4 Types of Accommodations

Whether you have students on a transition plan or not yet old enough to have this component included in the IEP, categorizing accommodations can help special education teachers, students, and parents decide accommodations that are most appropriate for them to succeed in the general education classroom.

Providing accommodations that are purposeful allow the student to transition from a) classroom to classroom, b) moving up a grade level, c) moving to another school, and d) reach their goals in academics, behavior, and transition. The following is a list of the 4 types of accommodations that special education teachers should consider when developing and creating an IEP: presentation, response, setting, and timing.

Barrier	Category	Examples
The way information is presented (e.g., text, lecture)	Presentation accommodations Provide student access to information in several different ways other than the standard visual or auditory means Change the way that instructions, directions, and information are presented	Books and materials with larger print> Audio books Use of visual cues (highlighters, color-coding)>
The way in which the student is required to respond (e.g., writing, speech)	Response accommodations Allow student to complete assignments or assessments through ways other than verbal or written responses	Speech-to-text software Orally dictate responses (use of a scribe or digital recorder) Allow student to present projects in a small group or one on one with teacher
The characteristics of the setting (e.g., noise level, lighting)>	Setting accommodations Allow for a change in the environment or in how the environment is structured	Minimize distractions (seat away from windows, sit next to positive peers) Testing in alternate location
The timing and scheduling of the instruction (e.g., time of day, length of assignment	Timing and Scheduling accommodations Allow for changes to when and how long students have to complete assignments or assessments Allow assignments to be broken down into similar sections	Table adapted from iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu Extended time on assignments, homework, or tests Breaks Flexible scheduling Shorter testing sessions Use of timers

For more extensive information in the area of accommodations, to visit the IRIS Center. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant.