Accommodations for a Student Who Has Difficulty with Handwriting

List of needs and solutions

Accommodations in Instructional Methods and Materials

Notetaking

• Provide copy of peer's notes.
• Use notetaker.
• Teach 2-column notetaking and concept mapping techniques.
• Minimize copying from board.
• Provide copy of information on board or in book so student doesn't have to re-write.

Support

• Prepare summary with blanks or questions for students to complete.

Accommodations in Assignments and Assessments

Organizing

• Place dot in upper left corner of paper to help student remember where to start writing.
• Indicate sections for each response by drawing lines or folding paper.
• Provide paper with writing guides or midlines.
• Let student use graph paper to align numbers when writing math computations.

Group Work

• Let student dictate work to teaching assistant or classmate who writes it.
• Let student use peer editing or teacher help in revision process.

Support

• Provide assistive technology such as tape or digital recorder, stylus and slate.
• Make sure worksheets have ample space for writing answers.
• Give student two copies of worksheet: draft and final copy.
• Let student use adaptive devices, such as pencil grips or holders, erasable pens, paper with raised lines, color-coded line indicators.
• Allow student to use different types of writing tools, for example, pens, crayons, thin or thick markers, and pencils of different thickness to find which is easiest to use.
• Have student trace over models for letters, words, or numbers, and gradually fade these prompts.
• Let the student use magnetic board with numbers, letters, symbols, and shapes.
• Let student create audio or video response to assignment.

Technology

• Let student use typewriter or word processor.
• Let student practice skills with computer-based instruction program.
• Scan worksheets, forms, or text to make them keyboard accessible.

Classroom Tests

• Indicate sections for each response by drawing lines or folding paper.
• Increase space allowed for test answers.
• Let student use typewriter or word processor to write answers to test items.
• Let student give alternate demonstrations of knowledge and skills using oral explanations, role playing, or interviewing.
• Monitor that student is marking in correct space and in correct sequence.

FCAT

• Secure paper to work area.
• Let student use paper with raised, shaded, or color-coded lines.
• Provide paper with math or writing guides to produce clear, legible answers.
• Let student use word processing software for generating responses, without using spelling or grammar-checking functions for writing tests.
• Let student enter answers directly in test booklet.
• Let student use pointing device to indicate answers.
• Let student dictate responses to proctor or digital or tape recorder.
• Monitor that student is entering answers in proper spaces.

Accommodations in Time Demands or Scheduling

• Reduce length of written assignment, or allow more time.

Accommodations in Special Communication Devices

FCAT

• Let student use computer switch, alternative keyboard, pointing device, or other communication device to indicate answers for a test.
• Use technology such as word processing software, digital voice, tape or digital recorder, or communication device for performance tasks or writing, without using spelling or grammar check.

List of needs and solutions