Adaptations and Modifications for Students with Special Needs

These resources detail easy modifications to incorporate in your curriculum for students with special needs. Adjustments in classroom environment, curriculum planning, and assessment, will help you accommodate and challenge each member of your class. Appropriately modify your instruction to address diverse needs with our articles on bilingual special education, Autism, and ADD/ADHD. You'll also find great resources for implementing IEPs and creating an inclusive classroom.

Tips & Advice Collaboration Between General and Special Education Teachers Explore the key elements in collaborations between general educators and special educators. Structuring Lessons to Promote Learning from Materials Share an article that offers suggestions on modifying materials while teachers are planning for a lesson, not during the lesson. Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Tips to help you ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing students are learning in your classroom. Students with Exceptionalities Read these tips on how to incorporate exceptional students into your classroom, a very important matter for teachers to consider. New teachers will find this resource particularly valuable. Teaching Students with Special Needs Prepare to teach the students with special needs you may have in your classroom using this advice on accommodating and modifying your lessons to meet the needs of everyone. New teachers will find this resource particularly valuable. Curriculum Planning Assistive Technology for Students with Mild Disabilities These simple adaptations can improve the learning experience of many children. Adapting Existing Materials An article on adaptations that can be used when existing materials are judged to be inappropriate but may only need simple modifications. Adapting Instructional Materials -- Providing Direct Assistance Providing one-on-one assistance to a student is perhaps the most demanding adaptation that needs to be made in an inclusive classroom. Making Adaptations for Disabled Students Distribute a helpful list of questions to ask when making adaptations for students with mild disabilities in a general education class. Simplifying or Supplementing Existing Materials Students with special needs can successfully become part of the regular classroom setting when existing materials are simplified or supplemented for them. Math Modifications CMP2 for Students with Special Needs Find ways to adapt the mathematics curriculum CMP2 for special-needs students, with this helpful printable. Planning Pyramid for Multi-Level Mathematics Instruction Organize you teaching by focusing on what all, most, and some of your students will learn in math lessons. Response: Math Tools How to effectively use math tools in assessment accommodation. Teaching Mathematics to Gifted Students in a Mixed-Ability Classroom Tips on how to teach math to gifted students in your regular classrooms. Reading Modifications Differentiated Textbook Instruction Distribute an article that describes an adaptation you can apply to individualizing textbook instruction. Repeated Reading Use a variety of repeated reading activities to improve reading skills. Sensory Imaging Detailing sensory characteristics by using a graphic organizer will help students fully describe places, events, and objects. This printable is customizable. Tailor the PDF to your teaching needs by typing in the highlighted fields before printing. An Inclusive Classroom Adapting Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science for the Inclusive Classroom A list of steps that provide a suggested framework for making decisions about using material adaptations effectively. Adapting Reading and Math Materials in the Inclusive Classroom Descriptions of eight principles for making reading and math adaptations in the inclusive classroom. Adapt Lessons to Reach All Students An overview of six curricular design issues that help ensure appropriate inclusive teaching. More Inclusion Resources Modifications for Autism Considerations for Social Interaction with Autistic Students Take these considerations into account when preparing autistic students for social interaction. Promoting Social Development for Students with Autism Background information on four approaches that have commonly been used to promote social development in children and youth with autism. More Social Skills and Autism Modifications for ADD/ADHD Modifying Instruction: Teaching Students with ADD Suggested modifications to make for students with ADD/ADHD, including lesson presentation, physical arrangement of the classroom, and work assignments. Planning for Success: Teaching Students with ADD Distribute an article that describes the diverse needs of students with ADD and how to meet these needs. Teaching Children with ADD/ADHD Distribute an article that details practice and theory behind teaching children with Attention Deficit Disorders. More Teaching Strategies for Students with ADD/ADHD

Modifications for English-Language Learners Bilingual Special Education An article on how to properly combine special education and bilingual education. Effective Instruction for English Language Learners with Mild Disabilities A description of the Optimal Learning Environment Curriculum, a resource that helps teachers of Spanish-speaking students with language arts. Key Instructional Principles to Use with English-Language Learners A list of several key instructional principles that can be used with English-language learners with learning difficulties. More English-Language Learners Working with Diversity Empowering Diverse Students with Learning Problems A summary of a program that can foster a positive attitude and positive self-concept for culturally diverse students. Structuring Lessons for Diverse Learners -- Planning Pyramid The Planning Pyramid is a framework for planning for diverse student needs and assists in differentiating instruction in general education classrooms. More Culturally Diverse Students with Learning Problems Individualized Education Programs The Assignment Routine This two-part adaptation was developed to be useful across subject-matter areas to help you plan and present assignments that all students in the class can complete. Effective Accommodations for IEPs A complete chart to help IEP teams find specific accommodations in instruction, assessment, classroom management, organization, and more. This printable resource will be especially valuable to new teachers who are becoming accustomed to IEP's. More IEPs and Beyond Assessment Accomodations Accommodations Checklist Use this checklist to ensure appropriate assessment accommodations are used in test taking. Guiding Principles for Assessment Accommodations Guiding principles for assessment accommodation. More Types of Assessment Accommodation Additional Resources Crossover Children – LD and Gifted Learn how to work successfully with students who are both learning disabled and gifted. Our resources will help you devise teaching strategies that address crossover children's diverse needs. Popular Learning & Developmental Disablities Resources It's important to master the best teaching techniques for all your students, including those with learning and developmental disabilities. Here, you'll find resources to help you plan your lessons for your class. Special Needs Web Resources Use this comprehensive list of Websites about special needs to help with all kinds of issues, such as ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, special education, and more. Resources on Adapting Instruction by the Council for Exceptional Children Adapting Curricular Materials This series provides practical guidance in adapting teaching and learning materials to meet the needs of individual students and is geared for experienced as well as new general and special education teachers. Adapting Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science Materials for the Inclusive Classroom Keith Lenz and Jean Schumaker This book presents types of problems students with disabilities may encounter in dealing with curricular materials in language arts, social studies, and science and gives short-term design adaptations and long-term instructional goals for each. Adapting Reading and Math Materials for the Inclusive Classroom Jeanne Shay Schumm Intended as a teacher's handbook, this book presents a set of principles for structuring teaching methods to facilitate adaptations in the elementary classroom (grades K-5). Toward Successful Inclusion of Students with Disabilities: The Architecture of Instruction Deborah Simmons and Edward J. Kame'enui This book presents a set of principles for evaluating curriculum and structuring curriculum adaptations. Includes worksheets and specific questions to aid in adaptation. Complete List and Ordering Information