Accommodations: More Than Just Extended Time
I'm Laura Kaloi, Director of Public Policy at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and it's a pleasure to welcome you to today's chat, Accommodations: More Than Just Extended Time.
Accommodations are tools and procedures used to ensure equal access to both instruction and assessment to students with disabilities. In short, accommodations are provided to "level the playing field." Without the appropriate accommodations, students with disabilities may not be able to access grade level instructionf and be afforded every opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in state/district assessments.
Accommodations differ from modifications. Accommodations are intended to lessen the effects of a student's disability; they are not intended to reduce learning expectations. Changing, lowering or reducing learning expectations is usually referred to as a modification or alteration. I wanted to make this clarification upfront because a number of you have asked to know more about the distinction between the two. NCLD has a number of resources that can help disentangle the two if you visit www.ld.org/parents. Our experts, Drs. Sheryl Lazarus and James Shriner will answer your questions and help interpret what the current research is telling us about accommodations and their impact on IEP team decision-making. In addition, our experts will be offering practical information and guidance to assist school-based IEP teams improve their current practices.
Question from Miranda Avant, Special Education Department Head:
Often times, many general education teachers are uncomfortable providing accommodations to students with disabilities because they either do not know how to implement them or they view accommodations as being unfair. Are there materials or training available to help teachers put the IEP accommodations into practice in the general education classroom setting?
Dr. James Shriner:
The 2007 text, Large-scale assessments and accommodations: What works?, published by the Council for Exceptional Children and Educational Testing Service, is an excellent resource for your consideration. Visit www.cec-sped.org.
It is also beneficial to have time available for general education teachers to meet and consult with the special education staff so that the special education teachers can collaborate with them on the accommodations, demonstrate how to make them, and/or show them how to plan with the implementation of the accommodations in mind.
In a class I teach for preservice math and science teachers, I encounter the same concerns. I turn the conversation around by pointing out that most general education teachers are offering accommodations already - just under a different label. We stress that the routine instructional supports and teacher behaviors that students experience in the general education setting are often overlooked when the discussion of accommodations takes place.
General education teachers often are doing a good job of accommodating students, but don’t recognize their efforts as such. Use of Universal Design principles and differentiation strategies help make the general curriculum accessible to a wide range of students without the need for adaptations. In addition, the extent of social/behavioral support availability (e.g., opportunity for responding and reinforcement) within general education, and the sustainability of those supports are important considerations. These discussions can help remove some of the defensiveness by helping teachers understand that they are already making daily accommodations for students in their classrooms. As part of an OSEP-supported technical assistance grant, we assisted middle school general educators and special educators to evaluate the supportiveness of the general education environment over the long term for students with disabilities. The teachers learned that many students with learning disabilities actually expressed a preference for taking state, district, and school-level tests in the general education room because it had a positive influence on their attitude and thinking that was not available in the special education setting.
We also recommended the use of an Accommodation Monitoring Form which helped summarize accommodation and support availability and to promote discussions among teachers and for reference as IEPs for the next year were developed.. The use of such a form allows a teacher-friendly assessment of the types, frequency, and relative helpfulness of accommodations received in both general education and special education settings. The form can be downloaded by clicking here.
All of this is not to suggest that we don't stress the importance on implementing the IEP (including the plans for accommodations) as intended. Teachers are not to pick and choose from the IEP those accommodations that they are willing to implement.
For more information on Universal Design for Learning visit www.ld.org/udl and www.udl4allstudents.org.
Question from Jane Vorndran, parent in Hoagland, IN:
I get so frustrated going to IEP meetings when they ask me what accommodations I think my child needs. How am I supposed to know what's available?
Dr. James Shriner:
Sometimes it is more efficient to know what is NOT available rather than what is available. I've taken the liberty of reviewing the 2007-2008 Testing Program Manual for the Indiana Assessments. Appendix C of the Manual lists accommodations guidance. For this year, the nine prohibited accommodations for any student are listed as:
1. Student receives shortened tests.
2. Student chooses from a reduced number of possible answers.
3. Student has the reading comprehension portions read to them.
4. Student is provided unlimited time for each test section.
5. Student responds in a language other than English, response is then transcribed into English for scoring purposes.
6. Language in the directions is reduced in complexity.
7. Word problems in the mathematical assessment use language which is reduced in complexity.
8. Student is provided color-coded prompts for solving mathematical problems.
9. Assessment is provided in a language other than English.
So, perhaps you might think of those changes in setting/timing (extra time, testing with his/her special education teacher), presentation (how your child accesses the test), and response (how your child answers test items) that might address a specific need he/she has. According to the Manual, it is the responsibility of the IEP team to consider accommodations you suggest as long as the student "uses the accommodation in testing situations that occur throughout the student's educational program" (Indiana Department of Education, 2007, p. 54).
Click here to access the 2007-2008 Testing Program Manual for the Indiana Assessments.
The NCEO Web site has a list of often used accommodations at www.nceo.edu.
A sample of frequently used Accommodations follow. Again, remember that this is a sample and accommodations should meet the need of the individual student:
Setting: Individual, small group, distractions minimized.
