Understanding the differences between accommodations and modifications can be difficult for parents and educators.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes an accommodation as “something supplied that is useful and handy”.  It defines modification as “the making of a limited change in something”.  How does this apply in the world of special education?  Accommodations and modifications are a required portion of the Individualized Education Plan which is a mandatory document for students with disabilities in the public schools.  The IEP began as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA originated in 1975 and was renamed as such in 1990.  The IEP outlines the student’s needs, goals, services, and accommodations/modifications needed in the programming.  The accommodations and modifications enable the child to participate in his/her “least restrictive environment” (conversation for another blog).  These accommodations and modifications assist the child to participate to the degree that he/she can and to access the curriculum to the best of the student’s ability.

What is the difference between accommodations and modifications?  Accommodations are basic changes to the way the material is presented, learning is demonstrated by the student, or to the environment the student is in.  When we think of an individual with a visual impairment, he or she may need an enlarged print.  Students who experience sensory needs may need noise-canceling headphones or a quiet environment.  Audio textbooks aid those with learning disabilities who struggle in the area of reading  Speech-to-text software allows students with disabilities in writing to express their thoughts. Many other accommodations support the student in learning, demonstrating his/her understanding and participating in the classroom. 

Modifications are a complete change to the curriculum or the learning standards expected for the child.  Students who struggle cognitively may be presented with lower levels of texts, which may be alternate types of material.  When expected to write a written report, students may complete a different assignment on similar material or a portion of the material, by creating a PowerPoint or having an oral dialogue with the teacher.  The distinction between accommodations and modifications is that with accommodations, students with disabilities are expected to grasp the same standards or learning targets as their neurotypical peers (peers without disabilities).  Students who have modifications focus on a few or alternate standards.

Educators often become concerned about how these accommodations and modifications affect grading.  When an accommodation is needed, the student is learning the same material and is expected to meet the same standards as their peers.  The accommodation simply makes this material more accessible to the student. This would be the case in all circumstances except those involving a student using audiobooks when learning to read or speech-to-text when working on written expression skills.  Therefore, students with accommodations should be graded in the same way as their neurotypical peers.  Alternatively, students with modifications have changes in what is expected, either in the material or the depth of the learning.  When students require modifications, IEP teams should consider alternate ways to grade the student.  Can the student receive a pass/fail option in his content classes?  Can he/she graded based on performance?  When this decision is made, it should be written into the IEP as another accommodation.

Accommodations are not “written in stone”. The IEP can be changed at any point.  As the child progresses, it may be determined that he/she may need more accommodations in how instruction is presented or learning is demonstrated.  Accommodations or modifications can be dropped if they are not needed anymore.

As the student becomes older, beginning at about age 14,  he/she should learn to advocate for him/herself. Students should be fully aware of their accommodations and able to explain them to others.  Helping students to understand their accommodations and advocate for them as needed aids these students in being prepared for post-secondary settings in which instructors are not obligated to always provide for these changes.  Teaching students these advocacy skills aids them in being life-long advocates for themselves.

Accommodations and modifications, an essential part of the IEP, provide a beneficial way for students to access the curriculum, demonstrate their learning, and be successful learners in what could be very challenging learning environments.