Types of Classroom Accommodations
Accommodations come in three distinct categories; instructional, environmental, and assessment. The following lists are examples of interventions that may impact the success of the ADHD student.
Instructional Accommodations
- High structure, quiet classroom
- Avoid open concept classrooms
- Direct instruction
- Reduced/uncluttered format
- Spatially-cued formats
- Repetition of information
- Rewording rephrasing of information
- Pair written instructions with oral – Use multi-sensory approach
- Extra time for processing
- Non-verbal signals, gesture cues
- Word retrieval prompts
- Reinforcement incentives
- Frequent breaks
- Physical activities
- Organizational coaching
- Time management aids
- Tracking sheets
- Visual cueing/scheduling
- Mind maps
- Graphic organizers
- Use concrete hands-on materials
- Manipulatives
- Dramatize information
- Ability grouping
- Buddy/peer tutoring
- Duplicated notes
- Note-taking assistance
- Chunking of assignments
- Reduced homework/course load
- Computer options with voice to text software
- Use humour not sarcasm
- Augmentative and alternative systems (FM) communication
Environmental Accommodations
- Alternative work space
- Strategic seating/preferential seating
- Proximity to instructor
- Reduction in audio/visual stimuli
- Study carrel
- Minimizing background noise
- Quiet setting
- Use of headphones
- Special lighting
- Supervise transition times with care and cueing 5-10 minutes before changes
- Assistive devices
Adaptive Equipment such as:
- squeeze balls
- play dough
- chewing gum
- sour candies
- straws
- tennis balls on all chair and desk legs
- FM system
- tape recorder
- computer
Assessment Accommodations
- Extended time limits
- Alternative settings, a quiet room free of distractions
- Space tests and assignments to prevent feelings of being overwhelmed
- Reduction in the number of tasks used to assess a concept or skill
- Extra time for processing the questions as well as the answers
- Prompts to refocus
- Reduced/uncluttered format
- Reading of test or exam to student
- Assistive devices or adaptive equipment such as calculators, reference charts, spell checkers, computers, voice to text software
- Verbatim scribing
- Alternative test formats including audiotapes, oral, computer, type of exam or test