Accommodations Vs. Modifications

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated March 13, 2016

What is the difference between accommodations and modifications? A colleague of mine once shared an easy way to remember the difference: "a" comes before "m" in the alphabet. Likewise, accommodations happen before modifications. The following details what accommodations and modifications are:

Accommodations

Accommodations do not reduce grade level standards but rather help provide access to the course content. They do not alter the amount or complexity of the information taught to the student. Accommodations are changes in the program from a way things are typically done so that a student with a disability can have equal opportunity to participate and allow the student to be successful. These changes do not substantially or fundamentally lower or alter the standards.

The purpose of accommodations is to decrease or to eliminate interference from the disability. These accommodations would be tied to district and state testing. Accommodations must be part of the student's ongoing instructional program and not introduce during state-required assessments. When choosing accommodations, they must:

• Be based on current individualized needs;
• Reduce the effect of the disability to access the current curriculum;
• Be specific about where, when, who and how the accommodations will be provided;
• Include current input from parents, teachers, student, and therapists;
• Be based on current specific needs in each content area.

Select those that are appropriate and meet the student's needs. Remember each state identifies acceptable or standard accommodations as well as conditional accommodations. Be sure to check with your state's allowable accommodations. Georgia, where I currently teach, has a list of standard accommodations on the Department of Education website. The following is a list of possible accommodations to include in the student's IEP to ensure the student with visual impairments can be successful in the school. Please remember that this should not serve as a checklist. The purpose of an accommodation is to level the playing field and NOT provide an unfair advantage over others. Only identify accommodations that are required for the student to access his or her education. Provide teachers with a list of the student's Unique Visual Needs at the beginning of the school year and update should there be changes.

Changes in the medium used:

• braille
• large print
• audiotape
• electronic text
• oral testing/scribing

Changes made in the way materials are presented

• Copies of overhead projector/smartboard activities to be viewed at his/her desk as needed.
• The teacher or presenter should verbalize all information as it is written on the board or overhead.
• Information presented on the board should be in a high contrast color.
• Use a slant-board to position papers appropriately for reduced visual strain and to avoid glare.
• The computer screen should be eye level and tilted to avoid glare.
• Use recorded text as needed.
• Classroom recording of lectures/instruction by the student.
• Large Print textbooks/materials.
• Braille textbooks/materials.
• Clear, dark copies of worksheets.
• Use of a reading guide to assist in keeping place while reading and completing worksheets.
• Present materials against a plain background
• Use a good contrast background and present on a contrasting tray or mat.

Time requirements:

• Time and a half or double time
• Consideration for the student's reading/writing speed
• Consideration for the time needed to use adaptive equipment
• Consideration for eye fatigue and scanning ability

Changes in the way students demonstrate learning

• Modified assignments (when appropriate and needed) to accommodate visual fatigue (extended time and/or shortened amount of assignments).
• Avoid activities requiring extensive visual scanning.
• Avoid visually cluttered materials.
• Allow students to use (bold marker, 20/20 pen, mechanical pencil, or another unique writing tool) to complete assignments.
• Use of bold line paper.
• Use of raised line paper.
• Abbreviated homework assignment (includes all concepts, just fewer items).
• Shorter written assignment.
• Oral testing.

Changes in Setting:

• preferential seating in the classroom for all films, assemblies and demonstration lessons.
• seated facing away from windows.
• permission to move about the room as needed to see information presented away from his/her desk.

Changes in the Setting: Environment

• Avoid glare in general from overhead lights. Consider placing light filters on fluorescent lights.
• Open and close doors fully (a half-open door can be a dangerous obstacle).
• Eliminate unnecessary background noise. Consider isolation headphones.
• Eliminate clutter from the room, particularly in aisles and movement paths.
• Place materials in consistent places so that students know where particular items are always located.
• Preferential locker position and locks with keys vs. combination locks.
• Use of task lighting as needed.

Modifications

Modifications lower the learning expectations and should only be used if this is the only way for the student to be successful. Parents must understand if modifications to grade level standards are being made, their child may be at risk for not meeting graduation requirements. When choosing to modify the curriculum be sure to make decisions:

• Based on the student's current assessment results of the student's abilities;
• Based on the student's current skills based on current assessments;
• Based on the student's emotional well-being;
  
• To help the student be successful; and
• After trying the use of supplementary aids and services.

The following is a list of possible modifications to include in the student's IEP to ensure the student with visual impairments can be successful in the school. Select those that are appropriate and meet the student's needs. 

• Reducing assignments so a student only completes the easiest problems;
• Altering assignments to make them easier;
• Requiring a student to learn fewer materials that are required by the State's academic content standards;
• Providing help to a student via hints or clues to the correct answers on assignments and tests.

Test Taking

Students who plan to attend college will be required to take standardized tests as part of college admissions criteria. Accommodations for the ACT, PSAT, SAT and AP programs are overseen by Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), which is part of the College Board, the major nonprofit organization that sponsors pre-college and college admissions tests. College Board requires that requests for accommodations be submitted well in advance. A student must have a documented disability and the student and the school must complete the SSD Student Eligibility Form that must be signed by the parents or guardians.  Family Connect, AFB's website for parents of children with visual impairments, provides more information on these accommodations.

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TVI's Guide Complete Set Bundle + BONUS Resources

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TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level. In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community-based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.


In addition to the book, the following two supplements are included:
·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Concept Checklist
·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Activities Checklist


For complete product details and additional images, visit the TVI's Guide product page.


TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details
·      Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements
The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Product Page.


Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 210 pages
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement
The Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These word lists and sentences will help the student refine their keyboarding or braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, you may also copy and paste the passages into any braille translation software for quick production on an embosser. They may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency & Maintenance Product Page


Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency Worksheet Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 338-page print and simulated braille worksheets
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists: Grab & Go ECC Supplement
The Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Grab and Go ECC supplement is a 446 page pdf downloadable print on demand workbook that includes 2940 vocabulary card on 3 1/2" x 2" templates divided by each of the 32 Thematic Units along with a checklist of each unit words in print and simulated braille. As a companion to the TVI's Guide to the ECC, the vocabulary cards correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. 


Additional Use:
Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments can have a extremely varied caseloads. It is possible to go several years without having a student on your caseload who requires braille instruction. Like other skills, if you do not practice your braille regularly, it is easy to lose those skills. Use these checklists and cards to maintain your braille skills. Fold the checklist along the line dividing the print from the braille. Choose to either read the print and produce the word in braille using a braillewriter or read the simulated braille and decode it. Finally, these vocabulary cards and checklists may be used with family members or peers who are interested in learning and practicing the braille code.


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Vocabulary Cards & Checklists Product Page


Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 446-page print on demand resource
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


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Lotto Cards
The LOTTO Cards Grab and Go Supplement includes 37 theme related unit cards along with activity suggestions that support activities within the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC.


On My Way File Folder Cards
Print and use these cards to represent locations the student may visit that are related to the current thematic unit. Use these with the On My Way File Folder Game outlined in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC p. 27.

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Unique Needs for MD

This form identifies possible recommendations for accommodations that can be beneficial for students with visual impairments or blindness that have multiple disabilities. Select those that are appropriate for the student. 

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Academic Unique Needs

This form identifies possible recommendations for accommodations that can be beneficial for students with visual impairments or blindness that is following the standard course of study. Select those that are appropriate for the student. ​

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