Definitions
A written plan for learning, developed for students with special needs, who may or may not be formally identified as exceptional
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Blind and low vision learners fall under which category of exceptionality?
Physical
This accommodation could include use of visuals, chunking of information or oral and written instructions.
Instructional
A student in your class is a low vision learner so you intentionally use larger fonts in your slideshows and seat them toward the front of the class.
Both the larger text size and preferential seating are examples of accommodations. We are not altering/modifying any learning expectations for this student, but we are meeting their needs and ensuring they can access the learning.
Providing a student with a visual schedule to help them navigate their daily routine.
Accommodation
An instructional, environmental and assessment strategy required for a student to meet curriculum expectations for a grade/course.
Accommodation
This category includes students with a language or speech impairment, hearing challenges, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or a diagnosed learning disability.
Communication
This type of accommodation may include preferential seating or an alternative work location.
Environmental
A student in your class has fine-motor difficulties and therefore struggles to copy down notes in a timely manner. You provide photocopies of class notes to allow them to focus on the information rather than worry about copying the notes down on time.
This is an example of an accommodation as you are removing the challenge of copying down notes that otherwise would impact their learning. This has no impact on the curriculum expectations we have for the student.
A student in your class is hard of hearing. A sound amplifying device is provided to this student and the teacher wears the accompanying microphone while delivering lessons and instructions.
This is an example of an accommodation for this student.
Part of modified and alternative IEP programming that outlines the specific plans related to supporting the student in acquiring his/her learning expectations.
Teaching strategies
Giftedness is an example of what exceptionality?
Intellectual
Assessment
You write a separate rubric for a student with expectations at a different grade level than the rest of the class.
This is a modification.
You just completed your Grade 6 space unit. Students are making presentations and 3D models of different parts of space. One student is tasked to paint a pre-made solar system and name the planets.
This is a modification.
An adjustment to the grade-appropriate curriculum expectations to better fit a student’s specific educational needs
Modification
The following factors are commonly associated with which category of exceptionality.
Behavioural exceptionality - characterized by specific behaviour problems over such a period of time, and to such a marked degree, and of such a nature, as to adversely affect educational performance and may include the factors listed.
A student working on their articulation skills may require you to use a slower pace of speech.
Instructional
A student in your class is allowed to take a test in small chunks and is allowed to use reference materials.
These are examples of accommodations. They allow the student with an anxiety disorder to complete the same test.
A student in your class is identified with a reading disability making it challenging for them to read large chunks of text. You chunk text into smaller sections or bullet points and provide access to a text-to-speech reader.
These are examples of accommodations as the learning expectations for the student are not changed, but we are making it easier for this student to access the learning.
A group of at least three, including a principal or supervisory officer from a board of education, that evaluates and decides if a student meets the criteria of being an exceptional pupil based on the Education Act and each school board’s identification criteria.
Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)
This student prominently fits into two or more of the other categories of exceptionalities.
Multiple Exceptionalities.
A student working on aggression management may require an established time-out or cool-down area and protocols for use.
During a math unit on multiplication and division with two digit numbers, two students in the class only need to multiply and divide with one digit numbers.
This is an example of a modification as the learning expectation is changed for these students. These students are evaluated on working with single-digit numbers as opposed to two-digit numbers like the rest of the class, which is the grade-level expectation.
Providing a student with a learning disability with a modified, simplified version of a worksheet with fewer questions.
This is a modification