solos

Wed, Feb 22, 2023 11:30AM 10:06 SUMMARY KEYWORDS modifications, accommodations, student, special education, child, iep, wine, assignment, learning, steve martin, question, nose, ide, parent, test, modify, special ed, helping, daily duties, wine glass

00:04 There's this old movie and it has Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah in there. Stick with me. I know we're talking about special ed stuff. But I want to give you this example that really is going tolead into what we're talking about today. So in this movie, Steve Martin has this super longnose like really long, and he finds it hard to drink from a wine glass in the traditional way thatone would. So in the scene, Steve Martin asked Daryl Hannah, if she has a straw, she does nothave a straw for him. So he begins trying different angles to drink from this wine glass. But every time his nose is getting in the way, it's splashy, it's messy, it's all over the place. So finally he gives up and sucks it up, it being the wine through his nose look, 00:52 using his nose, or straw if she had one is what we call in the world of Special Educationaccommodations. So it was allowing Steve Martin's to still drink the wine in the same way, as everyone else. He didn't change the wine in any way. He just found a way to consume it differently. Alternatively, say he took the wine and froze it into wine cube so that he could thenput it in his mouth and it could dissolve that would be modifying the form of wine. So this would be different than what everyone else has. Right so everybody else at the party has their glass of wine and he has the frozen wine. That is an example of a modification. 01:41 Hello, special education strategist. I am your host Wendy Taylor. Today in our solo episode, Iam going to share with you what the difference is between accommodations and modifications.I am a mom of three and have sat on both sides of the IEP table, both as a parent and aprofessional. The world of special education can be overwhelming and scary, even for me as aparent and I have extensive Special Education Training. Don't worry, I got you and my solo episodes of the special education strategist. I'm here to break down the IEP process helpreduce stress and empower you and your child through the IEP. At the IEP table I have learned to improve outcomes. Be informed, be prepared and become a partner with the IEP team. If youare new to special education feel like your child should be evaluated for special education orjust a curious learner. Join me as we dive in and strategize and take your special educationstrategies from worries to wins.

02:50 Many times parents, students and even educators are evenly easily confused when discussingaccommodations and modifications. Most people think these two words have the samemeaning and special education and all actuality they have very different meanings.Accommodations refer to leveling the playing field modifications refer to changing the playingfield. 03:18 Program accommodations and modifications are available to children who receive servicesunder ide a or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. So accommodations and modifications are types of adaptations that are made to the environment, curriculum, instruction or assessmentpractices in order for students with disabilities to be successful learners and to activelyparticipate with other students and the general education and the school wide activities.Accommodations are changes in how a student accesses information and demonstrateslearning accommodations do not substantially change the instructional level content orperformance criteria. The changes are made in order to provide a student with equal access tolearning and an equal opportunity to show what they know and they can do. So examples ofthat may be accommodations of the presentation, presentation of learning and instructionalstrategies, students response format, time scheduling, equipment, assignments, structure orpaper type of work. Now the modification changes modifications. 04:38 Try that again, modifications or changes in what a student is expected to learn. So how is the accommodations modifications or the what the changes are made to provide a student withopportunities to participate meaningfully and productively along with other students in theclassroom, and school learning experiences me 05:00 modifications include changes in instructional level, content, curriculum, performance criteria,and assignment structure. Sometimes folks question the use of modifications. But let's look at some real world examples. Let's look at modifications on the job. As adults do we question if ateacher uses a pair for paraprofessional and aides to help them in the classroom, or executivesuse secretaries to help them with daily duties? 05:44 Gosh, we're gonna scratch the word secretary. So do it. Executives use assistants to help with their daily duties. Assistants also use computers to aid in drafting letters and documents, thesemodifications allow us to be effective and efficient. They allow us to be productive and toconcentrate on our actual work, product and set of the work process. So in the grand scheme of things, these modifications are relatively modern items. For example, today we drive to work instead of walking cars or modifications that allow us to get to our destination quickly andcomfortably and efficiently for the most part, right? So or we wear glasses that modify ourvision and allow us to see better. So the real question then, that we should ask perhaps, iswhether making modification is fair. But what will be lost? If you provide modifications to thischild? What is the right thing to do for this individual child? Will this child be able to focus onlearning instead of the condition that causes the child to need the modifications?

07:01 to kind of recap some students 07:04 with disabilities they need accommodations or modifications to their educational program inorder to participate in the general curriculum and to be successful in school. So while the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDE, a our federal law, and its regulations do notnecessarily refer or defined to accommodations or modifications, there's some agreement as towhat they mean. So an accommodation is used 07:34 to allow students to complete the same assignment or test as their same age peers. But with a change in the timing, format, setting scheduling response or presentation. This accommodation does not alter in any significant way, 07:52 what the tasks are, the assignment is measuring. 07:58 An example another example could be an accommodation including a student who is blindtaking a braille version of the test, or a student is taking a test alone in a quiet room. A modification is used as an adjustment to an assignment or a test that changes the standard orwhat the test or assignment is supposed to measure. Examples again of a modification includea student completing work on part of a standard or a student completing an alternativeassessment that is more easily achievable than the standard assignment. Needed modifications and accommodations should be written into the student's individualized education plan or program. That's the your IEP or your section 504 plan. These changes should be chosen to fit the student's individual needs. It's important to include that the student if appropriate, whendiscussing needed accommodations and modifications. Asking the student what would be helpful is always a great first step. 09:07

09:07 That leads me to what we have on our website to help get you going. You know your kids best,you know, if they're struggling, thriving, if they're happy or losing hope, if they understand arecompletely lost. The question is what now if you're not sure what steps to take to help yourchild succeed and need a starting point? Take my free quiz. After answering some simple questions about your child. It will guide you towards that first step and helping your child be the best they can be. Again, I am your host Wendy Taylor, I am passionate about helping familiesbridge learning gaps, access special education services, and create killer kick butt IPs andsupport documents. Thank you again for strategizing with me and spending your precious time listening. If you've loved what you've heard, share this episode with a friend and give us a likeand follow Atler 10:00 mean essentials 10:02 I hope this helps make it a good day bye for now