Transcript Modifications and Accomodations

Modifications and Accommodations
Why Should We?
Michelle Fattig-Smith, Ed.S.
School Psychologist, Author of Parent Rights Handbook,
Parent Advocate, Mother of Special Needs Child, Person
with Disabilities
Accommodation and Modification
" I have too many students in my class to
follow the I.E.P. and make special
accommodations for your child !”
"It's not my job to read and follow the I.E.P.
That's only for the special ed teacher" !
These types of comments are unlawful and
violate a student’s rights.
Awareness, Empathy, and Skills
• Over the last 17 years, I've had many
children and teens with hidden disabilities
tell me, "It would be easier for me if I was
in a wheelchair or blind. At least then my
teachers and classmates might be more
understanding.”
Schoolbehaviors.com Retrieved 10/13/06 from: http://www.schoolbehavior.com/
But it’s not fair!
• Accommodations and modifications are sometimes
treated as requests not mandates in the IEP
especially at the high school level. My blood
pressure surely rises when a special education
director tells me he or she can not make the teacher
follow the mandated accommodations such as no
bubble sheets or untimed tests etc., or modifications
to the curricular expectations. These items are
frequently the product of preprinted checklists
without sufficient thought, as to the exact way that
this child will need and use the accommodation or
modification. (comments by parent advocate)
Don’t use the F word!
•
I recently have had several calls from parents of high schoolers who
have suffered dearly for the fact that this section of the IEP was
overlooked. In one instance, the child did not get his accommodation
of “tests read aloud" and he failed 2 classes. With some timely
assistance and advice from me, he was able to retake some tests and
get other grades reversed. The other instance did not work out as
well. The child failed one class since he was forced to take written
tests. He fell into a depression. To boost his feelings about himself he
took up his old hobby of playing with knives at home. He also has
memory and attentional issues, and he inadvertently forgot he had a
knife in his backpack when he went to school. Of course, it was
discovered and all manner of disciplinary process began against
him. While it may seem tenuous, the first step on this road began
with the school personnel not implementing the accommodations on
his IEP.
Don’t use the F word!
• We want young people to succeed in the future
by maximizing their potential today. We want
them to be involved in their communities, to have
friends, and to become contributing adult
members of the wider community. These goals
do not change because of the color of the child's
skin, the ethnic or cultural background of the
child, the ability of the child, or the presence of a
disability. The school's mission statement should
reflect the importance of diversity within the
school community.
Each child's school career is a journey with a
beginning and a destination.
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Academic
Employment
Civic
Physical
Cultural
Social
The vehicles for reaching this destination include schools
that emphasize the lifelong skills and knowledge necessary
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Develop lasting friendships
Continue learning
Solve problems
Use information and technology effectively
Enjoy productive employment
Meet their obligations as citizens
Interact with others successfully
Fueled by knowledge of the young person's gifts,
talents, unrecognized abilities, and learning styles
• Learning from the important people in the
young person's life;
• Observing the young person outside of
school, as well as in school; and
• Determining what does and does not work
with her.
The IEP and Section 504 plans are the educational
road maps for the young person with a disability. :
• All children belong to the community where they live and
the responsibility for their education rests with the school
districts within that community;
• The goal of education is to enhance the pursuit of a
meaningful life;
• The family is the foundation of lifelong planning for and
with the child;
• The success of children is built, in part, on the natural
support systems developed to encourage lasting
friendships in educational and community settings;
The IEP and Section 504 plans are the educational
road maps for the young person with a disability.
• Teams working through collaborative relationships are
essential to ensuring that each child's educational
experience is a success;
• Planning by teams needs to be based on trust and respect
for each person's experience, which, in turn, supports
flexibility or roles;
• the use of problem-solving methods and interventionbased services will support the accomplishment of longterm goal planning for children; and
• Special education is a series of individually designed
services and supports; it is not a place to which
children are assigned.
Retrieved 10/13/06 from: http://www.hyperlexia.org/iep_roadmap.html
IDEA
• (7) "Free appropriate public education" means special
education and related services that are provided at public
expense and under public supervision and direction, meet
the standards of the department, include an appropriate
preschool, elementary or secondary school education and
are provided in conformity with an individualized
education program.
• (15) "Special education" means specially designed
instruction, regardless of where the instruction is
conducted, that is provided at no cost to the child or the
child's parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a
disability, including instruction in physical education.
"Supplementary aids and
services"
• " means aids, services and other supports
that are provided in regular education
classes or other education-related settings
to enable a child with a disability to be
educated with nondisabled children to the
maximum extent appropriate.
