Sevier County School System Section 504 Plans

Examples of Program Accommodations and Adjustments

 

This part contains possible examples of 504 accommodations. This is intended to be a staff document. The following examples are not offered as check lists and should never be considered as all-inclusive or mandatory listings. Rather the following are examples intended to serve as “starters” for 504 teams designing accommodation plans that meet a student’s specific need(s). The best 504 plans incorporate teacher expertise and available regular education resources. The Student Support Team process involves schools in identifying the resources they (and outside agencies) have to support various student needs. Obviously, the kinds of accommodations schools can provide will vary based on school, level, etc. No attempt was made to sort these examples by level, etc.  The 504 evaluation team decides the accommodations that will best support a particular student. The following examples are organized into two groups. The first group includes general environmental, organizational, behavioral, presentation, and assessment strategies. The second group includes possible examples of accommodations that might be valuable when dealing with specific disability profiles.

 

 

 

 

Accommodation Examples for Specific Disabilities

Allergies

Arthritis

Asthma

ADD/ADHD

Bipolar

Cancer

Cerebral Palsy

AIDS

Cystic Fibrosis

Deaf/Hearing Impairment

Diabetes

Drugs/alcohol

Emotionally Disturbed

Encopresis/Enuresis

Epilepsy

Hearing Impairment

Learning Disability

Leukemia

Orthopedically Impaired

Student with Special Health Care Needs

Temporarily Disabled

Tourette's Syndrome

Traumatic Brain Injury

Tuberculosis

Visual Impairment

Weight (obesity, anorexia, bulimia)

 

 

 

General Accommodations

General program accommodations/adjustments or services are always made on a case-by-case basis and individualized.  Accommodations are to be reasonable.  Accommodations are intended to provide persons with disabilities compensation for their functional limitation(s) due to a mental or physical impairment.  Where Section 504 is concerned, accommodations are made to bring a student with a disability to the same starting point as a non-disabled student. Consequently, the accommodations defined in a Section 504 plan are those interventions that are over and above the accommodations available to all students.

 

Environmental Strategies

 

 

 

Organizational Strategies

 

 

 

Behavioral Strategies

 

 

 

Presentation Strategies

 

 

a) lecture plus overhead/board demonstration support

b) small groups required to produce a written product

c) large groups required to demonstrate a process

d) audio-visual (i.e. filmstrips, study prints) methods

e) peer tutors or cross-age tutors

f) demonstrations, simulations

g) experiments

h) games

 

 

 

Evaluation Methods

 

 

 

 

Accommodation Examples for Specific Disabilities

 

Here are some examples of accommodations and services that might be considered for specific disability profiles.  Please keep in mind that these examples are not intended to be all-inclusive or mandatory. Do not use these examples as a “checklist” as accommodations are to be made on a case-by-case basis specific to individual need.  Please also remember that the mere presence of these conditions does not automatically qualify a student for a Section 504 plan. The disability must significantly limit one or more life functions before a 504 plan is to be considered. Additionally, this disability must impact the student so that he or she is not afforded access and benefit of programs and services equal to that of non-disabled students.

 

 

Allergies

EXAMPLE: The student has severe allergic reactions to certain pollens and foods.  For purposes of this example the condition substantially limits the major life activity of breathing and may interfere with the student's ability to get to school or participate once there.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Arthritis

EXAMPLE: A student with severe arthritis may have persistent pain, tenderness or swelling in one or more joints.  A student experiencing arthritic pain may require a modified physical education program.  For purposes of this example, the condition substantially limits the major life activity of performing manual tasks.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

·       Adapt physical education curriculum

 

 

 

Asthma

EXAMPLE: A student has been diagnosed as having severe asthma.  The doctor has advised the student not to participate in physical activity outdoors.  For purposes of this example, the disability limits the major life activity of breathing.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

EXAMPLE: The student does not meet eligibility requirements under IDEA as emotionally disturbed, learning disabled or other health impaired.  A doctor regards the student as having ADD, and for purposes of this example, the disability limits the major life activity of learning.  The student, because of his disability, is unable to participate in the school's programs to the same degree as students without disabilities and therefore is substantially limited by the disability.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Bipolar Disorder

