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This was presented in the Least Restrictive & Inclusive Practices Presentation #1

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Supporting Inclusive Practices (SIP) Project

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Find out more about CAST. We’re busting barriers to learning, until learning has no limits®.

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SIP Main Website

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Supporting Inclusive Practices provides statewide technical assistance to educational communities in pursuit of inclusive & equitable systems.

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"I Now Pronounce You..." The Marriage of UDL and Co-Teaching 

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"I Now Pronounce You..." The Marriage of UDL and Co-Teaching 

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Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing

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Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms. Founded in 2011, Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a frictionless environment to get more done.

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The End of Average!? Disrupting the green of education!

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Shelley Moore: Transforming Inclusive Education

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Bringing Support TO the Students Just Let them Eat Cake!

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Bringing Support TO the Students Just Let them Eat Cake!

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Bringing Support TO the Students Just Let them Eat Cake!

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Don't Should on Me: It's not easy being NOT green

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Don't Should on Me: It's not easy being NOT green

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Don’t Should on Me: It’s not easy being NOT green

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The Evolution of Inclusion: The past and future of education

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How to Use Accommodations and Modifications in the Classroom

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How to Use Accommodations and Modifications in the Classroom

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In a busy classroom, it can be daunting to meet the varied learning needs of all your students. Knowing you're also responsible for implementing instructional accommodations and modifications in students' IEPs and 504 plans can make it feel even more challenging. But with the right information, you can provide these important supports to help all students thrive.

Here are key concepts to keep in mind and steps you can take to implement accommodations and modifications for your students.

Accommodations and Modifications: Key Concepts

These important ideas can help you implement accommodations and modifications effectively.

Fair does not mean equal. Students and some teachers may worry that having extra supports in place for some students gives them an unfair advantage. But it's important to remember that all students have individual strengths and needs. Accommodations and modifications are designed to level the playing field. Focusing on equity can help give everyone a chance to thrive in the classroom.

Collaboration is critical. Partnering with special education staff and related service providers can help you understand the purpose of the accommodations and modifications. It also gives you the chance to work through challenges you're having in implementing these supports. Some accommodations may be easy to use in the classroom. Others might require more time to learn to use-for both you and your students.

Don't be afraid to ask your colleagues for help if you're not sure how to implement an accommodation, modify a lesson, or use a specific type of assistive technology.

Students and their families are key partners. Ongoing communication and trusting relationships can help you learn more about how students are doing with the supports they're receiving. At first, some students might not feel confident coming to you to talk if they have concerns about using their accommodations. You can check in with parents to ask: Do the students feel comfortable using the accommodations? Do they find the accommodations easy to access? How could you work together to make the supports even more helpful?

Planning with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can eliminate extra work. Applying UDL principles in your lessons can meet the needs of the whole range of students in your classroom. By proactively anticipating barriers to learning, you can build in supports that help all students access the material. And by making these supports available to all students, you're recognizing that students who have IEPs and 504 plans aren't the only ones who have challenges.

Students may not need to use an accommodation for every lesson. Most students who learn and think differently spend the majority of their school day in the general education classroom. But these students vary in the amount of support they need. Some need accommodations in just one or two classes or subjects. Others might need them across the board.

If students are successful during a lesson, they may choose not to use their accommodations for that lesson. If your students' work is up to the same standards as their peers' work, you don't need to insist that they use accommodations. You just need to provide these supports as an option.

Once you know the basic concepts, there are practical steps you can take to implement accommodations and modifications for your students.

1. Read your students' IEPs and 504 plans. Each student's plan should make it clear which accommodations or modifications are needed and in what context. As you read, highlight any questions you have about how to implement each accommodation or modification and what it should look like in the classroom. Write down the accommodations and modifications.

2. Learn to use the materials yourself. Familiarize yourself with the accommodation if you don't know enough about it. After all, it's hard to help a student learn to use a support if you aren't sure how to use it yourself. Draw on the power of collaboration. The technologist or occupational therapist should provide you and the student with training on how and when to use specific tools.

3. Plan how to set up your classroom to use these tools most effectively. If a student's accommodation orassistive device means they need to be close to a power outlet, how can you arrange classroom seating so the student doesn't have to sit away from peers?Other questions to consider:

Do you need a dedicated space to store equipment when it's not in use?

