Layered EducationKnow the difference
- Accommodation: changes how a student learns or shows it. Same standard.
- Modification: changes what the student is expected to learn.
- Both are delivered as the IEP is written
Accommodations
Reading the IEP: Accommodations vs. Modifications
What each one means, and how to pull what you need from an IEP onto one page.
Why it matters
Every teacher who works with the student carries out the IEP. Knowing which supports are accommodations and which are modifications tells you what to deliver and what to grade.
Try this tomorrow
- Read each IEP for five things: present levels, goals, services, accommodations, and any behavior plan
- Make a one-page snapshot for each student with an IEP
- Sort each support: is it how, or what?
- Ask the case manager about anything unclear
If two of you are in the room
Co-teaching pairs can split this between them, and swap who takes which part so both teachers work with every student.
One teacher
Brings the unit and its assessments, and names where each accommodation applies.
The other teacher
Brings the IEP snapshot and explains the purpose behind each support.
What the research can and cannot tell us
This topic covers rules and definitions more than a tested strategy. A one-page IEP snapshot is a widely used practice, not a studied intervention.
Keep in mind
Snapshots hold confidential student information, so keep them private. Each student's IEP comes first. This is educational information only, not legal advice.
Resources
8 resources for this topic, drawn from 6 organizations. Everything opens free, and the ones from other organizations open on their own sites.
-
Supports, Modifications, and Accommodations for Students
Plain-language definitions and examples to share with a co-teacher.
-
Accommodations vs. Modifications: What's the Difference?
Sort classroom, testing, and elective supports into how students learn versus what they learn.
-
How to Read an IEP: 5 Things Teachers Should Look For
Scan any IEP for the five parts a general education teacher needs before day one.
-
IEP Tip Sheet: Supplementary Aids and Services
What the law says about accommodations and modifications, with implementation tips, on one page.
-
Accommodations and Modifications
A California source for the difference, with examples.
-
IEP at a Glance Sheet
A one-page snapshot of goals, strengths, needs, assistive technology, and classroom supports to fill in.
-
Accommodations: Instructional and Testing Supports
Work through selecting, implementing, and evaluating accommodations, with student examples.
-
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
A national expert untangles accommodations, modifications, and related terms, then names the places in an IEP where accommodations are written. Transcript included.
Previous topicTry, Observe, Adjust
Next topicDelivering Accommodations Without Singling Students Out
These resources are shared for professional learning and planning. They are meant to inform your professional judgment, not replace it. Each student's IEP and your district, state and federal requirements always come first. Listing a resource here is not an endorsement by Layered Education. This is educational information only, not legal advice.
Get the next tool by email
Join the educator list and your welcome gift arrives today: The Barrier to Support Menu, which names seven things that block a student's access, what to try for each one, and what to watch for. After that, you get the new tools as they land.
Are you a parent or caregiver? Start on our For Families page, where the welcome gift is written for you.
Want help putting this to work?
Facilitated co-planning days give a pair protected time to pick a focal student, choose one thing to try, and plan who does what. The first call is free.