EXAMPLE: The student was diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder, however the severity (frequency, intensity, duration considerations) of the condition did not qualify the student for IDEA. A properly convened 504 committee determined that the condition did significantly impair the major life activity of learning and fashioned a 504 plan for the student. Here are some possible accommodations for this scenario.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Cancer

EXAMPLE: A student with a long-term medical problem may require special accommodations.  Such a condition as cancer may substantially limit the major life activities of learning and caring for oneself.  For example, a student with cancer may need a class schedule that allows for rest and recuperation following chemotherapy.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Cerebral Palsy

EXAMPLE: The student has serious difficulties with fine and gross motor skills.  A wheelchair is used for mobility.  For purposes of this example, the condition substantially limits the major life activity of walking.  Cognitive skills are intact.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Chronic Infectious Diseases (i.e. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

EXAMPLE: The student frequently misses school and does not have the strength to attend a full day.  For purposes of this example, the student has a record of a disability, which substantially limits the major life activities of learning and working. Please review applicable District policies.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

Cystic Fibrosis

EXAMPLE: This student is a new enrollee at your school and has an extensive medical history.  He has significant difficulty breathing and will often be absent due to respiratory infection.  While medical needs can be easily documented on a health plan, his educational needs also need to be accommodated. For purposes of this example, learning is the major life activity that is substantially impaired.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Deaf/Hearing Impairment

EXAMPLE: A student was diagnosed with a substantial hearing impairment at a very early age.  Therefore, he has both a hearing loss and a mild speech impediment.  He compensates through both lip reading and sign language.  Academic abilities test in the average range.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Diabetes

EXAMPLE: A sixth grader with juvenile diabetes requires accommodation to maintain optimal blood sugar.  His mom provides the crackers and juice to be used at "break" time and before physical education class.  She asks that teachers remind him to eat at a certain time of the morning if he does not pay attention to the beeper on his watch.  The youngster is very self sufficient; while he is able to monitor his own blood sugar now, he prefers to do this privately.  Therefore, mom asks that the equipment and a notebook/log be stored in a nearby file cabinet and the youngster be allowed to go into the hall with the equipment to check his blood sugar twice a day.  She also asks that his teacher allow him to use the bathroom as needed.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

·       Health care plan for management of condition in the school setting and in emergencies

·       Educate staff to signs/symptoms of insulin reaction/hypoglycemia; hunger, shakiness, sweatiness, change in face color, disorientation, drowsiness Do not leave the child alone if he/she is feeling poorly; walk to the office or clinic with the student.

·       Train for proper dispensing of medications; monitor and/or distribute medications; monitor for side effects; communicate systematically and frequently with parents

·       Adapt physical education activities

·       Store equipment and documentation in a readily accessible location for student, parent and area nurse or clinic aid

·       Accommodate food access/meal schedules rigorously

·       Allow access to bathroom facilities

 

 

Drugs and Alcohol

EXAMPLE: The student has used drugs and alcohol for many years.  This problem has affected the major life activities of learning and caring for oneself.  The student is presently not using drugs or alcohol and is in a rehabilitation program.  If the student is not using drugs or alcohol, he or she could qualify for accommodations or services under Section 504.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

Emotionally Disturbed

EXAMPLE: An emotionally disturbed student may need an adjusted class schedule to allow time for regular counseling or therapy.  For purposes of this example, the condition substantially limits the individual's major life activity of learning.

 

Possible Accommodations and Services:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Encopresis/Enuresis

EXAMPLE: A student who will urinate or defecate in clothes.  Not to be confused with physical incontinence, but only to a needed behavior change (i.e. toilet training, bowel/bladder retraining).

 

Possible Accommodations:

 

 

 

 

Epilepsy

EXAMPLE: The student is on medication for seizure activity, but experiences several petit mal seizures each month.  This condition substantially limits the major life activity of learning.