Accommodations

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Accommodations

• Accommodations and Modificationsfor Students
  with Disabilities Project
• Learning Systems Institute, Florida State
  University

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Workshop Outcomes

• Participants will be able to
• Explain how accommodations and modifications
  provide students with disabilities access to the
  curriculum
• Identify different types of accommodations
• Determine how accommodations may be used on FCAT
  and Floridas End-of-Course Assessments
• Explain the importance of monitoring the
  effectiveness of accommodations

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How Do We Provide Access?
Accommodations and Modifications
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Confused by Vocabulary?

• Accommodations
• Change how students learn and ways they
  demonstrate what they have learned

• Modifications
• Change what students are expected to learn and
  demonstrate

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What Are Accommodations?

• Change how students are instructed and assessed
• Expectations for student achievement do not
  haveto change.

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Access Points

• Next Generation Sunshine State Standards Access
  Points
• Challenging learning expectations for students
  with significant cognitive disabilities
• Aligned with benchmarks for each grade
• Assessed through Florida Alternate Assessment

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Progress toward Grade-level Benchmarks

• Most students with disabilities are working
  toward achievement of grade-level benchmarks,
  with or without accommodations.
• Students may be at different points alongthe
  learning path.

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Modifications may involve

• Students not working on grade level standards
• Students working toward modified occupational
  completion points (MOCPs)

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Access..

Its thelaw!
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Who is eligible for accommodations?

• Students who havebeen evaluated andstaffed
  into ESEprograms for students with disabilities
• Students with disabilities who have Section 504
  plans

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Accommodations and modifications are

• a team decision.

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Its important to

• Consider the needs of each student with
  disabilities on an individual basis

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Accommodations may be provided in four general
categories.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
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Presentation Accommodations

• Accessible instructional materials
• Present content in the form the student can
  understand and use
• Students with disabilities may need
• Presentation supports
• Specialized presentation formats

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Who Needs Presentation Supports?

• Difficulty focusing attention on written text
• Positioning tools (tilt top desk, book stand)
• Ruler or guide to isolate line of text
• Difficulty decoding or comprehending written
  words
• Digital text with electronic supports
• Highlighting or color-coding
• Preview of vocabulary or key points

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Who Needs Presentation Supports?

• Difficulty understanding information presented
  through lectures or discussions
• Explicit cues to identify important information
• Note-taking assistance
• Difficulty understanding and following oral
  directions
• Visual cues (color coding, numbering steps)
• Directions repeated, summarized, or clarified

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Who Needs Specialized Presentation Formats?
Tactile
Visual
Auditory
Large Print
Braille
Oral Presentation
Sign Language
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Response Accommodations

• Allow students to use different ways to complete
  assignments and assessments and demonstrate their
  knowledge and skills
• Students with disabilities may need
• Response supports
• Alternate response modes

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Who Needs Response Supports?

• Difficulty with motor aspects of writing
• Adapted writing tools
• Writing guides for letter formation and spacing
• Difficulty planning, organizing, and drafting
  writing
• Graphic organizers and outlining techniques
• Quick reference guides

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Who Needs Response Supports?

• Difficulty with oral expression
• Increased wait time
• Visuals, such as drawings, pictures or graphics
• Difficulty with mathematical concepts and
  procedures
• Adapted calculator
• Planning guides (T-charts, flow charts)
• Gridded paper for computation

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Who Needs Alternate Response Modes?

• Unable to express thoughts orally
• Sign language
• Augmentative and alternative communication
• Unable to use handwriting
• Word processor/computer
• Voice recorders or speech recognition software

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Temporary Task Adaptations

• Temporary learning supports that decrease
  difficulty of task
• Hints to correct answers (page numbers)
• Reducing number of options for multiple-choice
  questions
• Providing a word bank forfill-in-the-blank items
• Adaptations are gradually
• eliminated.

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Who Needs Setting Accommodations?

• Difficulty due to mobility or sensory impairments
• Accessible workstations or areas in classroom
• Special equipment and adaptive furniture
• Difficulty controlling own behavior
• Individual or small group setting
• Behavior plan

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Who Needs Setting Accommodations?

• Difficulty organizing, storing, and using
  materials to complete assignments
• Compartmentalized storage containers
• Checklists of materials for each class or subject
• Binders with color-coded dividers or folders
• An extra set of materials or textbooks for home

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Who Needs Scheduling Accommodations?

• Difficulty completing work on time
• Extended time
• Frequent breaks
• Difficulty managing time
• Visual schedules
• Electronic devices with alarms or cues

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Accommodations on State and District Assessments

• Standardized assessment accommodations
• Should be used on a regular basis in the
  classroom
• Must be specified on the students IEP or Section
  504 plan

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Accommodations on FCAT, FCAT 2.0, and FAA

• Allowable test accommodations
• Change the way studentsread or respond to test
  items
• Do not change what thetest measures
• Presentation, Response, Setting, Scheduling, and
  Assistive Devices

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Decision-Making Guidelines

• Accommodations
• Must be necessary
• Should facilitate accurate demonstration of
  knowledge and skills
• Must not provide an unfair advantage or
  compromise test validity
• Should be the same for instruction and
  assessment situations

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FCAT Accommodations

• Non-allowable test accommodations
• Some accommodations are not allowed for the FCAT
  or other standardized tests.
• They may be used in the classroom with written
  parent permission.

Classroom
FCAT
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FCAT Accommodations

• Unique accommodations
• Usually require changes to the format of the test
  materials
• One-item-per-page
• Must be approved in advance by the Commissioner
  of Education or designee

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Computer-Based Testing

• Computer-based testing (CBT)
• End-of-Course Assessments
• Algebra 1, Biology, Geometry, U.S. History
• Also FCAT Retakes
• ePAT practice tests
• http//www.FLAssessments.com

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Computer-Based Testing

• Accommodations
• CBT accommodated forms
• Color contrast
• Zoom
• Screen reader
• Large print
• Assistive Technology
• Paper-based test (standardprint, large print,
  braille)
• Other accommodations

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Waiver of FCAT and EOC

• Students must take the tests.
• A waiver of the use of the results
• May be recommended by the IEP team
• Must have been provided instruction to
  demonstrate proficiency of core knowledge and
  skills
• Other graduation requirements met

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Implement and Monitorthe Accommodation

• Teach the student how to use the accommodation
• Provide the accommodation when needed
• Prompt the student to use it
• Keep brief, ongoing records to monitor and
  documentits use

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Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Accommodation

• Was the student able to fully participate in the
  activities with the accommodation?
• Was the student able to master the learning
  objectives with the accommodation?
• Did the accommodation help the student feel a
  part of theclass?

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Collaboration is a must.
The nice thing about teamwork is that you
always have others on your side.(Margaret
Carty)
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Resources
http//fldoe.org/ese/pubxhome.asp
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http//www.cpt.fsu.edu/ese
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Additional Resources

• FDLRS Associate Centers
• Technology and Learning Connections Project,
  University of South Florida
• FDLRS Technology State Loan Library
• Florida Inclusion Network

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Questions?

• Marty Beech
• mbeech_at_lsi.fsu.edu
• 850-921-0687