Scheduling / Timing: Administer within effective window of taking medication; Provide frequent breaks during the usual time of administration, extend the administration time to compensate for the increased break time, Administer in morning to avoid end of fatigue from day's work.
Presentation: Provide student with a template to reduce distraction from other items; Highlight terms needed to access the test item (not terms/prompts to answer targeted skill); Orally present test directions or both test directions and test items.
Response: Allow student to respond on the test booklet; Scribe records responses to avoid extra time frustration trying to find appropriate location for response and to give the response.
Social/Behavioral: Supports for task initiation, maintenance and completion.
NCLD has a parent advocacy brief available: Determining Appropriate Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
All states have written accommodations guidelines that indicate which accommodations are allowed. This information is on the website of each state. The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) compiles and analyzes state accommodations policies. You can find links to the current guidelines of every state at http://cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/TopicAreas/Accommodations/StatesAccomm.htm.
Refer to the following report for detailed information about the policies of each state:
Lazarus, S.S., Thurlow, M.L., Lail, K.E., Eisenbraun, K.D., & Kato, K. (2006). 2005 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. (Synthesis Report 62). Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
The NCEO Web site also has an interactive tool on its Web site called the Data Viewer that can be used to find additional information state accommodations policies. The Data Viewer can be used to create customizable reports and maps that show which accommodations are permitted in which states.
Question from Karen Beatty, former special education teacher, Fairgrove Elementary School:
I see that both of you are interested in high-stakes assessment for students with disabilities. Would you please explain the benefits of taking high-stakes assessments [with accommodations] for students with learning disabilities?
Dr. James Shriner:
In many ways, the old addage of "what gets tested gets taught" can be expanded to be something like "data from assessments that gets used in decisions for those whom are tested, helps ensure that those persons get taught."
It is important that students with LD get every opportunity to participate in assessments that other students get. Without participation, students not included are not considered in decision making.
Question from Sandra Polacheck, Special Education Teacher, Meriden Public Schools:
Many students use text reading software regularly, in school and at home, in order to participate in grade level general education curricula in upper elementary and at the secondary levels. Our state tests forms are so "check list" styled that there is no room to actually make accomodations that are individualized and match the students' in class accomodations, nor do they reflect current available technological accomodations. What are your thoughts on print disabled (dyslexic) students using text reading software to take high school exit exams and other high stakes tests? And is there a way to make forms that reflect more than a "one-size fits all" format? Thank you for your time.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
The IEP is used as the basis of the decision-making process. After determining which accommodations a student needs, view the list of accommodations allowed by your state/district. If accommodations have been selected that are not on the "allowed list" re-evaluate their importance and the implications of their use. For example, will there be scoring implications? If it is determined that a non-approved accommodation is important for the student to meaningfully access the assessment, request any necessary approvals.
I can't tell which state you are in, but your state's accommodations policies may provide guidance regarding how to request an accommodation that is not on an "approved list." For example, in a few states the IEP team members are required to contact a specific person at the state of district level to get approval. Information about how the approval process is handled in various states is provided in Appendix B, Tables B15 and B16 of the following report:
Lazarus, S.S., Thurlow, M.L., Lail, K.E., Eisenbraun, K.D., & Kato, K. (2006). 2005 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. (Synthesis Report 62). Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
State accommodations policies and guidelines provide information about what accommodations may be used in your state. You can find the current policy for your state using a link on the NCEO Web site.
In some states different accommodations may be used on different assessments. The purpose of the test and the construct(s) that the assessment is designed to measure may affect which accommodations are allowed for a particular test. For example, in some states an accommodation that is not allowed for the statewide test used for accountability purposes may be permitted for the high school exit exam.
NCLD has resources on assessment accommodations at www.ld.org/parents. You can also find an accommodations checklist on NCLD's Accommodations page in LD Infozone.
NCEO has information about states' graduation requirements for students with disabilities here.
Another resource is:
Krentz, J., Thurlow, M., Shyyan, V., & Scott, D. (2005). Alternative routes to the standard diploma (Synthesis Report 54). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
Question from A. Spinella, Parent:
Are there accommodations in the area of grading? For example, can a grade be rounded up to the next grade if you are missing a C or D by 3 points or less? If so, how can this be addressed in the IEP?
Dr. James Shriner:
Although there are ways to deal with accommodations used by students when assigning and reporting grades, the decision to use accommodations should not be guided solely on how grades are to be reported.
Dennis Munk and Bill Bursuck –well-known educators in the field of Learning Disabilities – have offered suggestions:
a. Prioritizing content and Assignments;
b. Basing Part of Grade on Progress on IEP goals;
c. Basing Part of Grade on Processes Used to Complete the Work;
d. Basing Part of Grade on Student's Effort ;
e. Basing a Grade on Improvement Over Past Performance;
f. Changing Grading Scales or Weights
These options are detailed at this Web site.
Spencer Salend, also a well-known, researcher and educator in the area of Learning Disabilities, has emphasized that grading alternatives should (a) be consistent with the school district’s grading system, and (b) clearly communicate classroom-based instructional and testing accommodations associated with students’ grades. A report card cover sheet or addendum that documents accommodations received by a student might be one option for identifying accommodation use. Articles on this include:
Munk, D. D., & Bursuck, W. D. (2003). Grading students with disabilities. Educational Leadership, 61(2), 38-43.