REQUIRED COMPONENTS
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A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary
aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a
statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that
will be provided for the child * * *.
(b) Implementation of IEPs. Each public agency shall ensure that(2) The child's IEP is accessible to each regular education teacher, special
education teacher, related service provider, and other service provider who is
responsible for its implementation; and
(3) Each teacher and provider described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is
informed of-(i) His or her specific responsibilities related to implementing the child's IEP;
and
(ii) The specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be
provided for the child in accordance with the IEP.
34 CFR 300, Appendix A, Question 31
Responsibility
• A local educational agency (LEA) must provide each
child with a disability a free appropriate public education
(FAPE). An LEA meets its obligation to provide FAPE to
a child in part by providing special education, related
services, and supplementary aids and services and
program modifications or supports for school personnel
in conformity with an IEP. The services provided must be
stated in the IEP so that the level of the agency's
commitment of resources will be clear to parents and
other IEP team members. An LEA must ensure that a
student is provided with all services required in the child's
IEP.
Office of Civil Rights
• The U.S. Department of Education (ED) enforces
Section 504 in programs and activities that
receive financial assistance from ED. Recipients
of this assistance include public school districts,
institutions of higher education, and other state
and local education agencies. ED maintains an
Office for Civil Rights (OCR), with ten regional
offices and a headquarters office in Washington,
D.C., to enforce Section 504 and other civil
rights laws that pertain to recipients of ED funds.
Legal Protection and Mandate
• "No otherwise qualified individual with
handicaps in the United States . . . shall, solely
by reason of her or his handicap, be excluded
from the participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
under any program or activity receiving
Federal financial assistance....“
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq5269.html
Otherwise Qualified Individuals
• A “qualified individual with a disability” is one who “with or
without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices; the
removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers;
or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential
eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the
participation in programs or activities provided.
• Persons with disabilities are entitled to access programs, services,
and activities in the most integrated setting feasible. Programs
designed specifically for persons with disabilities are permissible, but
cannot preempt their right to participate – with full accommodation –
in any regular activity
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq5269.html
Repercussions of Refusal
• Regular classroom teachers employed by a
school district will have very limited liability
exposure in special education so long as the
duties assigned to them regarding implementation
of the IEP are executed in a legal and appropriate
manner.
• Failure to implement the IEP as specified could
result in disciplinary action, criminal charges, and
civil lawsuits that could result in personal
liability exposure.
Repercussion of Refusal
• Accommodations, modifications, behavior
intervention plans, and supplementary aids and
services are examples of IEP items that are
typically the responsibility of the regular
classroom teacher.
• IF a parent believes these items have not been
implemented, they may file a complaint with the
state department of education alleging
noncompliance with the IEP.
Repercussion of Refusal
• The state department will launch an inquiry and
possible investigation. Typically, if the school
district is found to be in noncompliance, a
corrective action plan will be developed and the
matter is resolved.
• If, however, the parent elects to pursue a due
process hearing, one will be held to determine if
the district did, in fact, fail to implement the
agreed-upon IEP and denied the special education
student the entitlement to a "free, appropriate
public education" (FAPE).
Costly Repercussions
• If the hearing officer decides that the
school district denied the student FAPE,
the district will be required to implement
the IEP as written, pay attorney's fees and
other costs the parent may have incurred
and may be required to pay the cost of
compensatory services.
http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs//MCSSped/teachtools.htm
The regular education teacher who got
sued for not following modifications:
• The case is Doe v. Withers (W. Va., Cir Ct. 1993).
$15,000 was awarded a student with a Learning
Disability from a public school History teacher
who refused to implement the IEP, when he
refused to allow the student to take his exams
orally and untimed. This decision alerts teachers
that they must be serious about the knowledge,
understanding and implementation of the IEP.
Students and their families often sue ISDs or
School Boards, but this case highlights that an
individual teacher may also be targeted.
Litigation
• Complaint NO. 03-14 8th grade student
with learning disabilities denied FAPE in part due
to failure to implement appropriate
accommodations.
Corrective action plan: 1) district must submit
massive documentation for a period of years 2)
training for staff regarding IEP and
accommodations 3) compensatory education
Complaint 1617.00
• 4th grade student with learning disabilities
• Failure to implement IEP (specifically
accommodations)
• FAPE denial
• Corrective Action Plan 1) Documentation
2) In-servicing 3) Compensatory Education
NO. 94-4048
• To the parents of all students who are eligible for
special education and who have been denied the
opportunity to receive a free appropriate
education in regular classrooms with
individualized supportive services OR have been
placed in regular education classrooms without
the supportive services, individualized
instruction, and accommodations they need to
succeed in the regular classroom.
