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Educational Accommodations, Modifications, and Curriculum

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Overview

Accommodations and modifications are put in place via an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to help ensure that a student can access the curriculum and make progress throughout the school year. Check out these resources to learn about what kinds of accommodations and modifications are available, the differences between them, how they may affect a student's ability to work toward a diploma, how they can help make a classroom more inclusive, and more.

How are accommodations and modifications different?

An accommodation adjusts how a student learns, while a modification adjusts what they learn. An accommodation can address how a student is provided with information, how much time they’re given to complete work, how they will show content mastery, and what supports they will use to access content (for example, an audio version of written material). Conversely, “adjusting expectations on the grade level content standards and assignments to have less breadth, depth, or complexity would be considered a modification,” explains Ricki Sabia, J.D. You can read more about accommodations vs. modifications in this article.

Contents


Overview

How are accommodations and modifications different?

When do accommodations or modifications affect my child’s ability to get a diploma?

What are some common examples of accommodations and modifications?

Who is responsible for creating an alternate curriculum?

Related Parent Questions

Latest Resources

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Author

Brittany OlsenUndivided Editor

An editor and cartoonist who loves using words and images to simplify and share ideas. She has ten years of experience as a copy editor and lives near Portland, Oregon. She often spends her free time going on nature walks with her dog or trying new bread recipes.

Reviewed by

Jennifer Drew, Undivided Senior Editor


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