Where can you place physical accommodations, like slant boards or fidgets, so students can access them discreetly and without disrupting your lesson?

4. Give students time to practice using new accommodations. Introduce the use of a new tool or support when students are working with content they know well. That way they're not trying a new way to approach work and trying to learn new information at the same time.

5. Anticipate and address any questions other students might ask.Some students may be very aware that a classmate is getting extra support, while other students may not even notice. Whether students raise questions or not, it's important to establish a classroom culture that prioritizes inclusion and belonging. Begin by setting a standard in your classroom that everyone has different strengths and challenges, and that it's OK to ask for and receive what you need to thrive.

If the question of "fair" comes up, point out that some disabilities aren't visible. Remind your students that everyone learns and processes information differently. With this information, your class can come to understand that students receive accommodations so they can learn the way they need to.

6. Keep track of when students use their accommodations. Take notes about when students use their accommodations independently, when you need to suggest using the supports, when students choose not to use them, and the outcomes. This is quick and easy to do with a customizable tracker.

You can use this tool in many ways. You can use it to remind yourself which supports each student needs. This can be helpful as you plan lessons and as you teach.

The tracker can also help you keep a record of how often students use supports. This information can be valuable to the IEP team if they want to learn whether supports are working or need to be changed. The team may also want to know if students can use the supports without prompting.

A third way you can use the tracker is with an instructional coach or mentor. If you want to improve how you use accommodations and modifications, your coach can be a third-party observer and use the tracker to give you feedback about how you use the supports.

7. Evaluate the use of the accommodation or modification. Reflecting on notes from your tracker can help you find patterns. You may realize that a student won't use an accommodation if they have to self-advocate for it. You may also learn that a student doesn't need the support in a certain subject area. Or you may find that you can provide the most commonly used accommodations and modifications to your whole class with some tweaks to the classroom environment.

8. Suggest adjustments as necessary. Both IEPs and 504 plans are legally binding documents. As a result, you can't make the decision to change or discontinue accommodations and modifications. But you can ask the student support team to revisit them if the data you've collected shows that something else might be more effective. Talk with the IEP case manager or 504 coordinator about setting up a meeting to discuss whether to make changes.

Giving All Students What They Need

Providing accommodations and modifications for students who learn and think differently can be challenging-but it's entirely doable. With careful planning, collaboration with the student support team, and a way to track your efforts, you can make your classroom a place where all students have what they need to learn.

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin&nbsp

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jenn Osen-Foss, MAT&nbsp

is an instructional coach, supporting teachers in using differentiated instruction, interventions, and co-planning.

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How to Use Accommodations and Modifications in the Classroom

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In a busy classroom, it can be daunting to meet the varied learning needs of all your students. Knowing you're also responsible for implementing instructional accommodations and modifications in students' IEPs and 504 plans can make it feel even more challenging. But with the right information, you can provide these important supports to help all students thrive.

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The Difference Between Accommodations and Modifications

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The Difference Between Accommodations and Modifications

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When a student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan, you'll likely hear the word accommodation. You may also hear school staff members say modification. While the two words sound similar, they mean different things.

An accommodation changes how a student learns the material. A modification changes what a student is taught or expected to learn. Here is a chart that explains the differences.

Classroom instruction

Accommodations can help kids learn the same material as their peers. This allows them to meet the same expectations.

A student with dyslexia, for example, might listen to an audio version of a book. But it's still the same book that the rest of the class is reading. Likewise, a student who has trouble focusing might get seated next to the teacher, but still has to do all the regular class assignments.

Kids who are far behind their peers may need changes to the curriculum they're learning. These are called modifications.

For example, a student could be assigned shorter or easier reading assignments, or homework that's different from the rest of the class. Kids who receive modifications are not expected to learn the same material as their classmates.

Classroom tests

Accommodations for testing can be different from those used for teaching.

For example, using spell-check might help a student with writing difficulties take notes during class. However, it wouldn't be appropriate during a weekly spelling test. At the same time, this student might benefit from having extra time to complete the spelling test or using a keyboard if the physical act of writing is difficult.

Modifications in testing often mean that a student covers less material-or material that is less complex.

For example, a spelling test may require the class to study 20 words. However, a student with modifications might only have to study 10 of them. Or there might be two different lists of spelling words. With a modification, what the student is tested on is different.

