"modifications and accommodations?

Question

As the special education teacher in an inclusion classroom, you hear from general education students (or other teachers or parents of typically developing students), "modifications and accommodations given to the special education students are not fair to the other students!" How do you respond?

Answer 1

the learning disabilities are nto fair to teh studnegts with accommodations

tell them they can have teh accommodations too as long as they want the disability too--

show the video FAT City

give them a a LD simulation activity-

type a paragraph mixing up letters/words adn tell them they are slow and stupid beause they can't read it

Answer 2

Modifications and accomodations are no different than giving a person who is diabetic insulin  - you would not deny them what they need to survive would you?

Answer 3

explain to them that the modifications are given to make the activity, or at least some of it possible to the special ed students. Ask them what experience they have had with disfigurement, or inability to use fine motor skills, reading skills- and follow it up with a metaphor like- for Andy not having a read program is like you needing to learn a new concept by reading a book in chinese.

Answer 4

Fair does not mean equal.

The modifications and accommodations written into the IEP are TEAM decisions. The law says as educators it is our job to carry them out to the letter. or be held accountable (even to federal court).

Students with disabilities are entitled to the same free public education as every other student. The modifications and accommodations are what level the playing field for these students. They are not just "made up" from thin air. There is a basic set to chose from that is acceptable for different disabilities.

If fair means equal, everyone would wear glasses because I do -  just to see better. If fair means equal, those of us that can walk should be in wheelchairs, because other students are confined to chairs. If fair means equal we could all eat ice cream without gaining weight, after all some people can do that.

This is the question I always hated to hear when I taught elementary. Now that I am at high school I don't hear it too often.

Answer 5

It's a legal requirement under IDEA.  In general education classes, the "regular" students are also given accommodations by the teacher, they usually just don't realize that they are doing it.

Answer 6

Modifications and accomodations are designed to help "level the playing field."  While they rarely enable students with disabilities to perform at the level as students without disabilities, they do help.  The argument that students with disabilities will be able to have the better eduation, diploma, degree, and better job handed to them without fair competition is usually more of a fear than a reality.