Choosing and Using Accommodations: IEP Team Considerations

Start with the standards - Make sure the team is aware of what all students at a grade level are expected to know and be able to do.

Examine the student's learning strengths and challenges in light of each standard -

1. What kinds of instructional strategies work best for the student? (e.g., visual, tactile, auditory, combination)
2. What learning strategies will help the student overcome challenges?
3. What accommodations increase the student's access to instruction and assessment?
   • What accommodations has the student tried in the past?
   • What has worked the best and in what situations?
   • What does the student prefer?
   • Are there ways to improve the student's use of the accommodation?
   • Does the student still need the accommodation?
   • What are the challenges of providing the student's preferred accommodations, and how can these be overcome?
   • Are there other accommodations that the student should try?
   • Are there ways the student can use preferred accommodations outside of school (e.g., at home, on the job, in the community?)
   • Are preferred accommodations allowed on state and district assessments for accountability?
   • How can the student learn to request preferred accommodations (e.g., self-advocacy)?
   • Are there opportunities for the student to use preferred accommodations on practice tests?
   • What arrangements need to be made to make sure the student's preferred accommodations are available in assessment situations?
   • How can actual accommodations use be documented?