More school Accommodations for autistic students

In my previous blog, I discussed school accommodations.

What else can be in an accommodation?

An accommodation is a strategy or program or some type of assistance to help a non-typical child to learn in school.

Accommodations are put into the IEP. They are initiated on a daily basis by either an aide or a teacher.

They should be consistent.

How do other students react to an accommodation?

Accommodations are sometimes seen as advantages.

I protest that kind of assessment.

If my son sits in his class on a yoga ball chair, is that fair to the other students?

Yes. That chair helps him regulate his body. It allows him to sit comfortably, keeps him engaged, and he needs less breaks.

My son is smart and academics are not an issue.

The key to being fair, in my opinion, is to keep my son in the classroom.

That special yoga chair works for him, and it fair, for him.

When an accommodation is interpreted as an “unfair advantage”

“Hey, why does that kid get to go outside the classroom or five minutes during math class?”

“Why does he get that chair?”

“Why can he chew gum?”

I’ve heard it all. It’s hard to explain it to some kids, but for the most part, kids get used to these things.

Parents don’t always, but that’s a whole other topic.

Are there other issues regarding an accommodation?

Make sure the child doesn’t become too reliant on the accommodation.

For example, my son has mild autism and is in an inclusion class.

The goal is to eventually wean him from an accommodation.

This promotes independence. When needed, children often need help to compensate for their specific needs. However, the child has to develop and not become reliant on their accommodation (if that’s a realistic goal).

What about an accommodation

An accommodation is necessary until it’s not.

In the future, the world is often not so accommodating. A lawyer may not get an extension on his brief because he has ADHD.

I look at it this way: Accommodations, in a lot of cases, should not necessarily be considered permanent.

However, keep in mind, a child may still need the accommodation.

You wouldn’t tell a child to “strengthen” his eyesight with the goal of removing his glasses. You don’t want a child to remove her hearing aide if they have trouble hearing.

Try to remove it

Try to remove an accommodation when it makes sense. Get the school to help.

Schools and Accommodations

Be advised that a school may not offer an accommodation.

If you think your child might need an accommodation at his/her school, my suggestion is to be proactive.

Don’t sit around waiting for the school to suggest the accommodation.

You are the parent, but you are also a part of the IEP team, so suggest an accommodation if you think it will help your child.

That’s just me, I’m pro-active. I typically walk into an IEP pretty much knowing what to ask for. Or, I ask, “What can we do for my son? Is there an accommodation that can help him?”

When used properly, accommodations can be necessary to help any special needs child’s school experience be close to par with their typical peers. It’s all about getting all kids to learn well in school—any way they can.

To read more on school accommodations, read here:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art35123.asp

More school accommodations for autistic students