Salend, S. (2005). Report card models that support communication and differentiation of instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37, 28-34.
Question from Sharron Tebo, Brown City Elementary, teacher and parent:
When taking a content area test, is it appropriate for the student to have a word bank? For example, in taking a test to identify the parts of a cell, the student would have a list of the cell parts and then could label a diagram of a cell. If taking a map test on recognizing the states, a list of the states would be available.
Dr. James Shriner:
To answer this question, I am operating on the principle that you are asking about state or district content tests. The answer to an earlier question from Indiana applies partially to the one posted here.
A general principle that has been applied to accommodation decisions is that as long as the student uses the accommodation in testing situations that occur throughout the student’s educational program, then an accommodation may be considered for state assessments. In Illinois, the phrase is "routine educational practice," I believe.
Whether a state test or a test in a content-area classroom, the main consideration as to whether or not a word back should be used is to determine the purpose of the test. For example, using your cell parts inquiry, if the priority target skill is "cell part identification" not "cell part name identification" it seems that the student would not be given an advantage by having the list available as long as the list remains in its original form (i.e., no indication of whether a student choice is correct is made by eliminating an item, thus reducing the number of possible choices). Therefore, having a word bank would be an appropriate accommodation.
The same construct of cell part identification could be measured using multiple choice items in which a cell picture is shown with a particular cell part identified by a marker (e.g., The part labeled "A" is known as the ____). In this instance, the possible options would, in fact, be supplied, similar to use of a word bank.
Question from Nan Bryant, Lead Teacher, Frederick Douglass Elementary:
How effective do you feel small group and 1:1 accommodations are for online testing? Are those accommodations as necessary once we move from paper and pencil high stakes testing to online testing?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
It may be appropriate for a student to take an online assessment in a separate room if the student is distracted by others typing, etc. However, a student should take the test in the same way that he or she has practiced--and should have the opportunity to practice in a separate room if that accommodation will be used during testing. For example, if any practice sessions have been in a group setting than the student may have difficulty taking the test on a different machine and room if it is unfamiliar.
Question from: Anonymous
As a junior high (7th & 8th) Resource Specialist and a Pre-Algebra teacher, I have a hard time figuring out the best accommodations (test & assignments) for my Resource students in a general education Pre-Algebra class?
Dr. James Shriner:
Use of manipulatives can be very helpful in a pre-algebra class when dealing with equations, as are mnemonics or picture representations. Having students get up and move and do things using concrete objects can help. If you teach a mnemonic, it is helpful to remind students of the mnemonic prior to taking the exam, or providing parts of it for them to fill in before beginning that section of an exam. Shortening the number of problems required on homework and exams is common.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
Each student is unique and some students may need different accommodations than other students. With each student, you can try different accommodations to see which ones are helpful. Also, talk to each individual student and ask which accommodations he or she found helpful.
Question from: Anonymous
As a special education teacher in a charter school, and a rookie, how do I know when an accommodation is not "evening the playing field" and in fact, making the course easier, thus not really allowing the student access to all the curriculum? If a ninth grader is only achieving at a 4th grade reading level, how do they access 9th grade curriculum? NF, Minneapolis, MN
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
My hat’s off to you. I know that you need to think about many things as a rookie teacher and I appreciate that you are thinking about how to enable your students to access grade-level content and achieve at high levels.
All students should have access to grade-level content and should be working toward grade-level content standards. Instructional strategies should be used that focus on a student’s strengths and needs. Accommodations may be needed to help the student access grade-level curriculum. When making accommodations decisions, the IEP team should consider:
--What are a student’s learning strengths? --What specialized instruction does the student need to meaningfully access grade-level content?
Consider the student’s individual needs by thinking about the critical knowledge and the performance expectations. Then identify any scaffolding, aids, supports, or services that are needed for the student to access the curriculum. See what works—and ask the student about his or her preferences and what he or she thinks works—and continue to make changes until the student is meaningfully accessing the content.
You might find the following resources helpful:
Nolet, V. & McLaughlin, M.J. (2005). Accessing the general curriculum: Including students with disabilities in standards-based reform (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Thurlow, M. L, Elliott, J. L. & Ysseldyke, J. (2003). Testing students with disabilities: Practical strategies for complying with district and state requirements. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.
Question from: Anonymous:
How can you make sure that the accommodations will be implemented at all times?
Dr. James Shriner:
We stress the importance of implementing the IEP (including the plans for accommodations) as intended. Teachers are not to pick and choose from the IEP those accommodations that they are willing to implement. However, when we talk with IEP teams about accommodation implementation, we usually begin by assessing the availability of accommodations rather than their use.
Susan Phillips, an attorney and special education advocate, has expressed concern for some time that continuous implementation of accommodations may actually lead to an over-accommodation of students, especially those who are younger. If we plan to always read aloud items to a student, our "incentive" to teach reading as an access skill may be diminished, she has argued. We've seen in Illinois, a tendency to "pressure" IEP teams to list accommodations on IEPs for which no real intention of use exists.
