Suggested Considerations Regarding Accommodations

Adapted from Gregg, Talbert, and Lenz Definition | Why Make Accommodations | Learner-Based Teaching | SMARTER Model | Effective Support

Noel Gregg, Ph. D.  is director of the Distance Learning Link and the Learning Disabilities Center at the University of Georgia. Charles Talbert is Chief, Special Programs Branch, U.S. Department of Education, Division of National Programs, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Keith Lenz, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Kansas, Center for Research of Learning and director for research and development activities for the National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center.

Definition of Accommodations

"Accommodations are sometimes considered modifications and in other instances are considered as a the removal of barriers . . . . For example, if a learner with motor-control difficulties is required to provide a written report . . . if the reason for the report is to demonstrate the learner's knowledge of a topic, . . . you might accommodate the learner by allowing him or her to do the report orally, thus removing barrier of the writing task" (11).

Why Make Accommodations?

"An appropriately selected instructional accommodations not only provides equal awareness to learning opportunities but also minimizes the learner's likelihood of failure. Appropriate educational accommodations are determined by taking into account the adult's unique leaning needs." Instructional adaptations are accommodations that are made outside the context of the law.  There are frequently made for any (with or without documentation of a learning disability) who exhibits difficulties acquiring, storing or remembering information for alter use.  Such adaptations are simply logical choices of tools or approaches that 1) make tasks more manageable . . . and 2) enable the individual to have greater control of a situation. You may make [a] material adaptation if 1) the text is too fast-paced, abstract, or complex, 2) the learner has difficulty organizing the material, 3) the learner lacks the experiences and background knowledge necessary to make the new information meaningful, or 4) the learner needs information broken down smaller chunks and simplified.  In such cases, you can alter existing materials, provide more intense and enhanced instruction for the learner, or find alternative. (12)

Accommodations Shift from Content-based Teaching to Learner-based Teaching

"A clearer set of recommendations and procedures [is needed] to help teachers shift their approaches on content-based teaching to teaching that is more sensitive to learner's information-processing needs."   Teachers may do this by:  

• selecting the critical information (skills, strategies, content)
• deciding what is the best way to think about and organize that information, identifying potential problems in information processing and planning instructional activities that facilitate good information
• providing explicit explanations and leadership during instruction
• checking frequently to ensure that students have made appropriate connections and have learned the information
• ensuring that students have fully mastered crucial information before moving to additional content. (13)

Creating Accommodations or Modifications that are SMARTER

To assist teachers in developing successful accommodations, Gregg adapted the following model, based on research by Lenz and Scanlon. Successful accommodations work "SMARTER:"

S        Shape critical questions
M        Map critical content
A         Analyze for learning difficulties
R         Reach instructional decisions
T          Teach effectively
E         Evaluate master
R         Revisit outcomes and plans Shape critical questions

Develop three or four content-related questions that are critical to the lesson and capture the main point of the lesson.  Follow up these content questions with those that require analysis or application of this content. 

Map critical content
Map relationship of ideas.  Show the relationship between supporting details and main ideas.  These visual maps help students understand organizational patterns and retain information. 

Analyze for learning difficulties
When developing a lesson plan, identify what might make these concepts difficult to learn and develop activities/material to accommodate for this difficulty.

Reach instructional decisions
Based on the previous three principles, plan accommodations to 1) make concepts easier to learn and 2) support learning differences.  For example, in an assignment with many details, retention might be a problem for some students.  Teaching a mnemonic device would be a tactic or adaptation to support their learning.