Every IEP has an accommodation & modification section. 504 Plans have them as well. Accommodations and modifications are the small changes that happen in the classroom that allow your child to access the curriculum and/or school day/
Accommodations change how your child learns and is assessed. Modifications change what your child learns and are assessed.
For example, a child who has slower processing than their peers may get extended time on assignments and tests. They complete the exact same assignments and still take the exact same tests as their peers, but they are not expected to complete it in the same amount of time. This is a change to how your child is assessed (extended time instead of standard time) so it is an accommodation. If a child in 4th grade is given a 2nd grade-level text to read, what your child is learning has changed, so this is a modification.
Accommodations and modifications should be specific to your child’s needs and strengths. In other words, if your child is a visual learner, but struggles with auditory input, accommodations could include things like ‘visual supports and checklists’, but shouldn’t include things like ‘repeat auditory directions.’
There are endless accommodations that can be written in the IEP. Sometimes we see incredibly long lists of accommodations, with only a few that the child actually needs and uses. Sometimes, we might see accommodations that require your child to do something that’s hard for them, and the accommodations actually work against them.

I LOVE accommodations in IEPs and 504 Plans because they are simple, quick supports or changes that can be made to the child’s school day that can lead to huge changes in their learning. Unlike most (but not all) special education goals that have to be delivered by a special education teacher or service provider, any teacher can provide accommodations!

Take a look at your child’s IEP or 504 Plan. Does it have accommodations that meet their unique needs?
Are they what your child needs?
Are they what your child uses?
Do they align with your child’s strengths?

Let’s focus on strengths and learning preferences to create helpful and supportive accommodations. We can write creative, targeted, and clear accommodations that use your child’s strengths so they can be successful and included in the classroom.

What accommodations do you see in your child’s IEP? We can work together with the IEP team to make sure those accommodations are exactly what your child needs. Reach out if you want support going through your child’s IEP and identifying the best accommodations for them.