Our approach has been to assure that an accommodation that may be needed by a student is available and that the teachers are supported in delivering the accommodations.
We monitor accommodation use using the Accommodation Monitoring Form, developed as part of an OSEP-Sponsored grant, "Improving Education Professionals' Decision Making". At least bi-weekly, we ask all teachers of students with disabilities for whom accommodations have been planned on their IEPs to record the frequency of accommodation use and the relative helpfulness of the accommodations. We give them a pre-printed form listing IEP-documented accommodations, gather their responses and compare what is actually happening with what was planned. In addition, we ask them to list accommodations they used that were not on the pre-printed form.
We have found that most often, if an accommodation is not being made available, straightforward advice from a special educator is sufficient for changing the behavior of hesitant teachers.
Question from Fiona James, Spec. Ed. Resource, Chevy Chase, MD:
Please comment on the use of accommodations such as live or screen reader for a student in 4th of 5th grade with a diagnosis of dyslexia. What is the role of intensive intervention vs the accommodations?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
Both a live or screen reader and intensive interventions may have a place in the educational programming of a 4th or 5th grade student with a diagnosis of dyslexia. Interventions are important, but it is also important that students do not miss important grade-level content while working on skills. It may be appropriate for a live or screen reader to assist the student in accessing content. Accommodations decisions should be based on the needs of an individual student. You also should consider the purpose of the lesson.
Question from: Susan Healy/Learning Disabilities Association of Montgomery County, MD
I have a friend who has a sophomore in high school who was diagnosed with a learning disability in 3rd grade. He has a processing difficulty and was given extended time for tests. The schools convinced the family that he no longer needed an IEP after 6th grade and was given a 504 plan with accommodations. This year, the school wants to take away his 504 plan on the basis of his C grades. ie., he is not failing. It is my understanding that once a student has a disability, that it does not go away and that accommodations are available "to level the playing field". I find it extraordinary that a student who once had an IEP and then a 504 plan now is no longer welcome to have accommodations under either an IEP or a 504 plan. Do you have any thoughts about this? Thank you so much, .
Dr. James Shriner:
This question is a complicated one because the issues of service eligibility and accommodations are intertwined. The student's processing disability probably still exists. However, it is possible that he received excellent services and has learned a number of skills and strategies that allow him to achieve success despite a disabling condition. That being said, it is important to know if he is achieving his success (i.e., a C-average) with the provision of accommodations at this time. Is he able to maintain his passing grades without accommodations? If not, I would suggest that a 504 plan seems reasonable as it appears the student is "otherwise qualified" and meets eligibility requirements.
Question from Debby Smith, parent and grandparent of children with disabilities, 20 yr involvement with these issues:
I have noticed, both personally and when advocating for others, that the higher up in grade levels a child goes, the harder it is to get necessary accommodations. When Jr and Sr High, teachers find out that "special needs/ special ed/ disabled" students are in their classes and counselors and teachers often try to imply they shouldn't be in advanced courses. Has any research been done on whether the numbers participating in advance classes has risen?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
This is an excellent question —- and I wish that I could direct you to some relevant research. But, I'm not aware of any studies that show whether the number of students with disabilities who participated in advance level courses has increased—but my hunch is that it has.
I have noticed that a variety of things often occur as students move from elementary, to middle, and then to high school —- and many of them may be problematic. Middle and high school students may want to be "just like every else" and not want to use accommodations that are on their IEP. But, on the other hand, middle and high schools sometimes strongly encourage the use of accommodations (at least on statewide tests used for accountability purposes) —- whether or not they are needed -— because they think it will improve student scores. And, sometimes as you suggested, school staff sometimes may not have good understanding of how accommodations can be used to enable to middle and high students to meaningfully access rigorous curriculum and may inappropriately discourage their use.
There are two Educational Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI) publications that you might find useful. The first report discusses how a district or school can use Innovation Configurations to improve their practices (see pages 16-17):
Thompson, S.J., Lazarus, S.S., Thurlow, M.L., & Clapper, A.T. (2005). The Role of Accommodations in Educational Accountability Systems. (Topical Review 8). College Park MD: University of Maryland, Educational Policy Reform Research Institute.
The second report presented the results of a survey of special education teachers. The teachers were asked a number of questions about how IEP teams made decisions about the use of accommodations for instruction and assessment. The results were disaggregated by school level (elementary, middle school, high school, multi-level) and the analysis showed that there were differences across levels.
Lazarus, S.S., Thompson, S.J., & Thurlow, M.L. (2006). How Students Access Accommodations in Assessment and Instruction: Results of a Survey of Special Education Teachers. (Issue Brief 7). College Park MD: University of Maryland, Educational Policy Reform Research Institute.
Question from Te Blaisdell, parent:
Are there guidelines to determine how a calculator can be applied to Algebra I & II? Should calculators be allowed without question or are there times when calculators should not permitted even if the IEP accommodations allow for it?
