Accommodations

Why Teachers are not providing them,

and what we can do
Mary Losee

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Introduction:
Many students in the modern day classroom face academic barriers,
influenced by learning disabilities, and do not receive their required
accommodations. There are many factors that contribute to teachers not
providing accommodations, including knowledge of disabilities, the attitude
of the teacher, family influences, and students own personal opinions. As
students continue to struggle learning in the classroom and with the
students not receiving their accommodations, test scores will continue to
decrease, as well as poor teacher reviews and placement of students in
special education that do not need the assistance. As a school community,
professionals need to ensure that students Individualized Education Plans
(IEPs) are custom fit to each individuals needs in efforts to make learning a
more achievable task and more enjoyable process.
What are accommodations?
Who receives them?
In the school setting, many students who need additional help
receive assistance based on the accommodations that are listed in their
IEPs, or Individualized Education Plans. The students IEP team, which
consists of teachers, parents, and other school faculty, collect data on the
student to determine which accommodations will be helpful to the student.
These accommodations are then listed in the students IEP, which requires
the teacher to provide them by law. Accommodations are changes to testing

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materials or procedures that do not alter the construct being measured.

Assessment accommodations provide equitable access to assessments for
students with disabilities. Modifications or nonstandard accommodations are
changes that change the construct (Lazarus, 302). In other words,
accommodations are not used to change, or modify an assessment, but they
are tools that assist the student in taking the assessment. The overall
purpose of an accommodation is to level the playing field for all students, in
order to achieve similar scores on assessments.
Accommodations come in a variety of forms; however they are
categorized in different ways. Accommodations are typically categorized as
(1) timing or scheduling, (2) response, (3) setting, and (4) presentation.
(Smith) Therefore this means that accommodations are divided based on
how much time students need in order to comfortably complete an
assessment, how the student is able to respond, where they are most
comfortable taking the exam, and the way in which the assessment is
presented. Students may face more barriers getting past their disability and
accessing the regular assessment in states with very restrictive
accommodations policies. For example, a wide variation exists between
states in how some accommodations such as read aloud directions, read
aloud questions, sign interpretation directions, sign interpretation
questions/repeat/reread/clarify directions, scribe/proctor, and calculator
accommodations are included in policies. (Lazarus) A students IEP team is
able to prescribe any accommodations that the school deems necessary in

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order to improve the students academic performance, along with

consideration of funding. Many of the accommodations that the student
needs are in the form of assistive technologies. Assistive technology can
provide tools of access and enhancement for inter- and intrapersonal
development. In essence, creative usage of assistive technology can
increase the overall effectiveness of inclusive programs for young children
with disabilities. (Judge, 126) As stated, assistive technologies are useful to
students that have documented assistance in their IEPs, however
modifications are a different case.
Modifications differ from accommodations based on how they are
made, and how they are administered. A modification is any change a
teacher makes to an assessment to fit the needs of different learners.
Accommodations do not change the overall look of an assessment and the
information that is placed within, however a modification does. An example
of a modification would be a teacher changing the curriculum to fit the needs
of a struggling learner. In this case, the student may be considered a Tier 2
student (a student who requires little assistance but is not ready for special
education services), and may need additional help without being placed in
special education.
Importance and Needs
The most important outcome of an accommodation is for the
student to be able to access grade level curriculum. An accommodation

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exists for the purpose of providing a student with disabilities with access to
academic materials (Smith). Many students who are unable to access the
general education curriculum are left struggling or they are lagging behind
the rest of their class. Teachers today need to ensure that they are providing
their students with the accommodations that are listed in their IEP whether
it be for assessments or in class assignments. When a student is given an
accommodation that is beneficial to their learning style, learning is able to
take place.
Influences on Teachers Use of Accommodations
Teacher Knowledge
Based on a higher educational study performed by Leyser,
teachers are one of the greatest reasons behind why students are not
receiving the accommodations that are required. According to Leyser, Other
studies examined the faculty familiarity with legislation as well as their
knowledge about disabilities and their personal experience with students
with disabilities. Many reported limited familiarity with disability laws, limited
contact with campus support services and limited experience in teaching
students with disabilities (163). In other words, many teachers today are
pushed into teaching special education classes, and working with students
with accommodations, without having any prior knowledge of how to work
with these students. In my opinion, the knowledge that teachers are required
to have is changing day by day, however schooling can only prepare