Standardized testing

Statewide tests allow some accommodations like extra time or taking a test on a computer. It's best if these are the same accommodations a child uses to take class tests.

Some students take what's called an alternate assessment. This state test includes modifications to the regular test. Questions might be fewer or not cover the same material as the standard exams. Also, the results are interpreted differently. Before you agree to an alternate assessment, find out what the impact will be on your child's academic and work future.

Gym, music, and art class

Accommodations for "special" classes like gym, music, and art can be helpful for some kids.

These are similar to accommodations in the classroom. Kids might get extra time to learn to play an instrument. Or they may be allowed to complete an art project in a different format.

Sometimes, an assignment in a class like gym, music, or art is unreasonable for your child. When this happens, a modification may be made.

For example, the gym teacher might reduce the number of laps a student needs to run. The music teacher might not require a child to learn how to read music.

To learn more, watch as an expert explains the difference between accommodations and modifications.

About the Author

About the Author

The Understood Team&nbsp

is made up of passionate writers, editors, and community moderators. Many of them learn and think differently, or have kids who do.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Donna Volpitta, EdD&nbsp

is coauthor of The Resilience Formula: A Guide to Proactive, Not Reactive, Parenting.

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The Difference Between Accommodations and Modifications

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When a student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan, you'll likely hear the word accommodation. You may also hear school staff members say modification. While the two words sound similar, they mean different things. An accommodation changes how a student learns the material.

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Common Accommodations and Modifications in School

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Common Accommodations and Modifications in School

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Common Accommodations and Modifications in School

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Refer to this checklist of common modifications and accommodations to get to know options for struggling students.

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For kids with learning and thinking differences, school can be challenging. If a child is struggling, one possible strategy is giving him less schoolwork or simpler assignments. This is called a modification . It's not the same as an accommodation. While modifications can make school easier for kids, they can have serious drawbacks, too.

Here's what you need to know about academic modifications.

Most schools have academic standards for what kids are expected to learn in each grade. These apply to reading, math and other subjects. For instance, third graders are usually expected to learn multiplication.

Modifications change these expectations. They're typically used when a child has trouble keeping up in school.

Take a third grader with dyscalculia who hasn't mastered addition. A school may offer a modification where the child keeps working on addition, while his peers move on to multiplication. Or he may learn multiplication, but only with basic problems. Or he could have fewer test questions or less homework.

Keep in mind that only students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans can have modifications. The IEP team or the school will decide if modifications are right for the child.

Watch as an expert explains more about modifications.

Modifications vs. Accommodations

Along with modifications, you may also hear the term accommodations . They're not the same as modifications.

Modifications change what a child is taught or expected to do in school. Accommodations change how a child learns or accesses the curriculum.

Here's an example to help explain the difference. Imagine a third-grade class is expected to read Kate DiCamillo's chapter book, Because of Winn-Dixie. However, Bret, a student with dyslexia , is struggling to read the book at the same pace as the rest of the class.

An accommodation could be to let Bret use text-to-speech (TTS) technology to read the book aloud. TTS, like other dyslexia accommodations, can help Bret keep up with the rest of class as they read and learn about the whole book.

On the other hand, a modification could be that Bret only has to read part of the book. Or, he may be assigned a simpler book to read.

Pros and Cons of Modifications

Modifications are controversial among schools, teachers and parents.

It's true that modifications can make school less of a struggle for students, including kids with learning and thinking differences. But the result of modifications can be that a child learns less than his peers. He might fall behind on important skills. Over time, this can put a child at a big disadvantage.

For example, some states require a high school exit exam to graduate. A student that's had modified coursework won't be in a good position to pass this exam. Also, in some states, a child who's received modifications may not be eligible for a high school diploma. This will limit the child's future career and education options.

Of course, some kids with learning and thinking differences need modifications in specific academic areas. For instance, kids with dyslexia can have trouble with spelling. An IEP team may decide that spending a lot of time learning spelling isn't a good use of a particular student's time. So the team may create a modification that allows the student to learn fewer spelling words and use spell-check instead.

Kids who are far behind and can't yet work at grade level may also need modifications. For example, if a child is reading several grades below grade level, his IEP may include modifications for reading. However, the IEP must still have ambitious goals to help the child make progress toward the grade-level standard.

Because of the downsides, experts recommend parents try accommodations before modifications. Another alternative to modifications is to use different teaching strategies to help kids keep up.