NO. 94-CV-4048 cont.
• Proposed Settlement
– State Department will provide a total of $350,000.00
to the individual plaintiffs to resolve their claims for
compensatory education and other relief. The State
Department of Education will pay the plaintiffs’
counsel the sum of $1,825,000.00 for attorney fees
and cost.
Gaskin v. Commonwealth. Retrieved 10/13/06 from:
www.pde.state.pa.us/special_edu/cwp/view.asp?a=177&q=112759&pp=
12&n=1
Hidden Disabilities
• Hidden disabilities are physical or mental
impairments that are not readily apparent to
others. They include such conditions and diseases
as specific learning disabilities, diabetes,
epilepsy, and allergy. A disability such as a limp,
paralysis, total blindness or deafness is usually
obvious to others. But hidden disabilities such as
low vision, poor hearing, heart disease, or
chronic illness may not be obvious.
Learning Disabilities
• A learning disability is a neurological
disorder that affects one or more of the
basic psychological processes involved in
understanding or in using spoken or written
language. The disability may manifest
itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think,
speak, read, write, spell or to do
mathematical calculations.
Learning Disabilities
• Every individual with a learning disability is
unique and shows a different combination and
degree of difficulties. A common characteristic
among people with learning disabilities is uneven
areas of ability, “a weakness within a sea of
strengths.” For instance, a child with dyslexia
who struggles with reading, writing and spelling
may be very capable in math and science.
Learning Disabilities
• Generally speaking, people with learning
disabilities are of average or above average
intelligence. There often appears to be a gap
between the individual’s potential and actual
achievement. This is why learning disabilities are
referred to as “hidden disabilities:” the person
looks perfectly “normal” and seems to be a very
bright and intelligent person, yet may be unable
to demonstrate the skill level expected from
someone of a similar age.
Learning Disabilities
• A learning disability cannot be cured or
fixed; it is a lifelong challenge. However,
with appropriate support and intervention,
people with learning disabilities can
achieve success in school, at work, in
relationships, and in the community.
Retrieved 10/13/06 from: http://www.resourceroom.net/
Attention Deficit Disorders
• One of the most common childhood-onset
conditions is Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Up to
7.5% of children and adolescents have
been diagnosed with ADHD.
Attention Deficit Disorders
• Over the years, our understanding of ADHD has
changed considerably. At the present time,
clinicians talk about three different subtypes of
ADHD: (1) children who are primarily
inattentive, (2) children whose main problem is
impulsivity-hyperactivity, and (3) children who
have both inattention and impulsivityhyperactivity problems to a significant degree
(the combined subtype).
Attention Deficit Disorders
• Children with the inattentive subtype of ADHD
are less likely to be a "behavior problem" in the
classroom than children with the impulsivityhyperactivity subtype, but they are very likely to
experience significant academic impact.
• Over 80% of students with the inattentive or
combined subtypes experience significant
academic impact; those who have the combined
subtype experience the most global impairment:
academic, behavioral, and social.
Attention Deficit Disorders
• While many students with the
impulsive-hyperactive subtype do
experience academic and
behavioral/social problems, about
30% of students with this subtype are
actually superior in their academic
skills relative to non-ADHD peers.
Attention Deficit Disorders
• They found that girls with ADHD were more
likely than boys to have predominantly
inattentive subtype of ADHD.
• When compared to boys with ADHD, girls with
ADHD were less likely to have a learning
disability and less likely to experience problems
in school or outside of school .
• ADHD girls had lower ratings on hyperactivity,
inattention, impulsivity, and externalizing problems, and
had greater intellectual impairment and more
internalizing problems than boys with ADHD.
Attention Deficit Disorders
• Up to 85% of children with ADHD may continue
to have problems in adolescence. Peer problems
that are noted in childhood may persist, and if the
ADHD symptoms also persist into adolescence,
the peer impact is even more significant.
Adolescents who have a history of ADHD in
their childhood may be more likely to have fewer
friends, experience greater peer rejection, and
have friends who are less involved in
conventional activities.
Attention Deficit Disorders
• A number of studies have attempted to look at the longterm outcomes for children with ADHD. Although there
is some variability in the results, it appears that ADHD
symptoms remain problematic in two thirds to three
quarters of these children in early and middle
adolescence, with relative academic and social deficits
noted. Antisocial behaviors (and in more severe cases:
conduct disorder) may be observed in adolescents with
persistent ADHD, and many of these same difficulties
persist into late adolescence.
