Essential List of 500+ Accommodations and Strategies for your IEP or 504.

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Ideas, Accommodations, Modifications, and Strategies for your IEP

I need ideas….what does my child need for….what can help my child with….How many times have you asked yourself these questions? You want ideas to submit to the IEP team, but you just don’t know where to start. Well, here you go! You asked for it, you got it! I’ve received many, many reader requests for a list of SDIs or strategies.  I hope this list of printable SDIs, strategies, and accommodations for an IEP or 504 is helpful.

What is an SDI?

SDI stands for Specially Designed Instruction. It is anything specific and unique to your child. They are determined by their areas of need, to help them access their education. It is based on the evaluations done on your child, to determine their areas of need. SDIs are used to help your child achieve the goals listed in the IEP. Most SDIs should be applied across all environments, not in just one class or classroom. They are adaptations or modifications to the regular curriculum. SDIs are in place to help your child reach their IEP goals and objectives.

Updated01/16/2019. This is a new and improved version, as I had to update, the other formatting was no longer supported.

If the list below is not enough, I have more information and it is broken down by areas of need, such as seizures, working memory, executive functioning, behavior and so on.

—>IEP Goals, Accommodations and Strategies<—

If you are looking for IEP Goal Ideas or IEP Goal Bank, you’re in the wrong spot! No worries, they can all be found by clicking those highlighted links.

IEP accommodations and strategies for environment

1. a quiet area to complete the work or take a test
2. having someone read a test to them
3. “preferential seating,” means sitting near the front, or away from distraction or in their area of preference (if they prefer a left or right visual field)
4. preferential seating for hearing/audio
5. preferential seating away from distractions, windows, doors, speakers
6. extra time to complete the work or reading given
7. early dismissal from class to get to the locker and to next class
8. identify and limit distractions
9. opportunity for practice
10. “hot pass” or “cool off card” which is a card the student gets and they can leave class, flash the hot pass to the teacher, and go to the office, guidance counselor, nurse (designated ahead of time) to cool off, if they feel a negative behavior coming on
11. high contrast materials, limited visual clutter
12. adapted lunch setting to reduce sensory stressors
13. adapted recess with adult lead activities to increase peer interactions
14. recess and group activities to be designed with IEP goals in mind
15. keep days and activities structured
16. structured seating arrangements
17. small group instruction
18. access to the resource room or learning support room

 SDIs and accommodations for transitions

1. visual cues in hallways to guide the child to the next classroom or cafeteria
2. personal timeouts to regroup and prepare for the transition
3. time warnings and increased transition time
4. advance notice of transitions
5. schedule on the blackboard (or whiteboard/smartboard, I know, I’m old using the word blackboard)

Tools and Equipment-SDIs and accommodations

1. visual charts
2. visual schedules
3. visual cues in a locker, lunch box, on a desk
4. fidget spinners/fidget toys
5. written schedules on locker, lunch box
6. graphic organizers
7. choice cards
8. emotions cards
9. earplugs or headphones
10. special seating-seat pads, sit-upon balls, etc.
11. adaptive equipment-pens, pencils, calculators, fidgety toys, large print books, audio, etc.
12. use of FM headsets to either have blocked out music or FM transmission of teacher speaking, use Beatz or something else socially acceptable, blocks out outside noise
13. rewards charts
14. yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques
15. use of a scribe or oral testing to open-ended or essay formats
16. provide a study guide
17. provide audio recordings
18. provide video/audio recordings
19. voice recognition software
20. extra set of the textbooks-1 set for home, 1 for school
21. pencil grips, slant boards
22. develop a sensory diet
23. spelling dictionary, spell checker
24. provide notes, outlines or organizers with key concepts or terms highlighted
25. mnemonics
26. remind the student to wear glasses/hearing aids
27. allow the use of a preferred writing implement

Language-based SDIs and accommodations

1. minimal use of open-ended statements or questions
2. do not use sarcasm or inferences when communicating with the student
3. allow 5 or 10 seconds (whatever child needs) processing time when a request is made
4. chunk down verbal instructions
5. use only 1 question or instruction task at a time if the child cannot do 2-3 part questions
6. speak slower
7. use literal language
8. Use of first____, then_______.
9. having someone read the material to them
10. concise, direct prompts
11. clear, concise instructions that are at child’s ability
12. activity based learning
13. explain metaphors and double meanings
14. limit oral questions to the number that the child can manage
15. provide direct feedback in appropriate settings

People and Peer-based accommodations and SDIs

1. special sign or signal between teacher and student to notify the student of something
2. encourage but do not force eye contact; forcing eye contact may break the train of thought
3. buddy system for unstructured times
4. peer to peer tutoring as appropriate
5. structured social skills groups
6. set up opportunities for the child to self-advocate
7. peer modeling-appropriate play, interaction
8. role play
9. social stories
10. pair with the student prior to learning a new task
11. cooperative games rather than win/lose
12. facilitated socialization at recess, lunch, breaks
13. education sessions for peers to help them understand disability
14. watch videos of social stories/interactions and ask to explain
15. role playing-both with successful and undesired outcomes (ie-troubleshooting)

Sensory Accommodations and SDIs

1. give sensory breaks-have child carry down attendance sheets or just a few envelopes down to the office to allow for movement
2. timed bathroom breaks (every 60, 90 120 minutes)
3. awareness of sensory issues–smells, sounds, lighting; adjust as appropriate
4. scheduled sensory breaks
5. Make sure you see the full printable list below!

Behavior SDIs and Accommodations

1. frequent reinforcement for desired/positive behaviors
2. token board
3. intersperse preferred and non-preferred tasks
4. agenda checklist for check-ins with a preferred staff member
5. task strip with preferred activity at the end

Testing and Assignments-SDIs and accommodations

1. monthly, weekly or bi-weekly phone or in person conferences with parents (progress monitoring)
2. homework assignments chunked down by the teacher to define each task
3. have the child write down verbal questions to aid in processing
4. breaking down tests into segments
5. pre-teaching information, then post-teaching afterward
6. alternatives for completing assignments (typed instead of written, or verbal)
7. provide facilitated experiences
8. frequent test breaks with opportunities to move
9. testing in a study carrel
10. testing in the morning only
11. masking test items so only single questions are visible
12. permission to hand in all assignments late, as pre-determined
13. modify assignments to only include essential content
14. intersperse easy and difficult demands on an 80/20 basis (and work to increase)
15. longer assignments are broken down and scheduled out in pictures or words

Miscellaneous, interventions for perceived cognitive and academic deficits

1. alarms as reminders-phone, wristwatch, etc.
2. AM/PM check in with a preferred staff person
3. use of prompt hierarchy
4. incorporate child’s personal interests into activities whenever possible
5. to do lists
6. journal
7. show example of completed projects
8. picture calendar or schedule
9. when appropriate and will not cause a distraction-guide student through real-life situations
10. provide with calming strategies
11. test format to tap “recognition memory” such as matching or multiple choice rather than fill in blank without a word bank

This post was originally published in 2012 but has been updated numerous times. Please email me if it is not working, links are dead, or printables are not available.