Differentiate Instruction or Instructional
Accommodations and Modification?
Use the following questions to determine what to do:
1). Can the student learn the same content information and participate in the same learning activities as his or her general education peers?
YES: Don’t need to provide accommodations or modifications. Design the lesson plan and teach it as intended.
NO: Move on to question 2.
2). Could the student learn the same content information and participate in the same learning activities if setting accommodations were provided?
YES: Determine which setting accommodations to provide based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 3.
3). Could the student learn the same content information and participate in the same learning activities if presentation accommodations were given?
YES: Determine which presentation accommodations are needed based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 4.
4). Could the student learn the same content information and participate in the same learning activities if the response accommodations were given?
YES: Determine which response accommodations are needed based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 5.
5). Could the student learn the same content information and participate in the same learning activities if the timing or scheduling accommodations were given?
YES: Determine which timing or scheduling accommodations are needed based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 6.
6). Can the student learn the same content information and participate in the same learning activities with personal assistance?
YES: Determine which personal assistance is needed based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 7.
7). Can the student participate in the same class activity but with different instructional goals of the same content?
YES: Determine the different instructional goals based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 8.
8). Can the student participate in the same class activity but with a different curriculum and instructional goals?
YES: Determine the curricular and instructional goal modifications needed based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 9.
9). Can the student work in the same classroom but on a different activity related to the IEP goals?
YES: Determine the different activity the student will do based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 10.
10). Can the student work in the same building on a different activity related to the IEP goals?
YES: Determine the activity the student will engage in based on the student’s individualized needs.
NO: Move on to question 11.
11). Can the student work on a significantly modified and functional curriculum related to the IEP goals?
YES: Identify the student’s needs and identify the functional skills the student will learn.
Additional questions teachers can also ask when determining accommodations and modifications students need include:
- What are the student’s learning strengths and needs?
- How do the student’s learning needs affect the achievement of grade-level content standards?
- What specialized instruction (e.g., learning strategies, organizational skills, reading skills) does the student need to achieve grade level content standards?
- What accommodations will increase the student’s access to instruction and assessment by reducing the effects of the disability?
- What accommodations are currently used by the student during instruction and for assessments?
- What are results for assignments and assessments when accommodations are used and not used?
- Are there effective combinations of accommodations?
- What difficulties did student experience when using accommodations?
- What is the student’s perception of how well accommodations “worked”?
- What are perceptions of parents, teachers, and specialists about how well accommodations “worked”?
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