Attention Deficit Disorders
• although ADHD children, as a group, fare
poorly when compared with their nonADHD peers, ADHD does not preclude
attaining high educational and vocational
goals, and that most children no longer
exhibit clinically significant emotional or
behavioral problems once they reach their
mid-twenties.
Accommodations/Modifications/Standards
• Accommodations do not fundamentally alter or
lower the standards for the course or test, and
students using accommodations received credit
toward a standard diploma (Klor, p. 33, LRP,
2004).
• Modifications “do fundamentally alter or lower
the standard for a course or test, and the student
may not received credit toward a standard
diploma” (34 CFR 300.347; Letter to
Anonymous, 22 IDELR 456 (OSEP 1995),(Klor,
p. 33, LRP, 2004).
If a student who qualifies for Special Education does not
do his work can he fail the class?
• You can give special education students failing
grades, but you must be sure the reason the
student is failing the class is NOT because you
failed to provide the IDEA-mandated “free,
appropriate public education (FAPE)". You must
provide these students any IEP approved
accommodations, modifications, services, and
supports. You must document your compliance
with these requirements. (34 CFR 300.300, 34
CFR 300.347). (Klor, p. 37, LRP, 2004)
What is a good/efficient way to document
modifications?
• Have a chart for each student receiving modifications
based on the a)student’s needs, b) instructional content,
and c) performance method expected. For example,
(based on Section 504 and IDEA) use: a) enlarged print,
b) note takers, c) extended time, and d) alternate
assessments. Document (checkmark) each time they are
used by student or keep a copy of the large print material
that is dated or have a sign in at an alternative testing
facility. Use charts, computer programs, scanning
devices, folders, color coding modifications, etc.
Retrieved 10/13/06 from:
http://ctsp.tamu.edu/files/FAQs/accommdations_modfns.
html
With how much of the IEP
should I be familiar?
• As a regular classroom teacher, you are required by law
to have knowledge regarding the contents of the IEP for
each special education student enrolled in your classes,
and you are legally obligated to implement any portions
of an IEP that apply to you. To successfully meet this
obligation, you should read the IEP for each special
education student for whom you deliver instruction in
order to fully understand the student's education
condition, their instructional needs, any specific activities
that have been assigned to you and your classroom, and
what, if any, accommodations or modifications you
should be implementing.
How can I manage accommodations,
modifications, and standards?
• Accommodations enable the student to access the general curriculum
and demonstrate his or her knowledge of course-content by making
an adjustment to the way the student shows his or her understanding.
• Accommodations are designed to reduce the impact of the disability
and increase the likelihood that the students' performances accurately
reflect their knowledge of the academic material.
• Modifications allow students with significant limitations in their
academic skills to participate in the general curriculum by altering the
course content, assignments, or assessments.
• Modifications that fundamentally alter or lower the standards for a
class are typically reserved for students whose disabilities are so
significant that there is no expectation the student will be pursuing a
regular high school diploma.
http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs//MCSSped/teachtools.htm
WHAT WE CALL IT MAY MATTER
• One of the most frequent questions I get
from school personnel is "How do I
know if this is a symptom or a
behavior?" My usual reply is "Why do
you want to know? Is it because if you
think it's a behavior, you might use
negative consequences, whereas if it's a
symptom, you might handle it
differently?"
What we call it may matter.
• If you were to think of a particular behavior
as a "symptom," do you think it might change
your reaction to the behavior or your strategy
for handling it? Or what if you still called it
"behavior," but called it an "involuntary" or
"unvoluntary" behavior? Do you think it
would change your approach? When someone
asks "Is this intentional behavior or
involuntary?"
Implications
• That behavior is either one or the other
• That it is possible for us to know whether the
behavior is voluntary or whether it is
involuntary
• That if it's voluntary behavior, then it is
"intentional" and the person has somehow
chosen to engage in the behavior (on the
assumption that we have "free will"), and
• That if it's a "symptom," it's involuntary (or
unvoluntary)
If he would only apply himself!
• This type of thinking often interferes with developing
effective strategies. In my opinion, asking whether a
particular behavior is "voluntary" or a "symptom"
may be as unhelpful as posing the old "Is it Nature or
is it Nurture?" question because -- with the exception
of reflexes (like knee jerks) -- most behaviors involve
higher-order cortical inputs from the brain and are
modifiable on some level. For example, breathing is
involuntary in the sense that we usually don't have to
think about it, but it is also true that people can learn
to regulate or modify their breathing (within limits).
