Disabilities often manifest themselves differently in different individuals, thereby making teaching strategies unique. Students with learning disabilities are considered to be a heterogeneous group. These individuals area diverse group of people who exhibit potential challenges in many areas. For instance, a student with a learning disability may have significant learning problems, whereas another may experience no reading difficulty, but have trouble with written expression. In a more comprehensive way, students with orthopaedic impairments also referred to as physical and health impairments display unique educational needs, which require their teacher to possess special skills and expertise to help meet the needs of the students (Council for Exceptional Children, 1998). The current literature reveals that teachers who are responsible for students with physical and health impairments lack these skills. Some of the basic skills teacher dealings with this group include utilizing specialized instructional tactics, establishing effective modifications, addressing physical and health management problems, utilizing effective evaluation strategies, offering disability-specific core curricula, and integrating specific technological strategies in helping the students. It is important to note that learning disabilities may be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe, which explains the different coping levels of students. As stated by Friend and Bursuck (2002), some students will easily learn to adjust to learning disabilities, while others will struggle throughout their lives to perform simple tasks. Regardless of these differences, these differences mostly begin in childhood and always exist as a life-long condition. The paper will present three sections assessing the research-based accommodation and or modification, their implementation, and Individualized Education Program (IEP) analysis.
Part one: Research-Based Evaluation of Accommodation and modifications
| Accommodation/Modifications | Description | References |
| 1.Timing/Scheduling | Timing or scheduling is the act of administering a test is many timed sessions or several days through the creation of a planner. For instance, in a mathematics session of learning to interpret graphs, the teacher can constructs framework for fourteen days to increase the students’ understanding. | Research done by Kauffman et al. (2003), authorities have now started to acknowledge math difficulties the second important academic problem for students with learning disabilities. |
| 2.Response support | Applying concrete models and manipulatives as well as visual representations for math learners with conceptualization and knowledge application difficulty. | Madaus, Miller, & Vance, 2009). |
| 3.Response Accommodation | In some occasions, the teacher will find students having difficulty in computing mathematical fluency. The accommodation skills that can be employed include offering calculation devices such as calculators and abacus. | Madaus, Miller, & Vance, 2009). |
| 4.Planning guides | For learners with procedural skill and problem solving such as the use of graphic organizer, flow charts and T-charts | |
| 5.Presentation support | Used on learners with math difficulty by offering presentation supports through visual cues and monitoring. | |
| 6.Response | A majority of researchers have indicated that all students increase their performance after getting positive feedback. Therefore, as response technique of accommodation, giving positive feedback to such learners will enhance their levels of motivation and understanding. | A majority of researchers have indicated that all students increase their performance after getting positive feedback (Beech,2010) |
| 7. Setting accommodation | Education practitioners should provide plenty of space for answers as well as give multiple-choice answers in setting accommodations while dealing with English and Art difficulties | |
| 8. “change in what is being taught” strategy of modification | To help learners having trouble in English language and arts. For example, if the textbook curriculum is based on the eighth-grade level, but the student is at the independent understanding level of the fourth-grade, then the teacher can use the ability-determined reading groups to students bypass their learning difficulties | Cohen, Gregg, & Deng, (2005). |
| 9.Task adaptation | Task adaptation approaches can reduce the complexity of the math tests or English proficiency practices. These approaches are often recommended only at the initial stages of instructions. They should be reduced to enable the student to acquire new ideas in the course of the curriculum. Some of the strategies for task adaptation include providing hints and multiple-choice answers | Geary & Hoard (2005). |
| 10. Support for comprehension | They include factors such as preview of vocabulary, highlighting or color-coding, hand-on-activity, and digital texting. | In a publication by Kori Hamilton and Elizabeth Kessler in Accommodations and Modifications: Wait, they are not the same, the two authors perceive accommodation to be a change that assists the students to overcome or work around the orthopaedic impairment, whereas modification is the change on what is being taught or required from the student |
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Ina publication by Kori Hamilton and Elizabeth Kessler in Accommodations and Modifications: Wait, they are not the same, the two authors perceive accommodation to be a change that assists the students to overcome or work around the orthopaedic impairment, whereas modification is the change on what is being taught or required from the student. They further advise the reader that an easy way to grasp the difference is to think of accommodation as marking the playground for the students by altering them through the educational curriculum. On the other hand, modifications surpass just marking the pitch because they entirely change the game. Offering accommodation or modification depend on various factors such as the age of the student, type of disability, classroom placement, and if the child has an individualized education program.
