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Topics

Definitions
ARD/IEP Issues
Accommodations/Modifications/Standards
Instructional Strategies/Methodologies
Placement Decisions
Additional Concerns
Resources

Accommodations and Modifications in CTE Classroom Instruction
Career Guidance - Tools for Practical Applications
Building Successful Partnerships

Best Practices: CTE Teachers Role in ARD Meetings
Accommodations and Modifications III

Accommodations and Modifications in CTE Classroom Instruction

What is IDEA?

The Individuals with disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that provides special education and related services for children with disabilities. The law provides for free and appropriate education for all children, based on individual needs and requires access to the general education curriculum. Each child receiving services has an individualized education plan (IEP).

How do students qualify for services?

Students may qualify under various disability categories and meet two criteria: a) diagnosis of a disability under IDEA and b) show an educational need.

Why are students with disabilities in my regular education classroom and not in the special education classroom?

The special education law now requires that students with disabilities receive access to the general curriculum, be involved in the general curriculum, and progress in the general curriculum. This coupled with the mandate that students be educated in the least restrictive environment now means that many students are educated in the general education classroom alongside their peers.

What is the difference between an IEP meeting and an ARD?

There is absolutely no difference. Texas happens to be one of the few states that refers to the IEP meeting as an ARD meeting. ARD is the acronym for Admission, Review, and Dismissal- the only three actions requiring a meeting. IEP stands for the Individual Education Plan.

Who should be a part of the IEP/ARD team and meeting?

The public agency must ensure that the IEP Team for each child with a disability includes:

The parents of the child;
Not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);
Not less than one special education teacher of the child, or where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child;
A representative of the public agency (who has certain specific knowledge and qualifications);
An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results and who may also be one of the other listed members;
At the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and
Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability.

In accordance with 34 CFR 300.321(a)(7), the public agency must invite a child with a disability to attend the child’s IEP Team meeting if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals for the child and the transition services needed to assist the child in reaching those goals under 34 CFR 300.320(b).
[34 CFR 300.321(a) and (b)(1)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)] (www.idea.ed.gov)

What are my responsibilities as a regular classroom teacher related to students with disabilities?

As part of the IEP/ARD team, you may be asked to attend the IEP/ARD meeting as the regular education representative and at the very least, you will provide input prior to the meeting related to the student.

As a member of that IEP/ARD team you will also be told or have access to the following information:

Your specific individual responsibilities related to implementing the IEP of the student; and
specific accommodations and or modifications that must be provided for the student.

What all is included on an IEP?

As used in Part 300, the term individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance with 34 CFR 300.320 through 300.324, and that must include:

A statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance…
A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to:
- Meet the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and
- Meet each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability;
For children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives;
A description of:
- How the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals described in 34 CFR 300.320(a)(2) will be measured; and
- When periodic reports on the progress the child is making toward meeting the annual goals (such as through the use of quarterly or other periodic reports, concurrent with the issuance of report cards) will be provided;
A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and
services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child…
A statement of any individual appropriate accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State and district-wide assessments consistent with section 612(a)(16) of the Act; and if the IEP Team determines that the child must take an alternate assessment instead of a particular regular State or district-wide assessment of student achievement, a statement of why the child cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child….
[34 CFR 300.320(a)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)]

What is the difference between IDEA and Section 504, often called “504?”

http://www.help4adhd.org/faq.cfm?fid=10&tid=34

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires public schools to provide accommodations to students with disabilities even if they do not qualify for special education services under IDEA. The definition of a disability under Section 504 is much broader than the definition under IDEA. All IDEA students are also covered by Section 504, but not all Section 504 students are eligible for services under IDEA. Section 504 states:

No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. [29 U.S.C. Sec. 794]

Examples of students who may receive assessment accommodations based on their 504 accommodations plan include students with

communicable diseases (e.g., hepatitis);
temporary disabilities from accidents who may need short term hospitalization or homebound recovery;
allergies or asthma;
drug or alcoholic addictions, as long as they are not currently using illegal drugs;
environmental illnesses; or
attention difficulties.( http://www.nichcy.org/toolkit/accommodations_manual_b.htm)

Assessment and Accommodations: Making it possible for students to show you what they know.

http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/TopicAreas/Accommodations/Accomtopic.htm

National Center on Educational Outcomes - resources on testing accommodations which are: "changes in testing materials or procedures that enable students to participate in assessments in a way that allows abilities to be assessed rather than disabilities."

