Modifications

1
Modifications Accommodations More Than Just
Sitting at the Front of the Room

• Claudia Lowe, B.S.L., J.D.
• Interest-based Technical
  Assistance

2
Introduction

• Claudia Lowe, B.S.L., J.D.
• Related history
• IBTA

• Educational Strategist Consultant
• Transition Coach Transition Specialist
• Conflict Mediation Coach
• Speaker and writer

3
Agenda

• Definition
• Terminology
• Purpose
• Approaches to determining modifications and
  accommodations
• CAMS
• Student involvement LEAD

4
Accommodations and Modifications

• Hallmark of an effective IEP
• Level the playing field
• Civil rights/accessing the curriculum

• Assist students in developing appropriate,
  useful, and effective strategies to compensate
  for deficits or areas of need and to leverage
  strengths

5
Accommodations and Modifications

• Involves adapting instructional material and
  identifying student characteristics and needs

• Adjust the classroom experience and provide
  different ways for students to take in
  information and then demonstrate what they have
  learned

6
Terminology

• Many definitions
• Look to federal law, then state law, the your
  State Department of Education (i.e. CA)

• What is the purpose of an accommodation and a
  modification?

7
To access the curriculumTo move from grade to
gradeTo transition to post-secondary education
and employment

• To assist the student in learning how s/he learns
• To leverage strengths and compensate for areas of
  need

8
Purpose of Accommodations

• Accommodations are modifications to the delivery
  of instruction or to the method of student
  performance. In general, accommodation does not
  change the conceptual difficulty or content of
  the curriculum.
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

9
Purpose of Modifications

• To enable an individual to compensate for
  intellectual, behavioral, or physical
  disabilities. Modifications allow an individual
  to use existing skills while promoting the
  development, acquisition, or improvement of new
  skills.
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

10
Different Approaches

• Disability specific
• Need specific
• CAMS

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Disability Specific

• ADHD
• Bipolar disorder
• Tourettes
• FASD
• Aspergers
• Autism
• LD
• Etc

12
Needs Specific Areas of Need

• Below grade level
• Poor comprehension of complex sentences
• Makes steady but slow progress with
  individualized instruction
• Highly distractible
• Does not attend to or complete tasks
• Dislikes and resists rigors of academic work
• Performs better with high interest topics
• Has evidence of skill gaps or concept knowledge
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

13
Needs Specific Areas of Need

• Displays weak social skills
• Exhibits behaviors that interfere with learning
• Has trouble discrimination certain sounds
• Has poor generalization skills
• Displays little motivation to learn
• Exhibits better receptive language than
  expressive language
• Reads and write above grade level
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

14
Needs Specific Areas of Need

• Performs at a high level on some tasks and low
  levels on other tasks
• Cognitive ability scores indicate ability to
  achieve at higher levels
• Has trouble communicating in writing
• Has difficulty conversing and may appear
  withdrawn
• Learns fast but has skill gaps
• Gives up easily
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

15
Needs Specific Areas of Need

• Expresses thoughts better in writing than in oral
  communication
• Has trouble discriminating certain sounds
• Masters reading and writing skills slowly
• Uses sentences with complex syntax
• Develops skills at a slower pace than similar
  aged peers
• A limited or restricted vocabulary
• Incorrect grammar
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

16
Needs Specific Areas of Need

• Frequently mispronounces words or substitutes and
  rearranges words
• Has a diagnosed medical condition indicating
  atypical learning style or pattern
• Requires more repetition than peers
• Performs drill and practice tasks poorly
• Performs better with high interest topics
• Performs inconsistently
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

17
Needs Specific Areas of Need

• Requires more practice opportunities than peers
• Displays poor retention of knowledge
• Incorrect grammar
• Displays little motivation to learn
• Cognitive ability scores indicate ability to
  achieve at higher levels
• Gives up easily
• from University of Florida and Indiana University

18
CAMS

• Compensations, Accommodations,
• Modifications, Strategies

19
CAMS

• From classroom to classroom
• From grade to grade
• State exit exams
• From high school to postsecondary employment and
  education
• Examples from CAMS..

20
Student involvement LEAD

• Examples of participation

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Websites

• www.ClaudiaLoweJD.com
• www.section504online.com
• www.talconline.net
• www.myleadgroup.com
• www.ldcan.com
• http//cactechassistance.tripod.com
• www.findingcommonground. teach-nology.com

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Educational Strategist Consultant

• Counsels students and their families on
  educational strategies and provisions for an
  appropriate IEP or 504 plan and Transition plan
  based on the students unique needs, individual
  learning and work styles, strengths, abilities,
  talents, and potential.

23
Favorite Quotes

• If you wouldnt do it to an adult, dont do it
  to a child. Rick LaVoie
• Children do well if they can. Ross
  Greene
• I am not your response. Claudia Lowe

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Workshops

• K-12 CAMS for Students
• A one-day workshop that can be presented to
  students, teachers, or parents on how to
  effectively use K-12 CAMS for school work, home
  work, and to make educational progress.
• Presenters Claudia Lowe, B.S.L., J.D. and
  Cathy Manus, E.S.
• "If You Don't Teach Me the Way I Learn, You Are
  Not Teaching Me" A one-day workshop with
  facilitated discussion and simulations to acquire
  skills and strategies to educate and engage
  students with disabilities that impact learning.
• Presenters Claudia Lowe, B.S.L., J.D. and
  Cathy Manus, E.S.

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K-12 CAMS

• K-12 CAMS Fact Sheets
• Attention/Concentration
• Reasoning/Processing
• Memory
• Executive Function
• Interpersonal Skills
• Emotional Maturity
• Coordination/Motor Function
• Communication
• Reading
• Writing/Spelling
• Math Calculation/Application