Does that mean that breathing is "voluntary?" Of
course not.
If she just tried harder.
• The same type of thinking applies when
we talk about neurological "symptoms."
Some symptoms may be involuntary,
while other symptoms may be primarily
involuntary but be modifiable or have a
voluntary component to them. Does that
mean that they are all "voluntary"
behaviors? Of course not.
He just won’t sit still, so he can just
sit in the office during recess!
• For many parents, learning that the child has a
condition or "medical problem" was both a relief and
a source of fear, grief, and guilt. Relief to have a name
and an explanation for why the child is acting the way
they do and relief that their misbehavior isn't a
reflection on their parenting skills, fear for their
child's future, and grief over the loss of the perfect
child. For many parents, there is also a strong
component of guilt as parents berate themselves for all
the times they may have scolded the child or punished
them for behaviors that they now understand are part
of the "diagnosis" or "disorder."
If he would just pay attention…
• Parents who try to explain to the child's school
that these "behaviors" are really neurological
symptoms are generally doing so because of a
fear that the child will be blamed for
something that the parent has reason to
believe that the child can't help or can't
manage easily. They are instinctively trying to
protect their child from a system that tends to
punish departures from a fairly rigid set of
expectations for how children should behave.
He never hands in his homework.
• Just as some parents may "medicalize" or
"overmedicalize" behaviors, some teachers attribute
too much voluntary intention to the behavior. One of
the most frequent examples I see of this in my work is
teachers who, describing a child's tics or compulsions,
characterize them as "attention-seeking" behaviors.
In some cases, then, parents and teachers are
polarized in their understanding or explanation of the
child's behavior. In my experience, disagreements over
the cause or voluntary nature of the child's behavior is
one of the biggest sources of conflict and disputes
between parents of children with neurobehavioral
conditions and school personnel.
She can do it, she just isn’t
trying hard enough.
• Both parents and teachers need to share the
goal of helping the child learn to self-regulate.
If the teacher is stuck in the noncreative "He
has to be taught a lesson for this by punishing
him" mode, this won't work. The teacher is
right on one level: the child does need to be
taught something. But what you teach the
child and how you teach the child will make a
tremendous difference in whether the child
learns to self-manage.
He’s just lazy.
• When a child is struggling behaviorally, I take
a "no fault" approach to understanding and
trying to change things. I start from the
premise that for whatever reason, the child or
adolescent is predisposed to have particular
behaviors, and that in light of those strong
predisposing factors, we need to carefully
consider what kind of environmental supports
the child needs if they are to modulate this
behavior.
http://www.schoolbehavior.com/conditions_adhd.htm
Techniques To Use With Students
With ADD/ADHD
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Maintain eye contact during verbal instruction
Clear and concise directions
Simplify complex directions - Avoid multiple commands
Make sure student comprehends before beginning the task
Repeat in calm, positive manner, if needed
Help student feel comfortable in seeking assistance - most won't ask
Require daily assignment notebook if necessary- make sure
assignments are written correctly
• Have Teacher and Parents sign notebook daily to signify completion
of homework assignments - use as communication notebook between
parents and teachers
• Give out only one task at a time
• Frequently check progress and give defined timelines if long term
projects must be assigned
Techniques To Use With Students
With ADD/ADHD
• Monitor student frequently - use a supportive attitude
• Consult with Special Ed. personnel to determine specific strengths
and weaknesses of the student
• Make sure you are testing knowledge and not attention span
• Give extra time on assignments - don't penalize for needed extra time
• Private tutoring and/or peer tutoring at school
• Class with low student/teacher ratio
• Social and organizational skills training
• Use of word processor or computer for school work
• Prompt notification regarding missing assignments
• Don’t penalize for late assignments
• Avoid long-term “building” assignments (portfolio, journal, etc.)
• Provide option for oral testing or follow up to insure grades are based
on knowledge, NOT the disability
Modify Instruction/Learning
Disabilities Student
• Identify the dominant learning style for the student and teach to their
strengths (visual or auditory)
• Provide student with outline of information to be covered
• Tape recording when difficulty with writing/note taking
• Concrete examples
• Present new information in small quantities
• Provide notes to student
• List assignments in steps
• Give one or two directions at a time and be specific - ask student to
repeat directions to you
• Oral tests
• Multiple choice or true/false tests when appropriate
• Extra testing time
Modify Instruction/Learning
Disabilities Student
• Books on tape
• Highlight important information
• Encourage involvement of student - remember students do best by
doing
• Provide frequent reviews
• Additional time on assignments or reduce assignments
• Minimize background noise
• Show the student the end product and explain procedures for getting
there
• Provide successful experience and positive reinforcement
• Encourage student to work in study groups or with someone who
understands the information.
