IEP and 504 Accommodations
If your super-hero struggles in school because of a learning disability or a medical diagnosis, he/she has the option to be placed under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan. Under these plans, the student is allowed IEP and 504 accommodations in order to “level the playing field” in the classroom.
Everyone Is a Genius
Remember the fish that was judged by it’s ability to climb a tree? An accommodation would be moving that tree under water for the fish. Now the fish has the same opportunity to climb the tree.
Level The Playing Field
The question is, what accommodations is my child entitled to receive? It’s subjective, but a parent can request any accommodation that will allow the student the opportunity to perform at the same level as his peers.
Below are 20 possible accommodations to select from and request at your next IEP meeting.
IEP and 504 Accommodations
General Classroom
- Provide structured list of assignments for student to check off as completed.
- Provide list of assignments in writing daily or weekly.
- Adaptive writing utensils
- Allow student to orally dictate to teacher long answers to writing assignments
- Should allow student to transition to next class 2-3 minutes earlier to avoid crowded hallways.
- Allow use of talk-to-text software for long written assignments.
- Should allow books on tape in stead of reading
- Break long assignments into smaller portions
- Continuous checks on work in progress
- Establish a form of communication between home and school.
Behavior
- Alert student to time transitions (10 minutes before transition, 5 minutes before transition)
- Allow student to leave the class as needed for a break
- Assistance in keeping space organized
- Fidget toys used in the classroom to keep focus.
- Non-verbal cues to communicate behavior correction (don’t embarrass student in front of classmates)
Testing
- Allow student to complete a project as alternative to test.
- Should allow student to test in quiet, distraction free location.
- Allow take home or open book tests.
- Divide test in to smaller sections of similar material.
- Frequent breaks during tests
For more ways to help manage ADHD, read these articles and visit these websites.