Image 3: Voice Typing in Google Docs
including children with disabilities and English learners …” One strategy educators can use to answer this charge is to examine the most frequently used accommodations in Individ- ualized Education Plans. Educational leaders can generate a top three, five or even 10 lists. This list could then be used to help inform decisions about the design of personalized learning ex- periences and the technology used to support them. For any accommodation met through technology that ap- pears on this list, educators could consider the viability of mak- ing the function of that technology available something that is available to all students. For instance, if text to speech appears frequently as accommodations in IEPs, then perhaps that func- tion should be made available to everyone. For any accommodation met through an instructional prac- tice that appears on the list, educators could consider the viabil- ity of making that practice a parameter by which all educational experiences are designed. For example, if preferential seating appears frequently as an accommodation in IEP, then perhaps every student should be given a chance to choose the seating that she or he prefers. The process of examining the most fre- quently used accommodations could be repeated regularly and this information could be used as an evidence based tool to make intentional instructional design decisions. One option for creating a list of accommodations is to anon- ymously extract that data from the system used to manage IEPs. It might be easy enough to pull the accommodations out into a spreadsheet, sort the information or do a search for keywords and collect the number of results. This can be particularly help- ful for accommodations that are meant to provide the same or similar intents but which are worded differently. For instance, speech recognition software and speech-to-text software are likely examples of accommodations that are worded differently but which meaning presents similar intentionality. In some cases, depending on the IEP system used, it might be the case that accommodation data cannot be exported into a spreadsheet for analysis. If this is the case, another option for creating a list of most frequently used accommodations is to
Image 4: MTSS Triangle
manually add them to a shared spreadsheet throughout the course of a year.
The Not-So-Hidden Benefits of Using Accommodations to Design For The Masses Systematic examination of accommodations and intentional- ly using them to design instruction for the masses provides ed- ucators with a methodology for increasing inclusive practices. Beyond the legal requirements, there are additional benefits to this practice and approach. Educators work to provide accommodations in IEPs. The time, energy and effort spent on providing an accommodation for an individual might feel like a burden or drain on resources to some. However, when accommodations are just thought of as tools used to design instruction for everyone, then they become helpful, integral and even necessary. The entire mindset around providing accommodations can change from compliance to one of usefulness. A list of accommodations can be used as a
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