Dr. James Shriner:
Although other states may have different policies, in our state, basic calculators that are supplied by the school are permitted for Algebra sections of the state assessment. Students may not use graphing calculators or others that can solve algebraic equations, as these would be an unfair advantage to students.
In regards to day to day classroom accommodations, a calculator is a permittable accommodation unless 1) the calculator is programmed to perform the desired function. For example, if the topic is integers (positive and negative), a calculator may not be permissable since the calculator will automatically calculate the answer and it will not be able to assess whether or not the student understands the concepts.
Refer to the following report for detailed information about the policies of each state:
Lazarus, S.S., Thurlow, M.L., Lail, K.E., Eisenbraun, K.D., & Kato, K. (2006). 2005 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. (Synthesis Report 62). Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
The NCEO Web site also has an interactive tool on its Web site called the Data Viewer that can be used to find additional information state accommodations policies. The Data Viewer can be used to create customizable reports and maps that show which accommodations are permitted in which states.
Question from Karen Peterson, Special Services Washington County Schools:
In our high school, the teachers give the impression that accommodations are not appropriate in honor level courses. I feel like we are sending the message that disabled students are not entitled to enroll in higher level courses. What are your thoughts on the "fairness" or appropriateness of students having a study guide for instance to organize their study themes before a test even though the student is taking a "honors" course?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
Accommodations decisions should be based on individual student need—and designated course levels (e.g., honors, etc.) should not affect these decisions.
Question from Ulandy Vaughn,PTA,CWT - parent:
My son is in the 10th grade and he currently is being served as an itinerant resource student. His primary weaknesses are in written expression, reading comprehension (grade equivalent at 6.6 grade level), and is a hands-on learner. He has been able to maintain passing grades in high school thus far, but now he has a college prep science class and is having difficulty with assignments because of poor organization skills and other factors. The school has suggested accommodations for help with note taking and study skills for test taking. Should I be concerned about the goals or the accommodations because our state has an exit exam with reading writing and math as a requirement?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
I don’t think that you need to be concerned. Help with note taking may be appropriate. It can free your son from focusing on the process of taking notes and give him the opportunity to focus his attention on the content. Some teachers routinely provide notes or PowerPoint hand-outs to students.
Many students can benefit from learning better study skills. I recently was on the campus of a very selective university and many of the dorms were offering study skills classes for freshman. A university official told me that many students had never learned good study and organizational skills in high school.
Question from Kim Palmer, SLP and parent of ADHD son:
Can a public school mark my child's report card and progress report as, "With Accommodations"? My understanding is that this is discriminatory.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
Whether or not your child's public school could mark your child's report card and progress report as “with accommodations” would depend upon the type of report and where you live. Your state or local district may have policies that prohibit reports from indicating that accommodations were used. The flagging of accommodations use is very controversial.
A test accommodation may be considered to be "okay" in one state for use on the statewide test and "not okay" another. State accommodations policies organize changes from the standardized testing condition in several ways. Standard accommodations are accommodations that are not considered to change the construct being measured. Changes that may change the construct are sometimes called nonstandard accommodations modifications/nonallowable accommodations. The use of a nonstandard accommodation on a statewide assessment may have implications for the way that your child's test is scored or the results reported. Some states may not include in summary reports the scores of students who used nonstandard accommodations, flag them, or report them as zero scores. You can use the NCEO data viewer to see how particular accommodations are categorized in your state.
Another resource that you might find useful is:
Sireci, S. (2005). Unlabeling the disabled: A perspective on flagging scores from accommodated test administrations. Educational Researcher. 34(1), 3-12.
Question from Angela, parent, houston:
How can you keep standards and expectations high, while utilizing such accommodations as modified work/test, copy of class notes, and study guide. I seen where sometimes the teacher modifies the test by reducing 4 choice multiple choice answers to 2.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
Accommodations should always be based on student need. The policies of very few--if any-- states would consider reducing 4 choice multiple choice answers to 2 to be an accommodation on the regular assessment. If may be a considered a modification that has scoring or reporting implications. Accommodations are designed to remove barriers to accessing a test--and in many cases if accommodations are appropriately used there would be no need to reduce the distractors from 4 to 2. Michael Rodriguez has an excellent paper that discusses the results of a number of studies on reducing the number of distractors. Rodriguez, M. (2005).Three Options Are Optimal for Multiple-Choice Items: A Meta-Analysis of 80 Years of Research. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice; v24 n2 p3-13 Jun 2005
Question from Cheryl Whittier, Private Tutor, Tiverton, RI:
What kind of accommodations would be given for a student with disabilities trying to get a GED?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
For instruction, you should consider what instructional accommodations might help the student to meaningfully access the curriculum. Discuss accommodations with the student and encourage him or her to express personal preferences. Involve the individual in the accommodation decision-making process. The student could try different accommodations to see which ones are helpful. Ask the student which ones "worked."
The Council of Chief State School Officer's Accommodations Manual contains a tool (Teacher Tool 2) that teachers can use to gather information about accommodations from a student’s perspective.
