Accommodations for adhd
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Accommodations for ADHD: An Overview of Current Research
Prevalence and Types of Educational Accommodations for ADHD
Educational Accommodations in Schools
Children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) frequently receive educational accommodations to support their learning and testing processes. The most common accommodations include extended time for tests, separate room testing, and read-aloud accommodations1. Despite their prevalence, many of these accommodations lack robust empirical support, with the exception of read-aloud accommodations, which have shown specific benefits for younger students with ADHD in randomized experiments1.
Effectiveness of Accommodations
Research indicates that while accommodations are widely used, their effectiveness is often questionable. For instance, a study comparing interventions and accommodations found that students with ADHD who received interventions (e.g., organization training, self-management) showed better academic engagement and performance than those who received accommodations like extended time or copies of teacher notes2. This suggests that interventions may be more beneficial than accommodations for addressing organizational and attentional challenges in students with ADHD2.
Specific Accommodations and Their Efficacy
Extended Time and Separate Room Testing
Extended time is a commonly recommended accommodation for students with ADHD. However, studies have shown mixed results regarding its effectiveness. One study found that students with more severe ADHD symptoms and executive functioning deficits benefited less from extended time, indicating that this accommodation may not be universally effective10. Similarly, separate room testing, intended to reduce distractions, did not show significant benefits in a controlled study comparing students with and without ADHD3.
Higher Education Accommodations
In higher education, students with ADHD often face challenges in sustaining attention and participating in traditional teaching methods. Accommodations such as exam modifications, tutoring, and online courses are commonly provided. However, the effectiveness of these accommodations varies depending on individual needs and the specific challenges faced by the students4. Additionally, the decision-making process for granting accommodations in higher education often relies heavily on student self-reports, which may not always provide a complete picture of their needs5.
Recommendations for Effective Accommodation Practices
Need for Empirical Evidence
The current body of research highlights a significant gap in empirical evidence supporting many commonly used accommodations for students with ADHD. Health professionals and educators are advised to be cautious in recommending accommodations immediately after diagnosis and should consider evidence-based interventions as a primary approach1. Accommodations should be tailored to individual needs and provided in conjunction with other interventions when necessary1 6.
Role of Clinicians and Disability Professionals
Clinicians assessing students for ADHD should focus on documenting functional limitations and barriers experienced in daily activities, rather than solely on symptom severity. This comprehensive approach can help disability professionals make more informed decisions about appropriate accommodations9. Utilizing adaptive functioning rating scales and gathering multi-informant data can enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of accommodation planning9.
Conclusion
While educational accommodations are a common response to ADHD in academic settings, their effectiveness varies widely. More empirical research is needed to validate the benefits of specific accommodations. In the meantime, a balanced approach that includes both accommodations and evidence-based interventions, tailored to individual needs, is recommended to support students with ADHD effectively.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Systematic Review: Educational Accommodations for Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Educational accommodations for children with ADHD are common but often unsupported by evidence, and should be used alongside evidence-based interventions or after interventions fail.
Systematic ReviewComparison of accommodations and interventions for youth with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial.
Organization training and self-management interventions for adolescents with ADHD are more effective than accommodations for improving organization and maintaining attention during science lessons and independent practice.
RCTSeparate Room Testing Accommodations for Students With and Without ADHD
Separate room accommodations may be beneficial for a subgroup of students with ADHD, but no significant effect was found on overall test performance.
Non-RCTFunctioning and participation problems of students with ADHD in higher education: which reasonable accommodations are effective?
Students with ADHD in higher education face most problems with sustaining and focusing attention, and the effectiveness of reasonable accommodations depends on their specific challenges.
Observational StudyAccommodation decision-making for postsecondary students with ADHD: Implications for neuropsychologists
Neuropsychologists should prioritize students' self-reports and narratives over objective, third-party data when evaluating academic accommodations for college students with ADHD.
Educational Accommodations for Students With Behavioral Challenges
Many educational accommodations for students with behavioral challenges are not effective and there is little evidence supporting their effectiveness.
Systematic Review
Highly CitedA systematic review of actions aimed at university students with ADHD
University students with ADHD can benefit from accommodations, tutoring, and online courses, while cognitive-behavioral therapy, coaching, and mindfulness programs are also useful.
Systematic ReviewAcademic Testing Accommodations for ADHD: Do They Help?
Common academic testing accommodations for ADHD students show little benefit in improving reading and math performance, regardless of co-occurring learning difficulties.
Observational StudyAssessing and Overcoming the Functional Impact of ADHD in College Students: Evidence-Based Disability Determination and Accommodation Decision-Making.
College students with ADHD often experience functional limitations, but clinicians often focus on symptom severity rather than barriers experienced in daily life activities.
Observational StudyADHD Symptoms and Benefit From Extended Time Testing Accommodations
Students with more ADHD symptoms and executive functioning deficits benefit less from extended time testing accommodations, suggesting there may be little justification for considering ADHD symptoms when making extended time accommodation decisions.
Observational Study
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