6/8/2015
ESE 510: Instructional
and Behavioral
Strategies for Students
with Disabilities
Jasmine Diaz, Ph. D.
Presented at Florida Memorial University
Ice Breaker
 Write 3 words that describe positive characteristics of
your personality
 Crumble your paper into a “sphere”
 Throw paper “spheres” at participants-below the face,
please
 When time is called, find the person who owns the paper
“sphere” you now have in your hand
 Introduce the true owner of the sphere to the group by
name and state one characteristic written on the paper
Accommodation vs. Modification:
What is the difference?
 Accommodations refer to the actual teaching supports and
services that the student may require to successfully
demonstrate learning. Accommodations should not change
expectations of the curriculum for the grade level.
 Modifications refer to changes made to curriculum
expectations in order to meet the needs of the student.
Modifications are made when the expectations are beyond
the students’ level of ability. Modifications may be minimal
or very complex depending on the student performance.
*These terms are used interchangeably which only adds to the
confusion!
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What is the difference?
Accommodations
Modifications
Accommodations are
changes in HOW a student
accesses information and
demonstrates learning.
Modifications are changes in
WHAT a student is expected
to learn.
 Presentation of a lesson
 Instructional strategies
 Time/scheduling
 Environment
 Instructional level
 Content/curriculum
 Performance criteria
 Assignment structure
Accommodations
 Accommodations do not change what the student is
expected to learn but rather how he/she learns the
curriculum
 Providing accommodations during instruction and
assessment may also promote equal access to the general
curriculum
Accommodations
 Do not reduce learning expectations and do not replace
the teaching of subject specific knowledge and skills
 May be needed more often at some grades than others
 Determined on a “case-by-case” basis
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Types of Accommodations
 Instructional: (a) note-taker, (b) copy of lecture notes,
and (c) use of tape recorder.
 Examination: (a) oral exam in place of an essay exam,
(b) taken in a quiet location free of distractions, and (c)
extended-time.
 Administrative: (a) waiver of passing a standardized test
necessary for a standard high school diploma and (b)
course substitutions (e.g., an additional history course in
lieu of a foreign language requirements).
Modifications
 A change in what the student is expected to learn that is
different from the general education curriculum
 The curriculum is adjusted or reduced
 The achievement standard is lowered
 Modifications are only for students with an IEP
 Not all students with an IEP need modifications
Examples of Modifications
 Teacher creates a separate test for student
 Remove some answer choices
 Abstract concepts are removed
 Teacher chunks test for student, in assignments and
assessments
 In accordance to the IEP, the teacher removes parts of
the grade level competencies that the student’s disability
refrains the student from learning
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Examples of Modifications
 Student only has to complete half of the homework or
class assignment
 Student only has to choose from two answers instead of
four on a multiple choice test
 Student can re-take a test as many times as they need to
in order to pass
 Teacher “rephrases” test questions so the student can
better “understand” them
Process for Decision Making
Determine
student’s needs
and document
classroom
accommodations
Review knowledge
and skills targeted
in statewide
assessment
Make decisions
and document
accommodations
for statewide
assessment
Implement
statewide
assessment
accommodations
What accommodations does the student
regularly use for classroom instruction and
assessment?
 Identify tasks that are problematic for the student to
perform independently
 Analyze a student’s difficulty with a task
 Determine effective accommodations
 Does the student use AT devices?
 Is the student able to complete a lesson within one school
day? Are breaks provided?
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What knowledge and skills are being tested? How
will the knowledge be assessed?
 www.cpalms.org
 http://FSAssessments.org
 http://FLAssessments.com
What accommodations does the
student need?
 A student’s IEP must include a statement of any
appropriate accommodations
 Includes accommodations in the administration of state
and/or district assessments of student achievement
(Rule 6A-6.03028(3)(h), F. A. C.)
