Accommodations at a Glance

This page preserves the original wording of accommodations and cognitive processing supports, organized into clear sections with stable IDs for retrieval. Use the lists to select formats, tools, and strategies that maintain grade-level expectations while matching individual access needs.

Converted from PDF • Last updated 2025-09-24

Update (2025-09-24): ED (OET/OSEP) highlighted in 2024 that assistive technology should be provided without undue delay, and plans should include necessary training and home use when required for FAPE. See ED announcement referencing the AT guidance package (ED Early Learning page).

Agent rule - Note: Accessible formats change the form (audio, digital, braille), not the rigor of content. Use complexity-reducing strategies only when the IEP uses alternate/Access Points standards.

Visual Formats

Large print instructional materials
Sign language with text
Closed captioning
Descriptive video

Tactile Formats

Braille instructional materials
Refreshable Braille display
Nemeth Braille code
Tactile graphics
Real objects

Auditory Formats

Audio books
Auditory presentation of materials for students who cannot physically access print, large print, or braille materials
Recorded books
Screen-reader text-to-speech
Equipment with auditory output

Visual Enhancement

Update (2025-09-24): For digital and online materials, ensure conformance with W3C WCAG 2.2 (Level AA) to support perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust content.

Magnification devices
Computer screen magnification
Video magnifier
Reduced glare or direct lighting
Minimized visual distraction
Colored transparencies or overlays
Highlighters to mark key words or phrases
Straightedge or blank cards to help with visual focus
Card with cut-out window
Ruler or reading guide
Tilt-top desk
Positioning tools (book stand or page holder)
Materials to secure work

Word Recognition

Decodable or controlled-phonics practice passages (for targeted decoding work), without lowering content complexity in core classes. Pair with text-to-speech/audiobooks to access grade-level content.
Digital text w/ audio feedback or word meanings
Portable scanning device
Personal word list
Repeated reading

Comprehension

Preview of vocabulary or key points
Advance organizer
Highlighters to mark key words or phrases, main ideas, or supporting details
Text with structural cues (header, sidebar) and summary, outline, or key questions
Digital text with structural cues (header, sidebar) and summary, outline, or key questions
Digital text w/ word meanings
Hands-on activity, picture, or diagram
Study guide

Following Directions

Signal or prompt
Self-instruction and self-questions
Directions w/ pictures or diagrams
Copy of directions
Directions repeated, summarized, or clarified
Opportunity for the student to paraphrase or repeat directions
Sign language interpreter to interpret oral directions
Sample problem or task
Monitoring
Verbal encouragement (“keep working,” “make sure to answer every question’)
Uncluttered and clearly organized material
Visual cues

Mathematics

Math Windows
Abacus
Adapted calculator
Tactile tools & materials
Chart of math facts
Concrete materials & manipulatives
Graphic organizers, flow charts, T-charts
Gridded paper and gridded response instruction sheets
Math and science reference sheets with embossed graphics
Concrete models
Real coins to access the print representation of coins
Visual representations

Organization of Space & Materials

Compartmentalized storage container
Diagram for storage of materials
Checklist of required materials and tools
Color-coded binders and folders
Limited amount of materials available to students
Access to materials outside of class

Cognitive Processing Supports

Input Strategies

• Use transforma ve tools, such as text-to-speech, to scaffolding difficulty in decoding text.
• Highlight, or visually mark up, text to support visual navigation of content.
• Use visual reading guides (physical and digital) to support consistent visual movement through a text while reading.
• Simplify digital and online text by removing distractions on the page.
• Use text summarizers to reduce the amount of content in a text so students can learn the core ideas, then add the rest of the content.
• Match decoding practice texts to current word-recognition skills; maintain grade-level content access via TTS/audiobooks/summarization for comprehension.
• Use text-to-speech to provide access to appropriate content when the language comprehension is higher than the word recognition skills.
• Change the size and type of font used.
• Adjust the spacing between letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs.
• Reduce the width of the columns of text.
• Use personal or classroom audio FM systems.
• Use manipulatives to enhance math and science instruction.
• Use models and 3D printing to support understanding of difficult and abstract concepts.

Integration Strategies

• Build background knowledge to increase opportunities for making connections and anchoring new knowledge.
• Use topic-focused, wide reading to increase students' knowledge base and background knowledge.
• Use contrast/comparisons and analogies to widen understanding.
• Use graphic organizers, concept maps, mind maps, timelines, outlines, etc., to organize information and visually integrate different bits of information or events with each other.
• Use diagrams and draw math problems.
• Draw pictures of word problems.
• Use graph paper.
• Use infographics, posters, and other visual tools to help highlight main ideas and important concepts.
• Highlight, or visually mark up, text and math problems to support visual organization of content.
• Provide or use advance organizers to get a big picture of the organization of the text before reading the main content.
• Consistently use text markup strategies to support a thorough processing of the text. Provide students with a variety of highlighting and text markup strategies that support basic to advanced integration skills.
• Consistently use mental models, such as K-W-L, Compare-Contrast, etc.

Memory Strategies

• Use multi-sensory instructional strategies.
• Provide advance organizers and guides to highlight main ideas and concepts, and have the students refer to these guides often while reading the content.
• Processing, or reading through, the content several times, each time with a different focus (e.g., making personal connections with the text, asking questions, analyzing the structure, reading for understanding, reviewing). Remember to always increase the complexity to align with the goals of the standards.
• Use visual graphic organizers or timelines to help organize the information.
• Have the students create illustrations for parts of the information and explain the thinking behind the illustrations.
• Comparing and contrasting different ideas, events, concepts, etc.
• Maintaining a journal and reviewing the journal regularly.
• Using flash card-type tools to review facts and events.
• Use screen capture tools on interactive whiteboards to save work and then review that work the next day.
• Use a spiral curriculum sequence where you can manually address and revisit the grade-level standards for a course throughout the year.
• Provide each student with a book of sets of instructions, formulas, rubrics, guidelines, etc. that they can use all year as a reference tool.

Output Strategies

• Use discussion guides, graphic organizers, or outlines ahead of time that support the organization of main ideas to share, then use them as prompts when sharing with others.
• Prepare fact cue cards before sharing.
• Prepare vocabulary cue cards or lists before sharing.
• Review text mark-ups and notes on facts, questions, and reactions to the text before sharing.
• Do presentations with guides, such as PowerPoint slides or teleprompters, to support sharing.
• Provide options on how students can share what they know, such as writing, drawing, audio, role-playing, etc.

Motor Strategies

• Use pencil grips and writing tools.
• Use paper lined with writing guides.
• Use raised line paper for tac le response with writing.
• Use graph paper to help with spatial placement and writing math problems.
• Use word processors for writing.
• Use word prediction and grammar checkers to support writing assignments.
• Allow the student to use tape recorders for lectures, or smart pens that record audio and align the audio to writing and drawing.
• Allow dicta on and speech-to-text tools.
• Try 3D software for students who have problems with spatial planning on paper.

Attribution

Update (2025-09-24): An accessible format contains the same content as the original; it changes only the presentation (e.g., braille, large print, audio, tagged digital text). When content itself is simplified or reduced, that is a modification. See the AEM Center: FAQ on Need for Accessible Formats and Using Accessible Formats.

Scaffolds, Supports, Accommodations

Highlight the accommodations, scaffolds, supports, and accessible instructional materials that you feel your student needs to successfully engage in instruction addressing the grade-level standards.

This page was developed from the work of Marty Beech

This page is based on the work of Marty Beech.