What are modifications?
A modification indicates a change in the content and in the learning expectations. The student is expected to learn something different than the general education standard. For example, the instructional level, general education benchmarks, or number of key concepts to be mastered may be changed.
Here are some examples of modifications:

A while ago I attended a lecture by Dan Habib, photojournalist and producer of the film Including Samuel (https://www.includingsamuel.com/).  He began his lecture with this question, “Why do we continue to segregate students with disabilities?"  Dan noted that, despite research findings that inclusion benefits students both with and without disabilities, we continue to segregate students with disabilities in many of our districts. In addition to being a film producer, Dan is the father of a sixteen year old boy who has cerebral palsy and learning challenges; his son will be graduating high school in a few years with a regular high school diploma.

Staring at the snow falling outside my living room window, it’s difficult to believe we will be starting the annual review process next month in some of our districts.  Whether we are planning next year’s program for a preschooler or an eighteen year old, we need to always remember that our job as special educators is to develop quality IEPs that will make a difference in the lives of our students. In developing IEPs we need to be able to describe student’s unique needs and the specially designed instruction and services that will help the student be as successful as possible.