Assessment Resources - Part 6

Students with Special Needs (Chapter 7)

An individualized education plan (IEP) will specify whether a student is requires: 

• accommodations only; 
• modified learning expectations, with the possibly of accommodations; or
• an alternative program, not derived from the curriculum expectations for a subject/grade or a course. 

Students who require modified or alternative expectations will be evaluated based on those expectations, as outlined in the IEP, not the curriculum requirements for that grade level. 

Accommodations are requirements by some students in order to participate with the curriculum and to demonstrate achievement of the expectations. They are changes in procedure that enable students to demonstrate their learning. 

Modifications are changes made to the grade-level expectations for a subject. Modifications can include a blend of expectations from different grades or an increase/decrease in the number and/or complexity of expectations from the regular grade level. 

Alternative Learning Expectations are developed to help students acquire the knowledge and skills that are not represented in the Ontario Curriculum. For example, speech remediation, social skills, mobility training, and personal care programs. 

Accommodations that are indicated on the IEP may be considered during province-wide testing (EQAO) so long as it is specifically outlined and is in conjunction with the wording in EQAO. 

There are several documents that contain more detailed information on supporting students with special needs as well as assessing them. The first is the Learning For All document which goes through educational supports that all students could benefit from, especially, though, exceptional learners. The second is a more academic paper about closing the gap for students with special needs. 

In my own practice I want to create a truly inclusive environment where all students can thrive. I think I'll need to continue to educate myself on how to create that type of environment, as well as constantly being reflective of my performance as a teacher and making sure that each lesson is accessible by all my students, not only the easy-to-teach ones.