Accommodations are changes in how a student accesses information and demonstrates learning without fundamentally altering the instructional content or performance standards. Accommodations level the playing field for students with disabilities without changing what is being taught.
Types of Accommodations
Accommodations fall into several categories: presentation (how information is given, such as audio textbooks), response (how students show learning, such as verbal instead of written responses), setting (where students learn or test, such as a quiet room), and timing/scheduling (when and how long, such as extended time).
Accommodations vs. Modifications
Unlike modifications, which change what is being taught or assessed, accommodations maintain the same learning objectives and standards. A student with extended test time is still demonstrating mastery of the same content.