Classroom Accommodations

Another session I attended at the SCCEC conference was Choosing Accommodations through a Collaborative Partnership by Katie Stapleton from Berkeley County. She did an awesome job and gave lots of useful information. When choosing accommodations, teachers should not just use a laundry list of accommodations and instead they should be carefully chosen to meet the student’s needs. Choosing the appropriate accommodation should also be backed up with evidence and data to support the need for this accommodation.

From the presentation:

There are 4 types of Accommodations:

Presentation (how material is presented); Response (how the student responds to the material); Setting (the environment in which the material is presented); and Timing & Scheduling (when the material is presented.

Examples:

· Presentation: Large print, sign language, Braille, oral administration, visual cues, notes, outlines

· Response: Mark answers in book, use reference aids, use of computer, oral response

· Setting: seating, separate rooms, study carrel, special lighting

· Timing & Scheduling: daily schedule, extended time, frequent breaks

Below are the guided questions that Berkeley County uses in selecting instructional accommodations.

“Guiding Questions for Selecting Instructional Accommodations:

SETTING

Preferential Seating:

· Is there evidence the student performs differently when not seated near the instructor or away from distractions?

· Is there history of the student running from the assigned area?

· Are there documented vision and/or hearing concern/disability?

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) while seated in different areas of the room

o Compare data while seated with class and by adult

· Physical accessibility

Small Group:

· Is there evidence the student performs differently when taken in a whole group versus a small group?

· Is small group needed to support another accommodation? (i.e. oral administration)

*A student who receives services in a small group does not automatically warrant the accommodation of small group.

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) with whole group and small group

o Compare data in whole group and small group

Individual Assistance:

· Is there evidence the student requires the support of one-on-one assistance from a peer or adult?

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) with whole group, small group, and one on one

o Compare data in whole group, small group, and one on one

Separate Location:

· Is there evidence the student performs differently when separated from peers?

· Is there evidence the student’s behavior would impact the progress of other students?

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) with general education class, special education class, and different location

o Compare data in each setting

SCHEDULING

Frequent/Extended Breaks:

· Is there evidence that supports success with instruction being broken in smaller segments following a break time? (i.e. within the same day or multiple sessions)

· Is there evidence that supports success with behavior, by being reinforced with designated break times during instruction?

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) with a break and without a break

o Compare data with and without break

PRESENTATION

Prompts/Cues:

· Is there evidence the student requires prompts/cues to stay on task or as part of behavior plan?

*Need to specify the level of intensity for prompts/cues (i.e. physical, verbal, gestural).

Evidence would include:

• Data on student performance (completion and accuracy) on assignments attempted independently versus with various levels of prompts (gestural, verbal, and physical).

Assignments:

· Is there evidence the student requires assignments to be reduced in number to support behavior and fatigue needs?

*Need to ensure reduced assignment allows for mastery.

· Is there evidence the student requires directions to be paraphrased or simplified in order to complete assignment?

· Is there evidence the student requires highlighting of key vocabulary in directions or content?

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (completion, accuracy, behavior) on assignments when given in various modes (entire assignment, assignment with reduced number of items, and entire assignment broken into smaller sections presented in chunks).

· Data on student performance (completion, accuracy, behavior) when a given assignment is attempted independently versus when directions are simplified or paraphrased.

· Data on student performance (completion, accuracy, behavior) when a given assignment is attempted with and without highlighted key vocabulary.

Oral Administration:

· Is there evidence in the present level of performance indicating the student is reading below grade level?

· Is there evidence to support the student comprehends the content when read aloud?

· Is there evidence from curriculum based assessment and measurement for reading fluency?

· Is the student participating in direct instruction for targeted skills?

*Need to specify if for directions, reading of context, tests, and/or key words. Need to specify if via a person, audio book/CD, or computer software.

Evidence would include:

· Documented reading level from achievement test.

· Data on student performance (completion, accuracy, behavior) when an assignment is attempted independently versus when read aloud by (adult, audio, or technology).

· CBM data from AIMSweb progress monitoring.

RESPONSE

Note-Taking:

· Is there evidence that the student can not complete note-taking requirements on their own (i.e. behavioral, visual, motor difficulties)?

*Need to specify if notes will be provided via teacher, peer, or template.

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) in general education class and/or special education class improves with guided notes, template, copies, etc.

o Compare data before and after note-taking addition

Student Responses:

· Is there evidence that the student requires an alternative mode of response for assignments and tests (i.e. dictated to peer/adult/device, write in workbook, computer, alternative response options)

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) in general education class and/or special education class improves with alternative mode

o Compare data before and after alternative mode (may be multiple trials with different modes)

Calculator:

· Is there evidence the student requires the use of a calculator during math instruction on a routine basis?

· Is there evidence in present level describing fluency deficit in math calculations?

· Is there evidence of student work showing mastery with a calculator?

Evidence would include:

· Data on student performance (time on task, grades, behavior) before and after the use of a calculator

· Data on CBM probes with math fluency deficit”

Data collection is important to choosing the appropriate accommodations. Berkeley County uses a web based accommodation checklist summary. This would make it easier for student’s teachers to share their observations.

I believe that if I used this to guide what accommodations my students would get, they would be even more successful in the classroom.

How do you chose what accommodations your students get? If you are not in special ed, how are these chosen for the students you do teach?

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'What To Watch, What To Tape'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17731548@N00/1441194460 by: Bart