Some kids with learning and thinking differences may need modifications for specific academic areas.

Modifications can result in learning less, and over time that can be a big disadvantage for a student.

Experts recommend trying accommodations before modifications.

About the Author

About the Author

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD&nbsp

is an editor and former attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Melody Musgrove, EdD&nbsp

served as director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education.

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For kids with learning and thinking differences, school can be challenging. If a child is struggling, one possible strategy is giving him less schoolwork or simpler assignments. This is called a modification . It's not the same as an accommodation. While modifications can make school easier for kids, they can have serious drawbacks, too.

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Terms You May Hear From Learning Specialists

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Terms You May Hear From Learning Specialists

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Learning specialists might use terms you're not familiar with to talk about your child's learning differences.

Assistive technology is any kind of tool that helps a student work around his issues.

Learning specialists may refer to the DSM-V. This is the guide doctors and specialists use to diagnose learning disabilities.

If you meet with a learning specialist to talk about your child, you may hear terms like "modifications" and "accommodations." If you're not sure what these terms mean it can be hard to follow the discussion. This printable mini-glossary can make it easier.

Average range is a term therapists use when testing a child for learning differences. If a child falls below the "average range" for reading, for instance, it may mean he has a reading disability .

DSM-5 stands for The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. The DSM-5 (also called DSM-V) is the guide doctors and specialists use to diagnose learning disabilities.

Understanding terms like these can make it easier to communicate with learning specialists. It's helpful to know education terms, too. Explore words educators use.

Intelligence quotient (IQ) is an intelligence test score. Most kids with learning and thinking differences have an average or above-average IQ.

A learning specialist might talk about screening. Screening is often the first step in determining whether a child has a learning difference.

Understanding terms learning specialists use can help you advocate for your child.

About the Author

About the Author

Erica Patino&nbsp

is an online writer and editor who specializes in health and wellness content.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ginny Osewalt&nbsp

is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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Terms You May Hear From Learning Specialists

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Learning specialists might use terms you're not familiar with to talk about your child's learning differences. Assistive technology is any kind of tool that helps a student work around his issues. Learning specialists may refer to the DSM-V. This is the guide doctors and specialists use to diagnose learning disabilities.

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Universal Design For Learning (UDL): A Teacher's Guide

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Universal Design For Learning (UDL): A Teacher's Guide

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed by CAST, an Understood founding partner. UDL guides the design of learning experiences to proactively meet the needs of all learners. When you use UDL, you assume that barriers to learning are in the design of the environment, not in the student. UDL is based on brain science and evidence-based educational practices. It also leverages the power of digital technology.

Imagine this: Your students are going to write an essay on the stages of butterfly metamorphosis.

Some students have seen butterflies grow through the different stages at a local science museum. These students are excited to share what they know. Other students don't know anything about butterflies and are nervous to write about the topic. And some students don't like to write-they dread this activity from the moment you say "essay."

In any class, you know there's a wide range of enthusiasm, background, and skills among your students. When you plan with this range in mind, you could approach the lesson in several ways.

You could share a mini-lesson on butterfly metamorphosis and have students use a guided worksheet as they write. Or you could set up stations where students are grouped using flexible grouping around understanding of the topic, language ability, or reading level.

But take a step back. In any lesson or task, you can anticipate this range of variability among your students. There's another approach you can take to plan for this variability in all your lessons: Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Why Use Universal Design for Learning?

The ultimate goal of UDL is for all learners to become "expert learners." Expert learners are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal-directed about learning.

UDL is a powerful approach because from the very start of your lesson, it helps you anticipate and plan for all your learners. It can help you make sure that the greatest range of students can access and engage in learning-not just certain students.

You don't need specific tools or technologies to follow UDL's principles either. Instead, your students choose from the tools and resources you already have. They might use them in different ways.

Also, UDL may change how you think about what prevents students from learning. Instead of thinking that something needs to change about the students, UDL looks at the learning environment. The learning environment can include barriers to learning, like the design of the curricular goals, assessments, methods, and materials. In this way, the learning environment itself can be "abled" or "dis-abled."

UDL gives you a framework to follow so you can reduce the barriers to learning. The main way to do this is to prepare a learning environment where students have what they need to flexibly meet learning goals.

What Does UDL Look Like in the Classroom?