Traditionally, disabilities of reading have received more weight than those of mathematics. However, the latter has started to gain increased attention (Hunt and Marshall, 2005). According to research done by Kauffman et al. (2003), authorities have now started to acknowledge math difficulties the second important academic problem for students with learning disabilities. Some of the abilities involved in mathematics include estimation, engaging in computation skills, solving problems, understanding measurements, utilizing mathematics for prediction, and generating and reading graphs and charts. On the other hand, quite a large number of students with learning disabilities experience English Language Arts (ELA) difficulties. Hence, when making accommodation or modification strategies, education practitioners should consider the current level of English language proficiency as well as the students’ native language.
When it comes to dealing with math and English Language Arts (ELA) difficulties, certain accommodation and modification techniques can be employed. According to research done by Beech (2010) in an article titled Assessments and Accommodations, different accommodation types depend on the setting, response, timing, and presentations (Madaus, Miller,& Vance, 2009). Based on this example, different types of accommodation and modification can be used by the teachers working with math and English language arts difficulties. For math difficulties, the first technique that can be used is timing. These are techniques utilized on students needing more time to process information. Simply, timing or scheduling is the act of administering a test is many timed sessions or several days through the creation of a planner. For instance, in a mathematics session of learning to interpret graphs, the teacher can constructs framework for fourteen days to increase the students’ understanding. The second response support accommodation that can be used is applying concrete models and manipulatives as well as visual representations for math learners with conceptualization and knowledge application difficulty. The third strategy that can be used is the response as an accommodation technique. In some occasions, the teacher will find students having difficulty in computing mathematical fluency. The accommodation skills that can be employed include offering calculation devices such as calculators and abacus. Fourthly, the teacher can utilize planning guides for learners with procedural skill and problem solving such as the use of graphic organizer, flow charts and T-charts. The fifth accommodation skill to use on learners with math difficulty is offering presentation supports through visual cues and monitoring.
The second part will represent different accommodation for learners with English language and arts difficulty. A majority of researchers have indicated that all students increase their performance after getting positive feedback. Therefore, as response technique of accommodation, giving positive feedback to such learners will enhance their levels of motivation and understanding. Secondly, education practitioners should provide plenty of space for answers as well as give multiple-choice answers in setting accommodations. It will be effective for learners who have experience difficulty in paying attention. Thirdly,” change in what is being taught” strategy of modification can be applied to help learners having trouble in English language and arts. For example, if the textbook curriculum is based on the eighth-grade level, but the student is at the independent understanding level of the fourth-grade, then the teacher can use the ability-determined reading groups to students bypass their learning difficulties (Cohen, Gregg, & Deng, 2005). It is a strategy, which is highly relatable to the concept of task adaptation, which is the fourth accommodation technique to help learners experiencing these difficulties. Task adaptation approaches can reduce the complexity of the math tests or English proficiency practices. These approaches are often recommended only at the initial stages of instructions. They should be reduced to enable the student to acquire new ideas in the course of the curriculum. Some of the strategies for task adaptation include providing hints and multiple-choice answers (Geary & Hoard 2005). The last accommodation strategy that can be adopted is providing oral instructions English ability as well as math tests the fifth accommodation strategy that can be used on learners with English language and arts difficulty include presentation supports for comprehension. They include factors such as preview of vocabulary, highlighting or color-coding, hand-on-activity, and digital texting.
Part 2: Accommodation and modification implementation
1) As an education practitioner dealing with the students experiencing math and ELA disabilities, I would employ timing and task adaptation. Timing or scheduling is an effective response because the students are to learn new things while experiencing no pressure. When students are exposed to a peaceful environment, they can easily increase their concentration span. On the other hand, I would go for task adaptation because it reduces complexities and encourages interest.