Thompson, S.J., Morse, A.B., Sharpe, M., and Hall, S. (2005). Accommodations manual: How to select, administer, and evaluate use of accommodations for instruction and assessment of students with disabilities. Arlington VA: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
States may have accommodations policies for the GED. According the GED assessment policy on the Rhode Island Department of Education website, "Programs must make accommodations for adults with disabilities who request them and must do so following test developer guidelines. Programs should keep good records on their requests for testing accommodations."
The Rhode Island policy is here. You will need to check the test administrator's manual to see how (and which) accommodations may be used.
The accommodations guidelines may be more (or less) specific in other states for the GED.
Question from Amy Sawyer, Program Manager, Greenville Literacy Association:
What accommodations can we offer at a literacy program for adults who are not officially diagnosed with a learning disabiility, but who we suspect might benefit from accommodations?
Dr. James Shriner:
Accommodation policies for adult learners are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As such, the student must self disclose their need for accommodations. Adult learners cannot be compelled to use accommodations. Given these caveats, nothing prohibits you from offering accommodations to any learner as long as those accommodations are available to all participants in the program. If you are asking about accommodations for testing situations, it is probably best to check with the publisher of the test for accommodation guidelines.
The National Center for Family Literacy is also a resource.
Question from Terry Simpson, Teacher, Windsor High School:
What do you recommend teachers do to "transition" students from K-12 accommodations (IDEA)to college accommodations?
Dr. James Shriner:
Since rules for requesting and receiving accommodations differ from those used by K-12 schools, teachers may want to be sure to prepare students to become proactive self-advocates for successful college experiences. Teachers can assist in preparing the student to have appropriate documentation of the specific student characteristics/needs and the accommodations or supports used thus far.
Usually, accommodations are offered without much issue, as it is in the interest of the institution to support the successful completion of degree requirements by students. Institutions generally may deny requests if the accommodation substantially modifies the essential nature of an instructional program.
I can recommend a good article in Teaching Exceptional Children last year that summarized key considerations for accommodation determination at the post-secondary level.
Sahlen, C, & Lehmann, J (2006) "Requesting accommodations in higher education" Teaching Exceptional Children, 38: pp. 28-34. Click here for more.
At our university, students requesting accommodation on the basis of a specific learning disability must provide documentation from a professional who has undergone comprehensive training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis of a full range of cognitive and psychiatric disabilities (e.g., licensed clinical psychologist and/or neuropsychologist).
This documentation includes a clinical summary which: (a.) indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the specified learning disability, (b.) describes the extent to which these limitations impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested, (c.) suggests how the specific effects of the learning disability may be accommodated, and (d.) states how the effects of the learning disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
A summary of typical differences between high school and college we give prospective students includes the following:
Identification
- High School - Students are identified by the school districts
- College - Students must self-identify by registering with the Disability Services office
- High School - Information is shared with parents/guardians
- College - Student's right to privacy and confidentiality is upheld
- High School - Placement and accommodations include parents/guardians
- College - Placement and Accommodations do NOT include parents/guardians
- High School - Special Education teachers know you well and are aware of your specific difficulties or concerns, and know your strengths and weaknesses
- College - Students will need to initiate discussion and make your concerns known to college instructors, advisors, and disability resource facilitators
- High School - School district structures a student's weekly schedule
- College - Student is responsible for their own time management
- High School - Teachers remind students of exam dates and assignment deadlines
- College - Students are expected to know exam dates and assignment deadlines by referring to their syllabi
- High School - Time spent in classroom averages about 40 hours per week
- College - Time spent in classroom is approximately 13-16 hours per week. Don't let this fool you!
- High School - Time spent on homework is oftentimes substantially less than in college
- College - Time spent on homework is usually 2 hours for every hour you spend in class
- High School - Preparing for exams usually involved memorization, and identification of information
- College - Preparing for exams will involve application of information
- High School - Courses and programs can be fundamentally altered
- College - Courses and programs ARE NOT fundamentally altered
Taking these into consideration, you may want to focus on things that will increase general independence by the student, such as:
- Making sure the student understands his or her disability, needs, and accommodations that help him or her succeed and making sure the student does not view these needs as stigmatizing or something to be ashamed of. Often, students receive special education services and succeed with them in high school without ever fully understanding why they receive these services or how they assist him or her with academic tasks or daily living.
- Time management skills
- Practicing self-advocacy with his or her high school teachers so that he or she becomes comfortable discussing his or her accommodation needs and explaining his her her processing deficits or disability areas.
- Organizational skills and keeping a personal calenda.
- Understanding how to calculate a grade in a class.
- Essay skills that involve expository writing.
- Arranging a meeting between the student, his or her parent/guardians (when appropriate), and the college of attendance's disability services staff (or providing contact information) so that he or she will feel more comfortable contacting them when he or she attends college. Alternatively, if the student is not sure where he or she will attend, or the college is far away, you might arrange a visit to a local college or invite their staff to come speak to your class about what they offer.
Another good website is the Office of Civil Rights site for students with disabilities preparing to go to college.
For adults in college, you can listen to free audio recordings on the Listening Library Collection at the Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) Web site.
Finally, the November 2006 chat on LD Talk addressed accommodations issues for college students.
