Accommodations and Modifications Successful Classrooms, Successful Teaching Rethinking the way we do

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Accommodations and ModificationsSuccessful
Classrooms, Successful TeachingRethinking the
way we do things!

• Ervin Knezek
• ervin.knezek_at_esc13.txed.net
• PowerPoint and materials available at
• www.esc13.net/cc/inclusion.html

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Objectives

• Determine appropriate use of accommodations and
  modifications
• Discuss ways to scaffold accommodations
• Analyze the impact of accommodations and
  modifications on the state assessments
• Discuss ways to transition accommodations

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How did we get here?
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• Instructional decisions should always inform and
  guide assessment decisions.

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Develop a Common Vocabulary!

• Intervention
• Strategies for strengthening processes for
  learning
• Does NOT change the content of instruction.
• Accommodation
• a change in teaching or learning strategies based
  on the specific needs of a student with a
  disability (e.g., oral testing, highlighted
  textbooks, short answer tests) (strategy to
  bypass a process)
• Does NOT change the content of instruction.
• Modification
• a change in the curriculum of a course (e.g.,
  eliminating one or more of the TEKS or changing
  the grade level of certain TEKS)
• Changes the content of instruction

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Understanding the difference

• Intervention
• Strengthen
• Link material to previous learning
• Chunking
• Mnemonics
• Tutoring

• Accommodation
• By-pass
• Copy of notes
• Recorded text
• Highlighted text
• Shortened assignment

• Modification
• Change
• Reduce the number of TEKS to be mastered
• Off grade level instruction

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AccommodationsDesigned to help the child to be
able to do the same work as his or her peers.
Following are some examples of the six types of
accommodations

• Size-Reduce the number or amount of an
  assignment.
• Time- Adjust how long the child is given to
  complete tasks.
• Input-Teaching strategies that are used that help
  the child be able to understand what he or she is
  learning (e.g. a video, computer programs, visual
  aids, graphic organizers).
• Level of Support-Cooperative groups, a peer
  buddy, a mentor or a paraeducator are used to
  help the child learn.

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AccommodationsDesigned to help the child to be
able to do the same work as his or her peers.
Following are some examples of the six types of
accommodations

• Difficulty-Skills are varied, different levels
  and processes of being able to understand so the
  child can learn (e.g. using a calculator, having
  tests or lessons, other than reading, read to the
  child, making abstract concepts concrete).
• Output-Ways the child can demonstrate what he or
  she has learned (e.g. Giving answers to tests or
  assignments orally instead of written, typing
  instead of handwriting, using the childs sensory
  modality preference, such as auditory, visual or
  tactile/kinesthetic, using the childs multiple
  intelligence strengths (verbal-linguistic,
  ligical-mathematical, visual-spatial,
  bodily-kinesthetic, musical-rhythmic,
  interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist).

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Selecting accommodations

• increased access to learning
• promotion of student independence
• use across environments and tasks
• technological features like software and
  compatibility with other devices
• ease of use (set-up, operation)
• amount of training required for the student and
  teacher
• cost to purchase and maintain

Use self advocacy strategies
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A Tool
Frequently Accommodating
How long has the student had the accommodation?
www.esc13.net/cc/inclusion.html
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How do we accommodate?

• Presentation Accommodations
• Response Accommodations
• Timing/Scheduling Accommodations
• Setting Accommodations

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?
?
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ModificationsDesigned to help the child to be
able to do similar schoolwork as his or her
peers, because what the child is expected to
learn is different from his or her peers.
Following are some examples of the three primary
types of modifications

• Participation-The degree to which what the child
  is expected to do is different from that of other
  students at the same age/grade level.
• Alternate Goals-The outcome expectations are
  adapted (e.g. The child will copy information
  instead of composing information).
• Substitute Curriculum-A different textbook on the
  same subject is used.

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How do we modify?

• Less material
• (e.g., fewer objectives, shorter units or
  lessons, fewer pages or problems)
• Reducing assignments and tests so that a student
  only needs to complete the easiest problems or
  items.
• Revising assignments or tests to make them easier
• (e.g., crossing out half of the response choices
  on a multiple choice test so that a student only
  has to pick from 2 options instead of 4).
• Giving a student hints or clues to correct
  responses on assignments and tests.

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Youre not ready
Rigor of content
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Using the modifications sheet (or is it an
accommodations sheet?)

• Look at the Modifications sheet
• At your table determine which are
  accommodations, modifications, interventions
• Scaffold at least one

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Math Test/Assignment Activity
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• Is the assessment already modified?
• Why?
• How would you fix that?
• Modify the assessment
• Accommodate the assessment

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Unit Accommodations Rubric
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(No Transcript)
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Accommodations Analysis or Paralysis?

• How do we prepare students for success?

State Assessment
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Modifications Creating a scene for success

• How do we prepare students for success?

Modified Curriculum
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Differences Between SDAA II and TAKS

• Larger font size
• More white space
• Slightly shorter reading and writing passages
• More illustrations accompanying passages and test
  items
• Slightly fewer items on some tests

• SDAA II assesses ALMOST all the same TEKS as TAKS
  (see SDAA II/TAKS/TEKS Correlation Guide)
• Differences between TAKS and SDAA II do not
  affect level of TEKS curriculum assessed

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Blueprints
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Blueprints
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A Tool
Sorting Cards!
TAKS
SDAA II
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A Tool
Think about how to get the right answer. Think
about how to get the wrong answer!
Thinking Thing
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Getting on the Same Page with the TEKS

• Key vocabulary
• Language of instruction
• Level of rigor

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What Are the Priority Standards?

• EEssential Most Critical 50 of Objectives
• IImportant Next 30
• Important now but master later
• CCondensed Last 20
• Scaffolded objectives
• Less instructional time required

• Plan for the essential first, never compromise on
  time with essentials
• The more students are at risk, the more time
  allocated to essentials
• Focus on essentials for remediation and
  acceleration

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What do we do?

• Relook at every accommodation.
• Determine if/how we are doing informal
  modification
• Use self advocacy strategies
• Use metacognitive strategies with students
• Ask if student are really accessing the general
  curriculum
• Use materials which are not inherently modified

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Keep track!

• Document
• Accommodations used
• Test results when accommodations are used
• Student's perception of how well the
  accommodation "worked",
• What happens when the student doesn't use the
  accommodation,
• What combinations of accommodations work better,
• Perceptions of teachers and therapists about how
  the accommodation appears to be working
• BRING IT TO THE ARD!

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• Contact Information
• ervin.knezek_at_esc13.txed.net
• www.esc13.net/cc/inclusion.html