This document discusses accommodations for students with special needs. It explains that accommodations are required by law to provide equal access and remove barriers to learning for students with disabilities. Accommodations can include modifying presentation of materials, modifying assignments or assessments, and designing fair tests. The document provides examples of accommodations teachers can implement, such as providing visual cues, note takers, or modifying test instructions. It also outlines best practices for constructing accessible tests.

1. Accommodating
Students With
Special Needs
EDU597

2. Accommodations
for All Students:
Removing Barriers
to Learning

3. Why do we need to provide
accommodations?
• Required Federal Rehabilitation as well
as the Americans With Disabilities Act.
• Situations that limit access have been
determined to be discriminatory by the
courts.

4. What is an accommodation?
• An adjustment to an activity or
setting, that removes a barrier
presented by a disability
• Provides persons with disability
access EQUAL to that of a person
without a disability.

5. Who needs
accommodations?
• Students who have a 504 Plan will NOT require
special education services but DOES require
changes to the environment or instructional
situation
• Not every student with a disability will require
accommodations.
• Not every student with the a disability will
requires the same accommodation all the
time.

6. Who decides about
accommodations?
• A team will write IEP and
504 Plans
• Team consists of parent(s), LEA
representative, specialists
• Team will review disability and determine what
accommodations, if any, are necessary.
• Accommodations will be written into formal
plan.

7. Teacher responsibilities
• Teachers may be
required to
attend the
planning .
• Teacher are
legally obligated
to follow the
plan.

8. Modifying the
Presentation of Material
• Provide an overview of the lesson at the
beginning
• Use visual cues
• Use verbal cues
• Provide note page
• Provide note taker

9. Modifying the Material
• Provide samples
• Keep statements short and to the point
• Highlight key words and points in text
• Modify the quantity of work
• Use “salami” strategy

10. Modifying the Materials
• Fill in the blanks with page number for
answers

11. Task
Assessments/Assignment
s ask
• Provide clear task guide –explain,
for clarifying questions
• Provide the scoring guide or rubric
before students start task – go over
verbally, ask for clarifying questions
• List directions in vertical steps
• Create a diorama of. . .
• Focus on one scene of the play
• Use items found in the classroom art supplies
• Include a one paragraph explanation of the diorama on a 3 X 5
card

12. Designing Fair Tests
• MUST be directly • Appearance of a test
connected to affects students’
objectives. performance,
especially those with
• MUST be directly visual processing
connected to skills and problems, reading
activities taught. difficulties, or attention
deficits.

13. Appearance of a Test
• Typed with adequate • Begin test with
white space. questions geared for
higher student success.
• Wide margins
• Variety of questions
• Group questions into geared to different
small segments learning and response
styles.

14. Directions on a Test

15. Directions . . .
• When the answer requires step by step
procedures, list the steps vertically:
• Step 1 . . .
• Step 2 . . .
• Step 3 . . .
• Avoid using negative and tricky words such as
all, always, every, no, none, never, and only.

16. Test Construction
True/False – Knowledge Level
• Short sentences
• Avoid absolutes and double
negative
• Limit to 10 per test
• True/False in from of the
statement to circle
• If overlay test put the
True/False to the far right

17. Test Construction
Multiple Choice
• Write quality items:
• Use upper case letters to avoid confusion
of b and d.
• Word the stem so that the choice is always at
the end.
• Write choices vertically

18. Test Construction
Matching
• Present the items in blocks of 5
• Group the 5 by concept
• Double space between blocks
• Place the items with more text in the left
column.

19. Test Construction
Completion Questions
• Provide floating word bank
• Place blanks at the end of sentences
• Provide letter clues F __ M __ __ __
• Uses each word only once
• Change completion to multiple choice by adding
2 or 3 choices.

20. Test Construction
Essay Questions
• Underline important or clue words
• Provide clear writing expectations
• Introduction – 1 or 2 sentences
• Body of response - 3 or more sentences
• Summary or closure – 1 or 2 sentences
• Allow use of dictionary for spelling
• Give a choice of topics