Question from Dale Brown, Senior Manager, LD OnLIne:
Do you think accommodation needs stay the same throughout the lifespan or change over time? Specifically, are there changes between adolescence and adulthood as the teenager grows and matures?
Dr. James Shriner:
Regardless of the age of the student, it is important to monitor, (even if on an informal basis), the degree to which accommodations are used and the degree to which they appear to be helpful to the student. In addition, the student's perception and comfort with the accommodation should be checked, especially as a student gets older.
We suggest using an accommodation monitoring form, similar to the one provided for an earlier answer, to assist with this task. The purpose of this is to make sure the student is neither over-accommodated or under-accommodated. If we provide accommodations by default (becuase they have always been provided to the student), then we may lose the incentive to teach the skill that the accommodation is supposed to address. It is also important to keep in mind that students at different age levels may get tested with different assessments. These assessments may have different accommodation rules and one should not assume that what was allowed or prohibited on previous assessments are the same for those given later on.
Question from Gale Prol, Behavior Specialist A Place to Call Home Foster and Adoptive Care:
Are the 1-9 accommodation ideas you shared allowed or prohibited? They all appear to be viable accommodations.
Dr. James Shriner:
These accommodations are specifically prohibited for the state of Indiana. I retrieved this information from the Indiana Department of Education's Web site. While some may seem like viable accommodations, the decision is the state's at this time. They may prohibit an accommodation based on state policy alone. States are to be working on gathering and making available data to IEP teams for justification of prohibited accommodations. No specific timeline has been set for this to be done.
Question from Debbie Sena parent:
I can't get the College Board to approve the accommodation of using a computer to write essay and open ended questions and not having to put anwsers on a scantron sheet. My son has had these accommodations in school all his life but the College Board will not allow him to use them for SAT's after submitting all the requested documentations--what do you recommend?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
The Fall 2007 edition of Pacesetter, the newsletter published by PACER, describes a somewhat similar situation—but it involved the ACT. The article describes a student who received permission to use the Dragon Naturally Speaking speech recognition software to dictate the essay section of the ACT. This accommodation had never before been used before on the ACT and the original request was denied. The family then appealed and the accommodation was approved. The article is available in the Fall 2007 edition of Pacesetter on page 9.
Question from V. Penna /Parent:
Is it important to test without accommodations at times to get a true reading on where your child really is?
Dr. James Shriner:
It depends on your definition of what a "true reading" is. Tests involve both target skills - what you are interested in measuring - and access skills - those skills that allow a student to show what they know in relation to the target skill. Consider for example, a test for which the target skill of interest is "proficiency in mathematical reasoning." Your intent is to get a "true reading" of a student's math problem solving.
A student's level of ability or skill in another area - an access skill - (reading, listening, attending to task) may interfere with his/her performance on the test of mathematical skill. In this instance, if the level at which the student reads is well below the reading level of the items on the math test, and he or she normally receives an accommodation of reading of the test items that is then removed, the resulting score is likely to reflect reading skill more than a measure of mathematical reasoning. Therefore, it would be suggested that the reading of items be left as an accommodation and the test would still give a "true reading" of mathematical reasoning. If however, the student received an accommodation of use of math notes, or a word bank of commonly used math terms and their definitions, this may be an accommodations that would be removed to see if a student is retaining this knowledge and to get a "true reading" of mathematical reasoning skills.
Appropriately used accommodations increase the likelihood that inferences made about the student's performance based on the resulting test score accurately reflect the intended target skill (the "true reading" you were after) rather than the access skill.
Question from: Anonymous
What happens to accommodations in college? Our daughter is told that whether or not she is allowed accommodations is up to her professor.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
College students do not have IEPs. Accommodations are handled somewhat differently in colleges than in high schools. Most postsecondary institutions have guidelines regarding how a student can substantiate the need for an accommodation. A college's disabilities services office often can assist students in navigating this process. Students often have a letter that describes the accommodations from the disabilities services office that they can give the professor. Your daughter should discuss accommodations needs with her professor as early as possible in the semester. The office may also be able to help your daughter think about how to communicate with her professors about accommodations.
Some accommodations routinely used in high schools may not be considered appropriate by a college. The purpose of the course and what is being assessed may affect whether or not the use of a particular accommodation is appropriate.
Many college and universities have web sites that provide excellent resources about the accommodation request process. One site that I like is the University of Virginia's Learning Needs and Evaluation Center. It is an excellent resource for students, faculty, and staff.
A paper in the current issue of Learning Disabilities Research and Practice is another excellent resource:
Lindstrom, J. H. (2007). Determining appropriate accommodations for postsecondary students with reading and written expression disorders. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 22(4), 229-236.
The November 2006 LD Talk addressed accommodations issues for college students.
Question from NR Santucci, Reading Specialist, Highlands Elementary:
Dear Experts: In the past, my school district has tested students in grades three and five using the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills). The purpose was for comparative reasons, and no accommodations were allowed because this was a standardized test.
This year, however, the district has chosen to allow accommodations. I understand how accommodating on this test can provide useful information when data is used for instructional purposes, but when the test is administered only at certain grades, I have trouble accepting the practice.