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teachers for real world instances to a certain level. Everyday teachers need
to be informed on how to work with these students in order to ensure that
their students are receiving their accommodations in order to succeed.
Teacher Attitudes
Another factor that greatly influences whether struggling
students are receiving their accommodations is based on the teachers
attitude towards the situation. (Several demographic variables impact
faculty attitudes and willingness to make accommodations; gender, teaching
experience, training and participation in staff development, academic rank,
and academic discipline (Leyser, 163)). All teachers today should be aware
of the accommodations and modifications portion of a student IEP, however
a lack of experience in working with these students is a leading factor in
whether the student receives these accommodations or not. Based on
certain teacher attitudes, many teachers do not feel the need to adjust their
teaching styles to assist these students. Ultimately they suffer because of
their student grades or they send the student to special education classes.
Teachers need to accommodate before sending their student away to other
professionals, which should be taken as a last resort. As a result of teachers
tossing their students to the Special Education Teacher, without attempting
to assist them, special education classes are over filling preventing students
from receiving the one-on-one attention that they may need.
Family Perspectives

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Another factor behind why students are not receiving

accommodations is based on their parents opinion(s). Many parents today
feel that being in special education means that their child is not smart.
Unfortunately, the negative stereotype affects how students learn, and how
they feel about themselves. Many students who have parents that do not
assist their learning are prone to suffering from a lack of motivation
regarding classwork. When students are supported by their family, and are
receiving the accommodations that they need, students begin to feel a sense
of self-encouragement. Students with disabilities
Who are included in general education settings require self-advocacy and
communication skills to enable them to advocate for the effective and
consistent delivery of their designated IEP accommodations, which are
designed to facilitate their successful acquisition of academic content and
overall learning. (Hart, 1)
In other cases, when parents have negative feelings towards special
education and accommodations, which causes students to be careless,
students often face severe consequences: lack of transition planning,
illiteracy, and drop-outs. When a student grows up in a household with a
negative opinion on special education, he/she is prone to developing
discouraging feelings towards school and a lack of self confidence in
academic achievement.
Student Attitudes

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According to Marshak, there are several leading reasons behind

why upper level students in postsecondary education refuse to receive
accommodations; these include (a) identity issues, (b) desires to avoid
negative social reactions, (c) insufficient knowledge, (d) perceived quality
and usefulness of services, and (e) negative experiences with faculty. (1). In
this study, there were 16 students selected from a mix of grade levels,
gender, and disability.
Participant Demographics
Subject Gender
1
F
21
2
F
22
3
M
20
4
M
21
5
F
19
6
F
22
7
F
20
8
F
20
9
F
19
10
F
18
11
F
44
Disability
12
F
20
13
F
24
14
M
53
15
F
24
16
F
22

Age Race
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian
Caucasian

Semesters

5
9
6
7
2
8
3
6
2
2

Disability
Juvenile Arthritis
Learning Disability
Cerebral Palsy
Learning Disability
Learning Disability
Learning Disability
Learning Disability
Seizures
Learning Disability
Learning Disability
Graduate Student
Learning

4
12+
Unknown
12
8+

ADD
ADD
Schizophrenia
Blindness
Learning Dis. & ADD

*Interview Procedures
The information gathered for this study was part of a larger body of
data obtained from
participants. (Marshak)

semi-structured (or focused) interviews with the 16

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After concluding the interviews with the students, Marshak was able to
determine the 5 reasons why students in post-secondary education refuse
services that are listed previously. In some instances, students grow up with
the idea that special education services will give them a negative social
image. At the high schools and postsecondary level, students have gained
independence which increases the odds that students will not want to
receive accommodations. (Bolt)
What can be done?
Intervention
In many instances, students that have had prior meetings, or
interventions to determine what is causing the behaviors, have been falsly
given accommodations that are not suitable for their needs. With the RTI
model, accommodations are able to be arranged more accurately in multiple
disciplines.
The Response to Intervention (RTI model) that is gaining popularity as
a vehicle to

better support students mathematics and reading

proficiency in public schools may

soften the negative impact of teachers

lack of experience in dealing with the

identification of student-specific

accommodations. Through the three-tiered RTI process, students move from

one level to the next as a function of their success at the

assigned initial

level. The determination of whether the student remains in the RTI

process, continues at the original designated level, or moves up and

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down, depends

upon the students response to a variety of interventions

directed at that individual

student. As a student moves from Tier I,

through Tier II, to Tier III, the interventions

become more and more

intense. If students are determined to have not achieved

success upon

reaching the end of this process, they are next considered for a special
education program (VanSciver, 4)
Once a student has been given accurate accommodations, and is place
within the correct tier, learning is more easily achievable. In order for
progress to occur the student has to undergo a series of vigorous
interventions that are determined by data the teacher, as well as, other
professionals and specialists have collected. Parent Involvement is also a key
factor in collecting the data used for interventions. Many cases call for a
monitored period of behaviors; therefore it is pertinent that the guardians
observe their student as well.
No Child Left Behind has changed the role of teachers. Babkie and
Provost found that it

is now the responsibility of teachers to utilize data

driven interventions in the

classroom for students showing signs of

struggling academically. Secondary level special

education teachers

often teach in inclusion settings where they must demonstrate

adequate

yearly progress on grade reports, yearly high stakes testing, and IEP goals
and

objectives, for their students. Teachers must also decide which method

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of

documentation will best meet their needs for keeping track of data

needed to track the

use of interventions. (VanSciver, 4)