Universal design can be found just about anywhere you look-both inside and outside your school. Curb cuts change sidewalks so that they're accessible to the greatest range of users, including people who use wheelchairs and those pushing strollers. Closed captions make television accessible to people who are deaf or who have hearing loss, as well as people at the gym or spouses who can't agree whether or not to keep the TV on at night. No two forms of universal design are the same.

Universal Design for Learning looks different in every classroom. But there are commonalities. To start with, there's always a focus on building expert learning for all. Other common elements of a UDL experience include:

All learners knowing the goal

Intentional, flexible options for all students to use

Student access to resources from the start of a lesson

Students building and internalizing their own learning

In a UDL environment, students rarely do the same task in the same way at the same time. The flexible options will differ across developmental ages. But the framework for having clear goals and flexible options is consistent no matter the grade level or content areas.

The Three Principles of UDL and How to Use Them

UDL describes human variability based on parts of the brain that manage the "why" (affective network), the "what" (recognition network), and the "how" (strategic network) of learning. Watch as CAST co-founder David Rose explains why UDL emphasizes variability instead of disability.

CAST developed UDL guidelines that are based on three main principles that align with these learning networks. The three UDL principles are engagement, representation, and action and expression.

The chart below includes the three UDL principles adapted from CAST. It also gives you some questions to consider and lists some examples of the principles in action. You can print a one-page version of this chart to have on hand while planning a lesson, activity, or routine for your students.

Families may not be familiar with the concept of students being active participants in setting their learning goals. They may have questions about letting students make their own learning choices.

Explain at back-to-school night or in a class that you'll be using Universal Design for Learning. You can even share a family-friendly article about the UDL approach to teaching.

Assure families that you have high expectations for all students to become expert learners in your classroom. And explain that you'll keep working with the students and their families to build the skills and interest to make that happen.

Additional CAST Resources to Explore

About the Author

About the Author

Allison Posey, MEd, CAST, Inc.&nbsp

is a curriculum and design specialist at CAST.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Brittney Newcomer, MS, LSSP&nbsp

is the director of instructional design at Understood for Educators, which she joined after serving in public schools for more than a decade as a teacher, evaluator, and curriculum manager.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Teacher's Guide

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework developed by CAST, an Understood founding partner. UDL guides the design of learning experiences to proactively meet the needs of all learners. When you use UDL, you assume that barriers to learning are in the design of the environment, not in the student.

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6 Common Myths About Learning and Thinking Differences

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6 Common Myths About Learning and Thinking Differences

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There's a lot of misunderstanding about learning and thinking differences like dyslexia and ADHD . Here are some of the most common myths-and facts to debunk them.

Myth #1: Learning and thinking differences aren't real.

Myth #2: Learning and thinking differences aren't common.

Myth #3: People who learn and think differently aren't smart.

Myth #4: People who learn and think differently are "just being lazy."

Myth #5: Kids grow out of learning and thinking differently.

Myth #6: People who learn and think differently can't do well in school or at work.

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6 Common Myths About Learning and Thinking Differences

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There's a lot of misunderstanding about learning and thinking differences like dyslexia and ADHD . Here are some of the most common myths-and facts to debunk them. Myth #1: Learning and thinking differences aren't real. Myth #2: Learning and thinking differences aren't common. Myth #3: People who learn and think differently aren't smart.

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For Teachers: What to Expect in an IEP Meeting

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For Teachers: What to Expect in an IEP Meeting

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Imagine this scenario: You open your school email or check your mailbox and find a notice for an IEP meeting. You know some of the students in your general education classroom have IEPs (Individualized Education Programs). You also know you're responsible for implementing accommodations and other supports in the classroom. But you may not be sure about your role as a general education teacher in the IEP meeting.

You're not alone in having questions about IEP meetings. If you're not a special education teacher, you may not have a lot of training around the IEP process.

Here are some of the basics: An IEP lays out the special education instruction and unique supports and services a student with disabilities will receive to make progress in school. The written document that outlines the program is a legal document.

Creating an IEP is a collaborative process between a student's family and the school aimed at meeting the unique needs of the student. The program can be changed if it's not providing the support the student needs to make progress.

When it comes time for an IEP meeting, here are four things you need to know about your role:

1. General education plays a big part in special education.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that governs special education. It's vast, so you're not expected to know all the ins and outs of it. But there are a couple of key concepts to understand.

