Exceptional Learners
Federal law requires school districts to develop and carry out Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans for students who reside in their districts. Students who enroll at North Dakota Center for Distance Education (NDCDE), either individually or via their home school district, are required to provide information to NDCDE that includes assignments of IEPs and 504 Plans.
NDCDE applies two methods to assure students assigned IEPs and 504 Plans are identified:
- NDCDE’s enrollment form asks the enrollee (student, parent or school personnel) to indicate the applicable Plan(s).
- NDCDE conducts an initial assessment of each student. The initial assessment identifies many factors that impact student learning, including IEPs and 504 Plans.
Once identified, NDCDE’s administrative staff is assigned to acquire documented details of a student’s Plan(s). Once obtained, the information is provided to the assigned instructor. Based on the information provided, NDCDE instructors determine how the accommodations and/or modifications assigned to the student can be supported within NDCDE’s digital environment. The determinations are shared with the student, and as appropriate and applicable, with the education professional assigned to the IEP or 504 Plan(s). NDCDE instructors are given the authority to communicate directly with the assigned professionals for ongoing consultation.
NDCDE teachers are not expected to attend any real-time IEP/504 meetings. Our teachers can be asked to provide brief written summaries directly related to the student's progress on elements outlined in the student's provided IEP/504 Plan documents that were provided to NDCDE. Such requests should be submitted directly to a student's teacher.
For further information, please contact our School Counselor Jocelyn Kolle at 701-630-1885 or by using our Contact NDCDE Staff Form.
NDCDE Accommodations
This is not a comprehensive list of possible accommodations. Please contact Assistant Principal Nicole Matchett Wagner with questions regarding accommodations not listed on this document at 701-361-2736 or by using our Contact NDCDE Staff Form.
Time
Time modifications are typically unnecessary with online learning at NDCDE because we do not have hard “due dates”. A student can work at his/her own pace within a specified time frame set by NDCDE or the School Districts – up to 20 weeks.
Fewer Multiple Choice Options On Quizzes/Exams
Our system can adjust the number of choices given to a student based on the IEP/504 recommendations (down to 2 choices)
Timed Exams
Exams have a time limit of 2 hours and must be taken in one sitting. Time limits can be removed or teachers can provide printed copies of an exam.
Print Exams
Teachers can provide print copies of exams to students.
Use of Notes
If written on the accommodation document, NDCDE teachers will allow use of notes on exams – quizzes are not password protected and therefore all students are encouraged to use notes/refer to the reading on each quiz.
Study Guides
If requested, a teacher can provide study guides for exams if not already embedded in the course.
Text To Speech
Some courses have embedded text-to-speech. If there is no embedded tool the school district and/or student uses their own software, the google extension SpeakIt is a good free tool.
Use of Calculator
If written in the accommodations document teachers will allow the use of a calculator.
Fewer Exam Questions
For this option teachers will print off exams so they can cross off the questions the student does not need to answer. The points will be adjusted to account for fewer questions and the score input into the LMS will reflect the % on the print exam. Ex: student earned 18/20 on the print exam (90%) the LMS will show a score of 22.2/25 (to reflect same 90%)
Audio Books
Students who struggle with reading may use audio books if they are available. These would need to be obtained online, through a nook/kindle/apple service, or from their local library.
Retries Of Non-Password Protected Assignments
Teachers may allow students to retry an assignment if the student did poorly or if he/she is missing a component.
Re-Grading Of Missed Exam Questions For Partial Credit
This can be done but may require the student to take the exams in print form as the online exams may automatically provide correct answers.