time, and ask them to hold up their boards upon your signal after each step.

6. Ask for choral responses in instruction - have the entire class chant in unison multiples, evens/odds, or place value.

7. Reduce the number of problems that you assign. Assigning 10 problems written neatly, with work shown - rather than a full page of problems - is enough to assess your students' understanding.

Adapted with permission from sandrarief.com, How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD, Second Edition, copyright 2005, and The ADD/ADHD Checklist, Second Edition, copyright 2008, by SANDRA F. RIEF, M.S.

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The Math Teacher's Guide to Helping Struggling Students

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Many students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have math learning disabilities, like dyscalculia, due to the multiple processes and brain functions needed to solve math problems. Some math difficulties are specifically related to ADHD - inattention, organization, working memory, self-monitoring. Others result directly from learning disabilities - sequential learning, perceptual-motor, and language weaknesses.

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By Amanda Morin

Students with dysgraphia can have trouble with handwriting, typing, and spelling. What classroom accommodations can help? Here are some ways teachers can make all aspects of writing easier.

Classroom materials and routines

Provide pencil grips or different types of pens or pencils to see what works best for the student.

Provide handouts so there's less to copy from the board.

Provide typed copies of classroom notes or lesson outlines to help the student take notes.

Provide extra time to take notes and copy material.

Allow the student to use an audio recorder or a laptop in class.

Provide paper with different-colored or raised lines to help form letters in the right space.

Provide graph paper (or lined paper to be used sideways) to help line up math problems.

Provide paper assignments with name, date, title, etc., already filled in.

Provide information needed to start writing assignments early.

Help the student break writing assignments into steps.

Provide a rubric and explain how each step is graded.

Give examples of finished assignments.

Offer alternatives to written responses, like giving an oral report.

Completing tests and assignments

Adapt test formats to cut down on handwriting. For example, use "circle the answer" or "fill in the blank" questions.

Grade based on what the student knows, not on handwriting or spelling.

Use a scribe or speech-to-text so the student can dictate test answers and writing assignments.

Let the student choose to either print or use cursive for handwritten responses.

Allow a "proofreader" to look for errors.

Provide extended time on tests.

Provide a quiet room for tests if needed.

Does your child struggle with handwriting? Explore fun, effective expert tips to practice at home.

Tell us what interests you

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Whitney Hollins is a special education teacher and adjunct instructor at Hunter College.

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Students with dysgraphia can have trouble with handwriting, typing, and spelling. What classroom accommodations can help? Here are some ways teachers can make all aspects of writing easier. Classroom materials and routines Provide pencil grips or different types of pens or pencils to see what works best for the student.

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Program accommodations and modifications are available to children who receive services under IDEA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

General Accommodations:

Large print textbooks
Textbooks for at-home use
Additional time for assignments
A locker with adapted lock
Review of directions
Review sessions
Use of mnemonics
Have student restate information
Provision of notes or outlines
Concrete examples
Adaptive writing utensils
Support auditory presentations with visuals
Use of a study carrel
Assistance in maintaining uncluttered space
Weekly home-school communication tools (notebook, daily log, phone calls or email messages)
Peer or scribe note-taking
Space for movement or breaks
Study sheets and teacher outlines
Extra visual and verbal cues and prompts
Lab and math sheets with highlighted instructions
Graph paper to assist in organizing or lining up math problems
Use of tape recorder for lectures
Use of computers and calculators
Books on tape
Graphic organizers
Quiet corner or room to calm down and relax when anxious
Preferential seating
Alteration of the classroom arrangement
Reduction of distractions
Answers to be dictated
Hands-on activities
Use of manipulatives
No penalty for spelling errors or sloppy handwriting
Follow a routine/schedule
Alternate quiet and active time
Teach time management skills
Rest breaks
Verbal and visual cues regarding directions and staying on task
Agenda book and checklists
Daily check-in with case manager or special education teacher
Adjusted assignment timelines
Visual daily schedule
Varied reinforcement procedures
Immediate feedback
Work-in-progress check
Personalized examples

Testing and Assessment Accommodations:

Answers to be dictated
Frequent rest breaks
Additional time
Oral testing
Untimed tests
Choice of test format (multiple-choice, essay, true-false)
Alternate ways to evaluate (projects or oral presentations instead of written tests)
Accept short answers
Open-book or open-note tests
Read test and directions to student
Provide study guides prior to tests
Highlight key directions
Test in alternative site
Use of calculator or word processor
Extra credit option
Pace long-term projects
Preview test procedures
Simplified test wording; rephrased test questions and/or directions

General Modifications:

Allow outlining, instead of writing for an essay or major project
Use of alternative books or materials on the topic being studied
Computerized spell-check support
Word bank of choices for answers to test questions
Provision of calculator and/or number line for math tests
Film or video supplements in place of reading text
Reworded questions in simpler language
Projects instead of written reports
Highlighting important words or phrases in reading assignments
Modified workload or length of assignments/tests
Modified time demands
Pass/no pass option
Modified grades based on IEP

Behavior modifications:

Breaks between tasks
Cue expected behavior
Daily feedback to student
Have contingency plans
Use de-escalating strategies
Use positive reinforcement
Use proximity/touch control
Use peer supports and mentoring
Model expected behavior by adults
Have parent sign homework
Have parent sign behavior chart
Set and post class rules
Chart progress and maintain data
Related Smart Kids Links

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Examples of Accommodations & Modifications | Smart Kids

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Program accommodations and modifications are available to children who receive services under IDEA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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Adapting Mathematics Instruction in the General Education Classroom for Students with Mathematics Disabilities | LD Topics | LD OnLine

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LD OnLine is the leading website on learning disabilities, learning disorders and differences. Parents and teachers of learning disabled children will find authoritative guidance on attention deficit disorder, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dysnomia, reading difficulties, speech and related disorders.

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individuals with disabilities education act

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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.

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Google Docs - create and edit documents online, for free.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.