Page 43 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages

Guide, 2004 (referred to hereafter as the IEP Resource Guide, 2004). 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).
Students Requiring Accommodations Only
Some students with special education needs are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations allow the student with special education needs to access the curriculum without any changes to the course expectations. The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning must be identified in his or her IEP (IEP Standards, 2000, p. 11).
A student’s IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, subjects
or courses.
Providing accommodations to students with special education needs should be the first option considered in program planning. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated instruction focuses on the provision of accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners.
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. Some examples include the use of graphic organizers, photocopied notes, adaptive equipment, or assistive software.
• Environmental accommodations are changes that the student may require in the classroom 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 permitting oral responses to test questions (see page 29 of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004, for more examples).
If a student requires “accommodations only” in courses in classical studies and international languages, assessment and evaluation of his or her achievement will be based on the regular course curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document. The IEP box on the student’s Provincial Report Card will not be checked, and no information on the provision of accommodations will be included.
Students Requiring Modified Expectations
In classical studies and international languages courses, modified expectations for most students with special education needs will be based on the regular course expectations, with changes in the number and/or complexity of the expectations. Modified expectations must represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable goals, and must describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the student can demonstrate independently, given the appropriate assessment accommodations.
It is important to monitor, and to reflect clearly in the student’s IEP, the extent to which expectations have been modified. The principal will determine whether achievement of
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING IN CLASSICAL STUDIES AND INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES
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