Vocab: Modifications

© Greg Cruey

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The law requires a school to "modify" curriculum when necessary for a student with disabilities. Do you know what that MEANS? Technical jargon can get in the way of under

What are modifications? The long list of technical terms in special education can be daunting to some parents. And since modification is one of the most basic terms, I thought I'd take a little time here to make sure you could find a clear, concise definition...

Schwab Learning has one of the best explanations of the term modification that I've come across on the Internet:

Their page goes on in other places to explain (correctly, I might add) that when modifications are used to address a child's disabilities it is usually to significantly change the expectations being placed on the child.

Modifications can be simple. If a child's disability affects reading ability, a condition like dyslexia for instance, one of the simplest modifications is usually called alternative assignments. Johnny has great difficulty with the placement of letters in words; so instead of learning 20 words for the weekly spelling test, Johnny only has 10.

Some other common modifications include:

The Advocacy and Learning Center has a good page of links on accommodations and modifications. Parents should distinguish between these two ideas. Modifications actually change the curriculum and expectations placed on a disabled student. Accommodations do not change what is expected of a student in school; they only change the way the student gains access to learning. That piece of vocabulary, accommodations, has been discussed in another article.

Copyright © 2006, Greg Cruey and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.


The copyright of the article Vocab: Modifications in Special Needs Education is owned by Greg Cruey. Permission to republish Vocab: Modifications in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.



Comments
Apr 13, 2006 10:40 AM
Irene Taylor :
Hi Greg,

I've just finished your Modifications and Accommodations articles. They are an excellent explanation of these two terms and tell just what each really means. I think that we sometimes use those words interchangeably - and they do really have very different impacts on the IEP and classroom.

Thanks for the excellent explanations!

Irene
1 Comment:


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