This special topic area includes, among other things, an Introduction to Accommodations and an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Find out what accommodations are, what categories they fall into, and when to make accommodations for a student with a disability.

What is the difference between a modification, accommodation, and an adaptation?

Think of any type of change to the way you would traditionally carry out instruction and assessment as adaptations. Adaptations then fall into two categories: accommodations and modifications. Accommodations are adaptations (changes) in materials or procedures that provide access to instruction and assessments for students with disabilities. They are designed to enable students with disabilities to learn without the impediment of their disabilities, and to show their knowledge and skills rather than the effects of their disabilities. (Thurlow, M. (2002). Accommodations for students with disabilities in high school (Issue brief). Examining current challenges in secondary education and transition (1)1.Minneapolis, MN: National Center on Secondary Education and Transition.

Modifications are those adaptations (changes) that can be made to your curriculum, your instruction, your classroom environment or how you assess students. Through modification, you change what the student is expected to learn and show. Modification will alter the instruction level, the content of the course, and the performance criteria (Castagnera, Fisher, Rodifer, & Sax, 1998).

What are some possible examples of modifications I might be responsible for making?

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (2006) provides the following list of possible accommodations and modifications ( http://www.ldonline.org/article/8022 ). Keep in mind these are but a few of the possibilities.

• Presentation:
o audio tape
o large print
o reduce number of items per page or line
o use a designated reader
o present instructions orally
• Response:
o allow verbal responses
o allow answers to be dictated to a scribe
o use a tape recorder for responses
o allow responses to be recorded on computer
o allow answers to be recorded directly into test booklet
• Timing:
o provide frequent breaks
o provide allotted time for a test
• Setting:
o utilize preferential seating
o utilize special lighting or acoustics
o utilize minimal distractions
o small group setting
o test in private room or alternative test site
• Test Scheduling
o administer a test in several timed sessions or over several days
o allow subtests to be taken in a order of choice
o administer a test at optimal time of day
• Other
o provide any reasonable accommodation needed that does not fit under the prior categories

What is the difference between a learning strategy and a teaching strategy?

Learning strategies are the approaches, tools, and strategies used by learners to carry out a task and to acquire, store, and express information related to that task. Teaching strategies are specifically based on need and effectiveness and are used by the teacher to deliver instruction. To vary instruction or deliver using multimodality of instruction means to use different methods of instruction, style, and to change the delivery method to meet the different learning styles and interests of students.

What is assistive technology and how can the use of assistive technology increase the success of students with disabilities in their educational settings?

Assistive technology is defined in IDEA as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." Some examples of assistive technology include Braille readers, wheel chairs, adapted computers, augmentative or alternative communication devices, and hearing aids. Also considered “technology” are tools such as graphic organizers that do not cost money, do not require complex manipulation, and research show them to improve learning.

Assistive technology devices and solutions provide wider access to the general curriculum for students with disabilities and can help foster feelings of independence.

http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=5776

What is meant by Modality of Learning?

Possibly you have heard of the learning style of a student and this is the same. Essentially, a student’s learning modality may well be one of the following modalities: auditory, kinesthetic, or visual. Once you have determined which modality is the one best suited to a student, you can better direct learning activities. During planning of lessons, if you are incorporating all three modalities, you will then cover all modalities needed by students. This is considered a best practice.

What does it mean to differentiate instruction and must I do that?

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development defines differentiated instruction as an “approach to teaching essential content in ways that address the varied learning needs of students with the goal of maximizing the possibilities of each learner.” http://www.ascd.org

One of my biggest challenges is getting students to turn homework in. What can I do?

A recent study using a learning strategy to independently complete assignments suggests that doing so can give support to students with disabilities and they actually do better in school. The article includes useful information on homework and assignment completion strategies and how to instruct students to use them. See: Hughes, C. A., Ruhl, K. L., Schumaker, J. B., & Deshler, D. D. (2002). Effects of instruction in an assignment completion strategy on homework performance of students with learning disabilities in general education classes. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice 17(1), 1-18.

What is the most important thing I can do to have a well managed classroom?

“First, understand that behavior and classroom management are two different things.
Behavior has to do with discipline. Classroom management has to do with procedures and routines.” Harry Wong, http://www.nea.org/classmanagement/hwong.html

Please visit the toolbox for resources related to classroom management.

Last updated: 11 August, 2008

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