2) Some of the effective elements of the accommodation strategy adopted include the allowance of extra time and further oral clarifications of tests or assignments. However, scheduling can be a major challenge because of the unique mental and developmental abilities of the students. The overall success of the lesson may be affected negatively because education practitioner may take more time explaining the task than the time taken to the actual task to be completed.
3) More often than not, the level of student engagement in the application of accommodations or modifications is an important aspect of determining the success of the program. According to my mentor, factors like the practitioner’s commitment and dedication would heighten the effectiveness of accommodations or modifications. Besides, collaboration and support from other educators increase the effectiveness of the different approaches employed.
4) Based on my mentor’s opinion, I settled for the timing/scheduling and task adaptation as a response method because they offer an allowance for outside consultation from other experts, especially when failing to realize progress. On the other hand, I did not opt for presentations because would be challenging to evaluate the accommodations, especially in cases of many students. Besides, the advice of the mentor is to be consistent, and display commitment and I felt the method would limit my abilities.
Part 3: Individualized Education Program analysis
The case study will involve X, a student experiencing written expressions deficits. Since writing is a highly complex action of expression, which involves eye-hand coordination, linguistic, and conceptual cognitions, students having these problems, in this case, X usually exhibit overwhelming feelings to get started, struggles in organizing writing and achieving fluency, and difficulties in spelling and submitting long works. Based on the struggles exhibited by X, he needs to undergo IEP, which will offer special education and supplementary services.
1) The most effective modification strategy to be used in this case is the retrieve and write down approach. The strategy purports that students to be allowed to write down whatever they retrieve from their memory immediately through standardized testing.
2) Utilizing presentation techniques of accommodation in IEP would be ineffective because it entails procedures and cooperative learning, which does not match the ability of the child. However, specialized presentation formats can be utilized through different formats such as video, and visuals (Stahl, 2004).
3) Furthermore, one accommodation technique that can be used includes self-regulation and self-assessments procedures and establishing goals to guide and organize their ideas. Also, collaboration and consultation with supervisors as well as the parents of the students can make up the accommodation strategies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, accommodations and modifications effectively contribute to fulfilling the needs of students with orthopaedic impairments. Education practitioner and teachers should have appropriate skills and take responsibility for providing effective accommodations or modifications to students experiencing different unique disabilities. Some of the basic skills teacher dealings with this group include utilizing specialized instructional tactics, establishing effective modifications, addressing physical and health management problems, utilizing effective evaluation strategies, offering disability-specific core curricula, and integrating specific technological strategies in helping the students. The key to realizing great success in the application of accommodations or modifications is to consistently monitor the progress, perform planning, implement appropriate skills, and evaluate the effectiveness.
References
Beech, M. (2010). Accommodations: Assisting students with disabilities. Florida Department of Education .
Cohen, A. S., Gregg, N., & Deng, M. (2005). The Role of Extended Time and Item Content on a High ‐ Stakes Mathematics Test. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice , 20 (4), 225-233.
Council for Exceptional Children (1998). What every special educator musk know: The international standards for the preparations and licensure of special educators, (3 rd Ed.) Council for Exceptional Children, Reston, VA.
Friend, M., &Bursuck, W. D. (2002). Including students with special needs: A practical guide for classroom teachers . Allyn & Bacon, a Pearson Education Company, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116.
Geary, D. C., & Hoard, M. K. (2005). Learning disabilities in arithmetic and mathematics. Handbook of mathematical cognition , 253-267.
Kauffman, J. M., Lloyd, J. W., Baker, J., & Riedel, T. M. (1995). Inclusion of all students with emotional or behavioral disorders? Let's think again. Phi Delta Kappan , 76 (7), 542.
Madaus, J. W., Miller, W. K., & Vance, M. L. (2009). Veterans with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability , 22 (1), 10-17.
Stahl, S., Hitchcock, C., Hendricks, V., Johnson, M., Christensen, S., & Siller, M. A. (2010). Accessible textbooks in the classroom: An educator’s guide to the acquisition of alternate format core learning materials for pre-K–12 students with print disabilities. Retrieved August , 10 , 2010.
