IEP accommodations during distance learning
By Amanda Morin
Expert reviewed by Brittney Newcomer, MS, NCSP
Distance learning brings new challenges to special education. One of the biggest challenges is how to implement accommodations for students who have an (IEP).
Innovative thinking and an understanding of available tools can make accommodations work during distance learning. Plus, many of these online strategies and tools can help provide accommodations during in-person learning.
Take a look at the charts below for some examples of how commonly used accommodations can work in both in-person and virtual settings.
Accommodations that change the way information is presented to students
| Accommodation | Virtual Learning Alternative | Microsoft Education Tools | G Suite for Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use audio recordings instead of reading text | Audiobooks Text-to-speech | Immersive Reader (Chrome extension) | |
| Format pages with fewer items per page or line | Larger font Reduced amount of material per page (virtually and in packets) | Immersive Reader | Increased line spacing |
| Work with text in a larger print size | Built-in accessibility features on smartphones or computers to change font size | Magnifier accessibility feature | Larger font Zoom in and zoom out accessibility feature |
| Have a “designated reader” or hear instructions spoken aloud | Record the teacher reading the instructions Text-to-speech | Immersive Reader (Chrome extension) | |
| Record a lesson, instead of the student taking notes | Speech-to-text Transcript of the lesson Screen recording of the lesson | Voice typing in Google Docs Loom (Chrome extension) Screencastify (Chrome extension) | |
| Get class notes from teacher or another student | Shared files Web captioning Teacher notes before the lesson or a transcript after the lesson | Captions in Microsoft Teams meetings | Captions in Google Meet sessions |
| Get written instructions | Scheduled assignments to share and review before the lesson Bulleted list of concise instructions in the chat feature for live lessons (or directly on assignments) | Assignments in Microsoft Teams | Assignments in Google Classroom |
| See an outline of a lesson | Lesson outline sent via email or learning management system (LMS) before the lesson | Google Docs outline tool | |
| Use visual presentations of verbal material, such as word webs | Collaborative whiteboard tools, like Miro | Whiteboard | |
| Minimize auditory and visual stimulation | Study carrels or room dividers (families can pick up from school, if possible) Separate, quiet room (if possible) Slides and materials with fewer visuals, fonts, and colors | White Noise | White Noise (Chrome extension) |
Accommodations that change the way students complete assignments
| Accommodation | Virtual Learning Alternative | Microsoft Education Tools | G Suite for Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give responses in a preferred form (spoken or written) | Dictation to an adult or a peer Speech-to-text Uploaded audio or video recordings Check in with a family member to see if they can help write responses One-to-one conference with the student | Microsoft Teams meetings Audio in Flipgrid Dictation in Word | Google Meet sessions Voice typing in Google Docs Upload recordings to Google Drive |
| Use a calculator or a table of math facts | Online calculator or a built-in computer/smartphone calculator tool | Math Assistant in OneNote Math Solver app | Google Docs equation editor |
| Use manipulatives to learn and practice math skills | Send home physical manipulatives Paper/printable manipulatives Virtual manipulatives | n/a | Number Pieces (Chrome extension) Geoboard (Chrome extension) |
| Use graphic organizers and sentence starters to help structure and generate writing ideas | Graphic organizers to use with assignments. Websites to create graphic organizers: Popplet, MindMup, Creately, Mind Meister, Mindomo, SpiderScribe | n/a | n/a |
Accommodations that can help with scheduling, timing, and organization
| Accommodation | Virtual Learning Alternative | Microsoft Education Tools | G Suite for Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use sensory tools, like an exercise band that can be looped around a chair’s legs | A fidget to use at home A sensory toolkit to be sent home or picked up by the student | n/a | n/a |
| Small group learning | One-to-one videoconferences or breakout rooms to allow students to ask questions or complete assignments with teacher support | Microsoft Teams meetings | Google Meet sessions |
| Take more time to complete a task or a test | Explanations to students and families on how to "chunk" assignments and set due dates accordingly | Assignments in Microsoft Teams | Assignments in Google Classroom Google Keep to-do lists |
| Have extra time to process spoken information and directions | Assignments and directions given ahead of time, with time to check in with the student to answer questions Shared class document for students to add questions during or after a lesson | Microsoft Teams meetings | Google Meet sessions |
| Take frequent breaks | Brain breaks during virtual classes Scheduled time for brain breaks in the middle of independent assignments Assignments broken into smaller tasks or chunks Videos with exercises within lessons | Microsoft Stream or screen share for brain break videos Chat feature to remind students to take a break | Videos embedded in Google Slides Chat feature to remind students to take a break Two Google Forms (or a Google Doc and a Google Form) to break down parts of an assignment |
| Take a test over several days or complete the sections in a different order | Test broken up into smaller tests or create multiple digital forms for each section | Microsoft Forms | Google Forms |
| Use an alarm to help with time management | Visual timer on Zoom or screen share a visual timer on other platforms Website blockers to increase focus | Stopwatch & Timer (Chrome Extension) WasteNoTime (Chrome Extension) Strict Workflow (Chrome Extension) Task Timer (Chrome Extension) Pause (Chrome Extension) | |
| Mark texts with a highlighter | Highlighter function on PDFs and other documents (with explicit instruction on how students can use the highlighter) | Text annotations and highlighting in Office Lens Text highlight in Edge browser | Highlight Tool (Google Docs add-on) Kami for annotation (Chrome extension) |
Even students who don’t have an IEP need to learn differently during distance learning.
Karyn Fillhart, an assistive technology instructor, Apple Teacher, and Microsoft Certified Educator, offered suggestions specific to each platform.
