Madeley Ranch Elementary School

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR VIRTUAL PLATFORMS
TO HELP STUDENTS AT HOME

Listed below are some of the more frequent recommendations that teachers have found to be effective for children with disabilities.

http://bit.ly/2U1kDiy

1. Visual Supports
2. Provide sequential directions (label as first, second, etc.).
3. Enlarge and/or highlight relevant keywords/features.
4. Use large print to create written material.
5. Use rebus (picture) directions.
6. Illustrate vocabulary words and science concepts.
7. Provide visual cues (e.g., posters, desktop number lines, etc.).
8. Block out extraneous stimuli on written material. Block sections on paper for each response by drawing lines or folding. Show students how to cover parts of text or worksheet not being used.
9. Highlight or provide essential fact list.
10. Color code materials/directions. Use color-coding to help students identify tasks, meanings, or expectations.
11. Making models or drawing illustrations.
12. Number (order) assignments to be completed.
13. Incorporate currently popular themes/characters into assignments for motivation.
14. Use extra spaces between lines of print.
15. Provide mnemonic devices.
16. Break assignments into small steps
17. Allow the use of highlighters and sticky notes to mark up print in virtual books/pdfs

Auditory Supports

1. Have child repeat and/or read the directions aloud.
2. Student uses headset to muffle noise.
3. Add closed caption to videos.
4. Use screen readers to access content.
5. Allow the use of speech-to-text software, such as the free tool in Google Docs or Dragon Dictation.Use human-narrated audio books.

Physical Supports

1. Vary working surface (e.g., floor or vertical surface such as white boards).
2. Use manipulatives that a child may have at home.
3. Use fidget objects
4. Allow for movement opportunities

Environmental Supports

1. Student has a break area to recharge.
2. Provide functional tasks (relate to child's environment).
3. Use a kitchen timer to define work times.
4. Tape paper to desk or table.
5. Provide organizers (e.g., cartons/bins) or materials that a student may have at home.
6. Taking frequent breaks as needed to keep focused.

Content Area Supports

1. Provide a study guide.
2. Provide critical vocabulary list for content material.
3. Use dotted lines to line up math problems or show margins.
4. Use graph paper for place value or when adding/subtracting two digit numbers.
5. Color code place value tasks.
6. Use a calculator.
7. Circle math computation sign.
8. Provide a framework for essay organization - like a graphic organizer, mind map, story map, timeline.
9. Give the student a structured outline, scaffolding tool or graphic organizer to help plan written assignments and/or oral presentations.Let the student use the spell-check or grammar-check utility in word processing software.
10. List the steps/procedures for multi-step problems and algorithms. Post clearly numbered steps and/or give the student a desk-copy model of the steps needed to solve problems.
11. Substitute written papers or essays for original videos, dioramas, posters, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
12. Give the student writing templates that model correct writing forms (e.g., a persuasive essay, a narrative)

and scaffold the writing process with prompts

13. Provide the student with guided notes or full classroom notes.

Other Supports

1. Simplify/shorten directions.
2. Change question levels.
3. Reduce number of items on a task. Do only odd/or even numbered items. Select those tasks or items that are needed to accomplish learning objectives.
4. Use self-correcting materials.
5. Provide feedback on project parts and offer corrective opportunities.
6. Give the student a choice of tasks and assignments
7. Give oral assessments instead of written.
8. Provide checklists for student to check their own work.
9. Provide half-done examples for students to complete.

Resources:

• Accommodation Central: Find accommodations based on the student's academic or functional needs http://acentral.education/
• LD Online: Provides material accommodations that enhance the learning of diverse students. Accommodating Students with Dyslexia in All Classroom Settings

• Learning Disabilities Association of America: Graphic organizers are visual thinking tools that make pictures of your thoughts. The pictures demonstrate relationships between facts, concepts, or ideas, and guide your thinking as you design the map or diagram. Graphic Organizers
• Center for Parent Information and Resources: Supports, Modifications and Accommodations for Students Your central "Hub" of information and products for the network of Parent Centers serving families of children with disabilities http://www.parentcenterhub.org/accommodations/
• Understood.org: The goal is to help the millions of parents whose children, ages 3-20, are struggling with learning and attention issues.