by natenatmom

Created on: March 11, 2009

When parents find out their child qualifies for special education services, the amount of information can be overwhelming. One of the most confusing parts is the IEP or Individual Education Plan. This writtendocument outlines what type of services the child will receive, how much time is spent with the special education teacher and in the general ed classroom, academic and/or behavioral goals, and which modificationsand accommodations will be made. Many parents, and even teachers, don't know the difference between an accommodation and a modification but the distinction is important.

An accommodation is a change in the way the curriculum is presented. It might mean that a student is given more time to complete assignments, a seat in the front of the class, or have tests given orally instead of on paper. An accommodation is not a change to what the child is required to learn. He still must learn the same material as the other students in order to pass. Accommodations can be made for a variety of reasons and can be used for any child, not just those receiving special education services. A child with hearing loss might be allowed to use visual aids. This is an accommodation. The teacher is not requiring less of the child. She is only allowing him to show his knowledge in a different way or is presenting the material in a way that makes learning it easier. Many children who do not require special education services can benefit from an accommodation. Students who are making slow progress, those with poor eyesight, and children with ADD are just a few examples of when an accommodation might be useful.

In contrast, a modification is an actual change to the curriculum. This might mean that the student will be required to learn five spelling words each week instead of 20 or will work in a second grade math book instead of the third grade one. A modification can also be a change in what is expected of the child such as different end-of-the-year goals or lower benchmarks that must be met in order to be promoted to the next grade. An example of this would be a lower DRA reading level than normally expected for that grade. Changes such as these are generally only allowed with special education students or those falling under a 504-Plan for health impairments.

Although accommodations and modifications have the same goal - to help students find success at school - the difference between them is important. Accommodations are permitted with any student because they aid the child in learning what all the other children are learning rather than lowering the expectations. Modifications, on the other hand, give children with disabilities their own set of goals that better match their cognitive abilities. When children qualify for special education services, they can benefit from both accommodations and modifications to the curriculum.

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