Interventions are used to collect data and monitor behavior in both general
education and special education classes. Students who previously have IEPs
will require a re-analyzation of the student goals, how the teacher plans on
achieving them, and how they will monitor progress. Once a meeting has
occurred with the IEP team to discuss the changes to the parents and
student, the new accommodations are put into effect. Once interventions
have occurred, teachers begin implementing the new accommodations that
have been set in the IEP. The teacher also tracks goals and objectives that
the student has for working towards his/her educational goals.
Legal Aspects
Many states have different laws in relation to assessments and
accommodations, however when they are on the federal level there is
uniformity. In April 2007 federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) regulations
were finalized that gave states the option of developing an alternative
assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS)(U.S.
Department of Education, 2007a). (Lazarus) Certain federal laws allow
wiggle room for adaptations to be made. According to NCLB, states can
determine if they want to provide alternative assessments to Tier III students
that modify the objectives that are tested. In the past, students who required
certain accommodations in order to complete course material were thrown

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into a standardized exam left to struggle because the accommodations were

not permitted. Modifications to state assessments resolve the issue of
struggling students being thrown to the wolves. As time has progressed new
programs have been established to encourage students with learning
disabilities to feel comfortable in the classroom, along with due process
safeguards.
As a relatively young program, IDEA continues to evolve. Amendments
to the law in

1997 focused on improving students access to the general

education classroom and

curriculum, developing more accurate and

appropriate assessment of academic

achievement, implementing better

disciplinary procedures and alternative placement

options, and bolstering

transition services and supports for students aging out of special education.
The most recent amendments, enacted in 2004, were designed to promote
better accountability for results, enhance parent involvement,
encourage the use of

proven practices and materials, and reduce

administrative burdens for teachers, states,

and local school districts.

(Aron,2)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has changed more
about the way teachers can assist students than just modifying assessments.
Through this program and new amendments, students are able to learn the
same material as general education students, partake in a similar
assessment which is tailored to their abilities, and have more accurate

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transition plans put in place for post-graduation. By IDEA implementing this

program, teachers are given a sense of comfort when working with their
exceptional learners.
Conclusion
Accommodations are an essential tool that teachers need to ensure
they are providing to their students. Many children and young adults are left
struggling and feeling hopeless because of the lack of individualized
attention they are receiving. If teachers possess the appropriate knowledge
and attitude of how to work with these students, learning is a more enjoyable
process for everyone. With assistive technologies and interventions, Tier III
students are able to be placed in some general education classes, which
allow grades to increase as well as the students self-esteem. Regardless of
demographic information, students are entitled to receive the
accommodations that have been determined for them. Teachers today are
being more closely evaluated, as well as the students, to ensure that they
are in accordance with the laws.

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References
Aron, Laudan, and Pamela Loprest. "Disability and the Education
System." The Future of Children 22.1 (2012)ProQuest.
Bolt, Sara E., et al. "Students' Perceptions of Accommodations in High
School and College." Career Development for Exceptional Individuals 34.3
(2011): 165-75. ProQuest. Web.
Hart, Juliet E., and Julianne Brehm. "Promoting Self-Determination: A
Model for Training Elementary Students to Self-Advocate for IEP
Accommodations." Teaching Exceptional Children 45.5 (2013): 40-8.
ProQuest. Web.
Judge, Sharon, Kim Floyd, and Tara Jeffs. "Using an Assistive Technology
Toolkit to Promote Inclusion." Early Childhood Education Journal 36.2 (2008):
121-6. ProQuest. Web.
Lazarus, Sheryl S., Damien C. Cormier, and Martha L. Thurlow. "States'
Accommodations Policies and Development of Alternate Assessments Based
on Modified Achievement Standards: A Discriminant Analysis." Remedial and
Special Education 32.4 (2011): 301-8. ProQuest. Web.

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Leyser, Yona, et al. "Students with Disabilities in Teacher Education:

Changes in Faculty Attitudes Toward Accommodations Over Ten Years."
International Journal of Special Education 26.1 (2011): 162-74. ProQuest.
Web.
Marshak, Laura, et al. "Exploring Barriers to College Student use of
Disability Services and Accommodations." Journal of Postsecondary
Education and Disability 22.3 (2010): 151-65. ProQuest. Web.
Smith, Derrick W., and Sheila Amato. "Synthesis of Available
Accommodations for Students with Visual Impairments on Standardized
Assessments." Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness 106.5 (2012): 299304. ProQuest. Web.
VanSciver, James H., and Virginia A. Conover. "Making Accommodations
Work for Students in the Special Education Setting." TEACHING Exceptional
Children Plus 6.2 (2009): 10. ProQuest. Web.