What is a potential consequence of not providing appropriate accommodations during assessments?

Providing appropriate accommodations during assessments is crucial to ensuring that all students, especially those with special needs, have an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. When accommodations are not given, students may face barriers that impede their ability to perform to the best of their capabilities. This can result in an inaccurate representation of their true abilities, skills, and understanding of the material being assessed.

An unfair evaluation can manifest in several ways. For instance, a student with dyslexia may struggle with reading assessments without appropriate accommodations, which could lead to a score that does not reflect their actual understanding of the content. Similarly, students who require additional time or a specific testing environment may perform poorly if these accommodations are denied.

Overall, failing to provide necessary accommodations essentially creates an imbalance in the evaluation process, impacting the validity of the results and potentially affecting educational planning and interventions for the student. This underscores the importance of individualized assessments tailored to meet the needs of every learner.