Participation of Students with
Disabilities in Statewide Assessments
 FDOE is accountable for achievement of all students
 School grades or improvement ratings include the scores
and learning gains of all students assessed on statewide
assessments
 Includes those with disabilities and who are English language
learners
(FDOE, 2014, July-a; 2014, July b)
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Florida’s Statewide Assessments
 Florida’s statewide student assessment program has
changed
 Florida Standards Assessment (FSA)
 English Language Arts
 Mathematics Florida Standards
 End-of-Course assessment
Florida’s Statewide Student
Assessments
 Paper-based tests
 Grades 3 and 4 may be provided with a paper-based
accommodation if the student with disabilities is eligible
 Test items may include:
 Multiple choice
 Multiple select
 Evidenced-based selected response
Online FSA Test Items
 Open response
 Editing task (choice or fill-in)
 Hot text (selectable or drag-and-drop)
 Equation editor (mathematics)
 Graphic response item display
 Matching item (mathematics)
 Multimedia content
 Table item (fill-in for mathematics)
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What must be considered when implementing
statewide assessment accommodations?
 If a student is given an accommodation that is not
allowed on statewide assessments, that student’s test
must be invalidated
 Students must be provided all the accommodations
documented on their individual plans
Categories of Accommodations
 Flexible presentation
 Flexible responding
 Flexible scheduling
 Flexible setting
Examples of Accommodations
 Altering timing/schedule of test
 Simplifying language/directions
 Extending time limits
 Providing prompts and
feedback
 Spreading test over several
shorter time sessions
 Changing the setting
 Testing individually
 Altering test presentation
 Allowing teacher to read test
and turning pages
 Proving assistive technology.
audiotaped, large-print, or
Braille
 Changing response format
 Allowing circling vs. filling in
bubbles
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FSA Accommodations
 Text-to-speech
 Zoom in and out
 Paper-based version
 Calculator (Grades 7 and 8)
 Hard copy reading and
writing passage booklet
 Reference sheet (Grades 5 – 8)
 Keyboard commands
 Specialized keyboards
or assistive device for
input
 Highlighter
 Notepad
 Line reader
What are the requirements for
alternate assessments?
The decision for a student with a disability to participate in the statewide alternate
assessment is made by the IEP team and recorded on the IEP. The following criteria
must be met:
 The student has a significant cognitive disability.
 Even with appropriate and allowable instructional accommodations, assistive
technology or accessible instructional materials, the student requires modifications,
as defined in Rule 6A-6.03411(1)(z), F.A.C., to the grade-level general state content
standards pursuant to Rule 6A-1.09041, F.A.C.
 The student requires direct instruction in academic areas of English language arts,
mathematics, social studies and science based on access points in order to
acquire, generalize, and transfer skills across settings.
 The parent must sign consent in accordance with Rule 6A-6.0331(10), F.A.C.
How does an IEP team determine if
alternate assessment is appropriate?
To determine whether a student should not participate in the FCAT but participate in an alternate
assessment, the IEP team should address the following questions:
1.
Is the student unable to master the Florida and Next Generation Sunshine State Standards,
even with appropriate and allowable course accommodations?
2.
Is the student’s demonstrated cognitive ability the primary reason for the inability to master
these standards?
3.
Is the student participating in a modified or functional curriculum based upon competencies
in the Sunshine State Standards for Special Diploma for all academic areas?
4.
Does the student require extensive direct instruction in functional academics and vocational
competencies as well as domestic, community living, and leisure activities?
5.
Does the student have deficits in adaptive behavior, as demonstrated by the inability to
function effectively and independently in everyday living skills (interpersonal and social
interactions) across a variety of settings?
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References
Florida Department of Education. (2014, July-a). 2014 Guide to
calculating school grades. Tallahassee, FL: Author. Retrieved
from
http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/pdf/1314/SchoolGradesCalcGui
de2014.pdf
Florida Department of Education. (2014, July-b). 2014 Guide to
calculating school improvement ratings for alternative schools
and ESE centers. Tallahassee, FL: Author. Retrieved from
http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/pdf/1314/SchoolImprovementRa
tingGuide2014.pdf
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