Page 11: Accommodations
An accommodation is a service or support that helps a student to fully
    access the subject matter and instruction, and to accurately demonstrate what he or she knows
    related to the child’s disability across all of the general education curriculum. For example, in the
    case of a student with a reading disability, teachers must accommodate the student’s reading in all
    content areas (e.g., math, science) that require reading implemented during instruction so that it is
    not unfamiliar to the student on test day. An accommodation is not:
              A change to the content of instruction or performance expectations for students
              An interference or major change to the standards specified for students
              An alteration to the big idea or major learning outcomes expected of the instruction
    There are many instances in which students would benefit from accommodations. These include:
            Students with motor, sensory, or information-processing deficits benefit from alternative
         acquisition tools such as sign language interpreters, Braille materials, and tape-recorded books
            Students with learning problems can be helped by content enhancements such as advance
         organizers, diagrams, study guides, mnemonic devices, or peer-mediated instruction
            Students who have trouble expressing themselves due to sensory or motor deficits or
         language differences may benefit from having a scribe or from receiving additional time to
         complete their work
    It is beneficial for teachers to use a checklist (e.g., Assessment Accommodations Checklist (PDF)) to
    help develop the specific accommodations needed by students who require this type of intervention.
    Accommodations may include assistance with test directions, scheduling, testing format, and other
    suggestions shown in the tables below.
                           Examples of Instructional Accommodations
Pencil grips                            Increased time to complete             Additional practice of specific skills
                                        assignments or tests                   or concepts
 Large-print books                     Calculators and spell                 Increased opportunities for
                                       checkers                              applying skills or concepts
 A quieter setting                     Word-processing software              Direct instruction in using
                                                                             specific knowledge in different
                                                                             contexts
      In addition to accommodations for instruction, there are many types of test accommodations
      (National Center on Educational Outcomes, n.d.). Ideally, students would first become familiar with
      accommodations during instruction.
                          Examples of Assessment Accommodations
    SETTING                 TIMING              SCHEDULING           PRESENTATION               RESPONSE
Change the test       Allow extended         Allow testing over     Change the format      Change how the
location. For         time or take           several days or        by using assistive     student responds,
example, allow the    frequent test          administer only        devices, such as       such as by allowing a
student to take the   breaks.                during a specific      by allowing a          scribe, recorder, or
test in a small                              time.                  reader or computer     computer.
group or                                                            assistance.
individually.
      Listen now as Margaret McLaughlin discusses test accommodations and provides several examples
      of students who might use testing accommodations.