Final answer:
Modifications in assessment procedures remove barriers that can prevent children with disabilities from demonstrating their full potential. These adaptations aim to ensure inclusivity and equity in educational outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Changes in assessment procedures, materials, or settings are crucial modifications to facilitate the demonstration of capabilities by children with disabilities. The goal of these changes is to minimize barriers that prevent these children from showing their full potential. Adjustments might involve allowing extra time for tests, providing tests in alternative formats, or ensuring the testing environment is accessible and distraction-free.
Since the No Child Left Behind Act and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), there has been a strong emphasis on ensuring that students with disabilities are held to the same educational standards as their peers. Accommodations and support are provided to improve educational outcomes and inclusiveness. However, despite these efforts, challenges such as racial, ethnic, and geographical disparities in classification and provided services still remain.
The Nora Project exemplifies initiatives aimed at promoting inclusion, where educators are taught about empathy and inclusion, highlighting disabilities as a form of diversity, and students are encouraged to apply these lessons in real-world contexts. Despite notable advancements and a national graduation rate for students with disabilities around 73%, disparities persist, particularly for students from lower-income areas or those without adequate support.