Modify Instruction/Learning
Disabilities Student
• Block off or fold pages to limit distraction by other
information on the page
• Give credit for what is done correctly instead of
concentrating on what is wrong; avoid demoralizing
remarks on papers in front of peers
• Reduce assignment length and strive for quality rather
than quantity.
Difficulty following a plan.
• (student has high aspirations or goals but lacks
follow-through.) - Assist the student in setting
long-range goals by breaking goals into realistic
parts. Use a questioning strategy. Continue
asking questions until the student has reached an
identified goal. Have the student set clear time
lines and establish how much time is needed to
accomplish each step. Monitor the student’s
progress frequently.
Difficulty sequencing and completing
steps to accomplish specific tasks.
• Break task into manageable steps. Provide
examples and specific steps to accomplish
tasks.
• Shifting from one uncompleted activity to
another without closure: Break task into
manageable steps. Provide examples and
specific steps to accomplish tasks. Define
and highlight ‘break points.’
Inappropriate behavior when
working with others in class.
• Assign a specific role to the student when
he or she is working in small groups.
Provide structure by defining the task,
listing the steps necessary to complete the
task, and assisting the group to define roles
and responsibilities of each group member.
Difficulty following through on
instructions.
• Make sure you have the student’s attention before giving instructions.
Use cues to alert the student that important information is about to be
given. Accompany oral directions with written directions. Give only
one direction at a time. Quietly repeat directions to the student after
directions have been given to the rest of the class. Check for
understanding by having the student repeat the directions back to
you. Place general methods of operation and expectations on charts
displayed around the area or provide reference pages for the student
to place in an organizational notebook. Develop job or work
cards. Use fewer words when explaining directions. Provide
examples. Have a peer demonstrate the task to the student.
Difficulty with tasks that require
memory.
• Structure activities and assignments so that
the student uses visual, auditory, and tactile
modes of learning. Allow student to “subvocalize” when completing tasks
Difficulty taking tests.
• Allow the student extra time for
testing. Allow the student to be tested
orally. Use clear, readable, and uncluttered
test forms. Allow enough space for the
student to write his/her response. Avoid
true false testing. Provide word banks or
sentence starters.
Difficulty with written material.
• Provide student with a copy of reading
material with main points underlined or
highlighted. Provide an outline of
important points that is organized by
categories. Tape record chapters in a
test. Provide more white space between
sections of assignments, tests, or reading
assignments.
Difficulty with oral presentation.
• Easily confused when provided with spoken
information, lectures, or audiovisual materials
and has difficulty taking notes. - Provide the
student with a copy of the presentation or lecture
notes. Allow peers to share copies of notes from
presentations for lectures. Provide framed
outlines of presentations. Allow the student to
tape record presentations for lectures. Emphasize
key words, points, phrases, etc.
Difficulty sustaining attention.
• Is easily distracted by stimuli. - Reward the
student for sustaining attention. Break
activities into small units. Reward the
student for timely accomplishments. Cue
the student by using physical proximity
and touch. Provide a quiet place or
preferential seating. Eliminate clutter and
distractions.
Poor Handwriting or inability to
write.
• Provide a scribe for the student. Grade
content, not handwriting. Allow the
student to use a computer or special
equipment. Shorten assignments and
emphasize quality over quantity. Allow
student to use tape recorder instead of
lengthy written assignments.
Difficulty with interactions.
• Student interacts poorly with adults, defies
authority, or engages in passive manipulation. Provide the student with frequent and positive
attention and feedback when he/she demonstrates
appropriate behavior or accomplishes tasks
successfully. Talk with the student individually
about the inappropriate behavior and its
effect. Provide examples of why the behavior is
inappropriate such as, “What you are doing is…”
Or, “A better way of getting what you need or
want is…”
•
Source: Basic Strategies: Meeting the Needs of Vocational Students,
Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center, Sillwater, OK ©1999.
Implications
Helpful Resources
• http://www.resourceroom.net/
• http://www.schoolbehavior.com/conditions
_adhd.htm
• http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/bibliog/bib15t
xt.htm
• NDE Accommodations Guidelines
• www.interventioncentral.org