This student is still expected to know the same material and answer the same questions as fully as the other students, but he doesn’t have to write his answers to show that he knows the information. Allowing a student who has trouble writing to give his answers orally is an example of an accommodation. Making an assignment easier so the student is not doing the same level of work as other students is an example of a modification.Īn accommodation is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability. Usually a modificationmeans a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student. Sometimes people get confused about what it means to have a modification and what it means to have an accommodation. (Don’t you love a clear answer?) People tend to use the terms interchangeably, to be sure, and we will do so here, for ease of reading, but distinctions can be made between the terms.

The simple answer is: No, not completely, but yes, for the most part. You might wonder if the terms supports, modifications, and adaptations all mean the same thing. Program modifications and supports for school staffīack to top Part 1: A Quick Look at Terminology.This page is intended to help teachers and others find information that can guide them in making appropriate changes in the classroom based on what their students need. It is not always obvious what adaptations, accommodations, or modifications would be beneficial for a particular student, or how changes to the curriculum, its presentation, the classroom setting, or student evaluation might be made. Other modifications may involve changing the way that material is presented or the way that students respond to show their learning.Īdaptations, accommodations, and modifications need to be individualized for students, based upon their needs and their personal learning styles and interests. Some adaptations are as simple as moving a distractible student to the front of the class or away from the pencil sharpener or the window. For many students with disabilities-and for many without- the key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations, and modifications made to the instruction and other classroom activities.

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