What are curricular adaptations?

The California positive behavior initiative Positive Environments, Networks of Trainers (PENT)
defines curricular adaptations as “changes permissible in educational environments which allow the
student equal opportunity to obtain access, results, benefits, and levels of achievement.” Simply
put, curricular adaptations allow students with disabilities to participate in inclusive
environments by compensating for learners’ weaknesses.

Accommodations accomplish this objective without modifying the curriculum. As PENT explains, “Some
curricular adaptations do not fundamentally alter or lower standards or expectations in either the
instructional or assessment phases of a course of study and can be designated as ‘accommodations’.”
In other words, students receiving accommodations read the same material and take the same tests as
their peers without disabilities.

In contrast, modifications refer to curricular adaptations which change or lower expectations or
standards. For instance, say an English course requires reading “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”
Students who struggle with reading could instead read the simplified version published by Great
Illustrated Classics. This allows for participation in classroom discussions but lowers reading
level expectations.

Source:

https://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/inclusion/adaptations-accommodations-and-modificatio
ns/