Free, appropriate public education: IDEA guarantees every student a free, appropriate public education (or FAPE). For most students, FAPE is provided through the general education curriculum. That may look different for students with disabilities. Some may need special education and related services (like speech therapy, occupational therapy, or counseling) to make reasonable progress. The IEP outlines that specific student's program.

Least restrictive environment: IDEA says that students who receive special education should be educated in the least restrictive environment (or LRE) "to the maximum extent that is appropriate." Put more simply, they should spend as much time as possible in general education classes.

Research shows that students who learn and think differently spend the majority of the school day in general education classrooms. With that in mind, speak up for the resources, training, and support you need to make LRE work for you and your students.

Special classes, separate schools, or removal from general education classes shouldn't be the IEP team's first consideration. The team should only consider these placements when a student's disability is so severe that FAPE can't be provided in the general education classroom-even with supports and services.

2. You are a required member of the IEP team.

Each person on the team plays a different role. IDEA requires that at least one general education teacher be part of the team. As a general education teacher, you know the curriculum for your grade level (and subject). You also know the academic and behavioral expectations of your class.

At an IEP meeting, you bring that perspective to the table. It means you can answer parents' and guardians' questions about what their child will be learning in your class. It also means you have important information. You can help the team decide what type of support, services, and instruction students may need to help them meet grade-level standards.

Depending on where you are in the school year, you may have already had the chance to build a positive, trusting relationship with the student's family. That allows you to serve the important role of bridging communication between families and other staff they may not know yet.

3. You will provide information on progress.

At the IEP meeting, every teacher and related service provider will give an update on progress. If a student already has an IEP, be sure to review the current IEP goals to be able to talk about progress. Gather relevant work samples and other data for the meeting, too. You might bring the following documents to the meeting:

Recent work samples, assessments, and current grades

Information on which accommodations the student chooses to use in your class (even if they're not in the current IEP) and how often they're used

Progress monitoring data from response to intervention (RTI) or other instructional interventions data

Notes and data on any behavioral issues and the interventions you've used to help

Be ready to speak about the student's growth and strengths as well as challenges. Speaking personally about students' personalities, interests, and hobbies shows you've taken the time to get to know them. It lets families know you know the value of getting to know their child.

Teacher-to-Teacher Tip: Before an IEP meeting, I sometimes interview my students to ask what accommodations have worked best for them. If the student isn't attending the IEP meeting, I bring that information to share with the team. If a student does attend the meeting, I support them in self-advocating for the accommodations that have worked for them in class. -Lauren Jewett, Understood Teacher Fellow

4. You can ask questions, raise concerns, and suggest solutions.

You'll hear a lot of jargon and acronyms in discussions about special education. If you're not sure what another team member is talking about, it's OK to ask for clarification. You probably won't be the only person at the table who needs an explanation. Asking for simple clarifications can often be a way to advocate for the student and family.

Know, too, that it's important to discuss any challenges you're having in working with the student. It can be scary to talk about difficulties. But in the end, it benefits the student. Tell the team what you've tried already and ask them to help brainstorm other solutions. Let families know you want their ideas and feedback, too. They know the student in a way the rest of the team doesn't and may have unique answers.

It's important to understand which specific goals and objectives you will be responsible for supporting. If you're not sure how to implement an accommodation, behavior plan, or anything else in the IEP, be sure to let the team know. Tell them you'll need time to consult with the special education teacher or specialist. Speak up about what training or other support you will need. That way it can be written into the IEP.

By law, IEP teams must meet at least once a year to review the student's goals and progress. But any member of the team-including you-can ask for a meeting at any time if things aren't going as expected. Don't hesitate to talk to the special education teacher about having a meeting if you think it's necessary.

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin&nbsp

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Brittney Newcomer, MS, LSSP&nbsp

is the director of instructional design at Understood for Educators, which she joined after serving in public schools for more than a decade as a teacher, evaluator, and curriculum manager.

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For Teachers: What to Expect in an IEP Meeting

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Imagine this scenario: You open your school email or check your mailbox and find a notice for an IEP meeting. You know some of the students in your general education classroom have IEPs (Individualized Education Programs ). You also know you're responsible for implementing accommodations and other supports in the classroom.

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           Least Restrictive Environment & Inclusive Practices

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           Least Restrictive Environment & Inclusive Practices