Page 22 - Business Studies 11-12 (2006)

SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING IN BUSINESS STUDIES 21
Planning Business Studies Programs for Students With Special Education Needs
In planning business studies courses for students with special education needs, teachers should begin by examining both the curriculum expectations for the course and the needs of the individual student to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the student:
• no accommodations3 or modifications; or
• accommodationsonly;or
• modifiedexpectations,withthepossibilityofaccommodations
If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the relevant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). For a detailed discussion of the ministry’s requirements for IEPs, see Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation, 2000 (referred to hereafter as IEP Standards, 2000 ). More detailed information about planning pro- grams for students with special education needs can be found in The Individual Education Plan (IEP):A Resource Guide, 2004 (referred to hereafter as the IEP Resource Guide, 2004). (Both documents are available at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.)
Students Requiring Accommodations Only. With the aid of accommodations alone, some students are able to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. (Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for the course.) The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning must be identified in his or her IEP (see IEP Standards, 2000 , page 11). A student’s IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, courses.
There are three types of accommodations. Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia. Environmental accommodations are changes that the student may require in the class- room and/or school environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting. Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate
his or her learning, such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments or per- mitting oral responses to test questions (see page 29 of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004 , for more examples).
If a student requires “accommodations only” in business studies courses, assessment and evalua- tion of his or her achievement will be based on the appropriate course curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document.The IEP box on the Provincial Report Card will not be checked, and no information on the provision of accommodations will be included.
Students Requiring Modified Expectations. Some students will require modified expecta- tions, which differ from the regular course expectations. For most students, modified expecta- tions will be based on the regular course curriculum, with changes in the number and/or complexity of the expectations. It is important to monitor, and to reflect clearly in the student’s
3. “Accommodations” refers to individualized teaching and assessment strategies, human supports, and/or individualized equipment.