3 Reasons Why Accommodations Should be Crutches

Have you ever noticed adults start shifting in their chairs when the discussion about accommodations starts? "We don’t want accommodations to become a crutch". But, what is a crutch really?  

1. A Crutch is a Tool

Crutches help support healing and functionality. They are a tool to support a disabling condition, whether that is a short-term condition or a long-term one. Who uses crutches when they don’t need them? Nobody. Using them is painful and cumbersome.

Just like accommodations. It can be painful for a student to need to use accommodations in front of their peers. Even if their peers don't notice, students feel like everyone is watching and wondering what's wrong with them.

Accommodations can also be cumbersome. I remember the first time one of my students didn’t need her calculator anymore for basic facts. I reminded her to get it out and her response was “Why? That’s just extra work.” It took until 8th grade for her to embrace it, but it was well worth the wait!

Who uses accommodations when they don't need them? Nobody.

2. A Crutch is a Need

When a crutch is prescribed there is a reason for that need. There is a muscle, bone, etc.. that is not working properly or needs relief in order to heal. If crutches are not used as prescribed, things might seem to be fine as one toughs it out, but there is a risk of long-term damage. Not using them can cancel out the benefits of treatments.

Accommodations are prescriptions. They are needed to address a disability. Not using them can cancel out the benefits of early intervention and specialized instruction.

Students often struggle to generalize skills from intervention or direct instruction when they move directly from intervention to independence. Of course they do. That big of a transition requires crutches.

3. A Crutch is a Scaffold

Scaffolding for muscles. Muscles don’t heal well if you go directly from injury to independence without support.

Accommodations are scaffolds. The brain is a muscle. Scaffolding for the brain should not be removed until the job is done, not when we think the job should be done.

But, what if students don't use their accommodations?

There is usually a reason someone refuses to use a tool provided for them.

Some of the most common reasons I have experienced include:

• negative perceptions (of self and/or from others)

• not knowing how to properly use the tool

• lack of support for frustration or problem solving

• not seeing that the long-term gain outweighs the temporary inconvenience or discomfort.

Crutches are a tool, and like with any tool, there is a responsibility on the user end. Students need to be willing and able to use a crutch properly.

As adults, we can’t really force students to use their accommodations - just like we can’t always force them to use crutches - but we can make sure we do our jobs: help them find ways to deal with the frustration; establish an environment where it is acceptable to use support (a more positive word than crutches) when we need to.