I am interested in your thoughts on the use of accommodations for standardized tests, especially when it is a child's first time to take one, and its administration is used for comparative reasons and not instructional.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
Appropriately used, accommodations can enable a student to more meaningfully access an assessment and provide more valid results. The test administrators' manual for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills contains detailed information about testing processes and procedures. This manual should guide test administration practices to ensure that the test results present a valid measure of student learning. The manual contains information about which accommodations may be used without making changes to the test that may have scoring implications.
You may also find it useful to refer to the University of Iowa web page for additional information about the use of accommodations and modifications on the ITBS.
Question from Carla Lewis, Parent:
It seems quite a few accommodations that are considered "typical" would be suitable to my children - how do you know when there are "too many" accommodations?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
The IEP team should not just "check off" a bunch of accommodations off a list--rather the individual needs of each child should be considered. Sometime schools "bundle" accommodations together. For example, all students who receive the test in a small group setting may all receive the same bundle of accommodations (extended time, read aloud, etc.); when really different students need different accommodations. That is inappropriate. However,if your children's needs are considered individually, it may be appropriate for them to use a number of accommodations.
Question from Lisa Finnerty Coggi, Parent Syracuse, NY:
If a team of teachers decides a student needs testing accommodations of rewording question and providing additional examples, how can the state determine that those accommodations cannot be provided and questions need to be read word for word and additional examples cannot be provided for exit exams or state assessments? Thank you for your response.
Dr. James Shriner:
Although IDEA gives the IEP team the responsibility for deciding how a student participates in the statewide assessment, states may require that only approved accommodations be used and, therefore, not allow the use of non-approved accommodations.
All states have an affirmative obligation to determine appropriate accommodations for assessments that maintain their reliability and validity and to provide guidelines to IEP teams for decision-making on accommodation use. States must gather and make available data on the extent to which an accommodation effects the inferences that can be made based on resulting scores. In the absence of data on the effect of an accommodation, IEP teams may consider asking the state for permission to use an accommodation until such data are available. Ultimately, the decision and responsibility for intended and unintended consequences of denying accommodations rests with the state, so it is to a state’s advantage to have a research-based rationale for its decisions.
Pullin, D., (2007). Accommodations in testing: Law, policy and practice. Large-scale assessments and accommodations: What works? In C. Cahalan Laitusis and L. Cook, eds. Arlington, VA; Council for Exceptional Children and Educational Testing Service.
Question from: Anonymous
My freshman has accommodations for testing-when she takes a foreign language test in another room. Shouldn't a teacher proficient in the language be in the room to help her?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
I would need to know a bit more information about the accommodations your daughter has to answer this question. I would also need to know little about what is occurring in the classroom where the other students are taking the test.
Some of the questions might include:
What accommodations does your daughter use?
Does the teacher monitoring the test in the foreign language classroom answer questions from students that require teacher language proficiency?
In other subject areas when your daughter takes a test in another room, how are content-related questions handled?
Question from: Anonymous
In New York State, can a teacher aide (not a teaching assistant) administer test mods?
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
For clarification, remember that Accommodations are not the same as modifications. Accommodations are intended to lessen the effects of a student’s disability; they are not intended to reduce learning expectations. Changing, lowering or reducing learning expectations is usually referred to as a modification or alteration.
Different states have different policies regarding who can administer state large-scale assessments. A few states require that test administrators be licensed teachers—but many states provide little guidance about who may administer a test.
Likewise, it varies from one state to the next who may administer test accommodations and modifications. Access assistants is a term used to describe scribes, readers, and sign language interpreters. They implement the provision of accommodations such as dictation, read aloud, and sign interpretation. Some states have policies, guidelines, and training manuals for access assistants. These guidelines can help make sure that the accommodations are administered appropriately and that the test results accurately reflect student learning.
For additional information about access assistants, see:
Clapper, A. T., Morse, A. B., Thurlow, M. L., & Thompson, S. J. (2006). How to develop state guidelines for access assistants: Scribes, readers, and sign language interpreters. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
Question from Laurie Beck, RN School Nurse, Baltimore County Public Schools:
My question is: How can the elementary school find time for extended time without using recess? My learning disabled son, age 7 at the time, said, "Mom, I had to make up work during recess, and I wasn't bad, either." All children need recess for their physical, mental, and emotional welfare. Certainly, children with learning disabilities certainly don't need their self-esteem lowered because they are slower in completing their work.
Dr. Sheryl Lazarus:
I suggest that you talk with your child’s school about your concerns. Schools often face many very difficult logistical issues on “test day”; but that said, school staff should observe what happened on test day to guide and improve the testing process the next time. Student, teacher, and parent perceptions of how well an accommodation was implemented are important data that schools can use to refine and improve the testing process.
Question from Vaughn, Director of Professional Development:
Hi folks. What accomm
Read more about James Shriner, Ph.D.
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That concludes our LD Talk for today. Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful questions and thanks to our experts, Drs James Shriner and Sheryl Lazarus, for their time today.
To access additional resources on Accommodations, visit the NCLD Infozone Accommodations section.