Accommodations

Accommodations ensure accessibility for a specific person. Accommodations are supported by both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (ADA). For more information on determining testing accommodations, watch the TA-Live! Determining Testing Accommodations Based Upon Data.
 

A quick demystifying of common misconceptions in the field of special education and the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Myth: “All kids who are D/HH get extended time.” 

Myth: “Unless a student receives occupational therapy, they cannot have dictation as an accommodation.”

Myth: “All kids who are D/HH and taking regular education classes are served in a consultative model.”

Truth: The statements above are examples in direct opposition to Optimizing Outcomes' essential Principle 1: Each child is unique. Blanket statements regarding programming, IEP development, instructional practices, and/or application of accommodations are in opposition to the tenets of IDEA, and may lead to legal vulnerability for districts and even individual teachers. The goal should always be to focus on the individuality of the student and use data to drive educational decisions. These are the best ways to ensure supports that are only as specialized as necessary are afforded to individual students along a continuum of services.