eachers do not have to be special educators in order to meet the diverse needs of their students who learn differently. In schools across the NAD, there are students who have ADHD, learning disabilities that make it difficult for them to read, write or do math, or have social or behavioral challenges. The REACH Inclusion Initiative was designed to support teachers by giving strategies that they can use in their classrooms to help support these students.

The REACH webpage (reach.adventisteducation.org) and manual offer teachers accommodations they can use to differentiate the content (what is being taught), the process (how it is taught), and the product (how students demonstrate their learning). For example, basic accommodations for a student with ADHD could be providing flexible seating to provide movement, sitting in the front of the class, taking test in a separate room, providing extended time given to complete assignments, or, if the student has a reading disability, the material can be read to them. Accommodations provide different ways for students to take in information or communicate their knowledge to the teacher, but do not alter or lower the curriculum or material to be tested on.

Modifications, on the other hand, refer to changes in the curriculum or instructional level. Modifications result in lowering the expectations or standards so that the students are not expected to master the same academic content as the rest of the class. The material could be adjusted to the academic level and ability of the student with the learning problem.

For example, in Math, an accommodation would be to adjust the homework only to assign every other problem. A modification would allow the student always to use a calculator or multiplication chart.

In Spelling, an accommodation allows the student to use an electronic speller, while a modification uses a spelling list on a different grade level.

For Science, listening to the textbook is an accommodation, while an open-book test is a modification.

The REACH website provides an Accommodation Form to give a teacher suggestions on basic accommodations, typically used for students with learning or behavior challenges. This can be used to track the accommodations used and can be sent to the local public school district to show what has already been done when requesting testing to see if a learning disability exists. An example letter that can be sent to the district, to request testing, can be found on the website. A blank Measurable Action Plan (MAP) is also provided for the teacher to write in accommodations or modifications being used. This is always done in collaboration with the parents.

Accommodations or modifications should be indicated on the progress report. Modifications on the secondary level should be indicated by changing the name of the course such as, AL (Alternative Learning) Biology or Introduction to American Literature. Just as AP History indicates a different curriculum, AL History shows a curriculum based on the student’s ability.

Teachers in our Adventist schools have heavy loads, but it is our hope that the resources found on the REACH webpage and in our manual will help support teachers as they work with students who learn differently.