Work accommodations students can ask for

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Work accommodations change how a student does a job, not what the job requires: written task lists, a quieter station, scheduled check-ins, noise-reducing headphones or adapted tools. In the IEP, write each one with what it is, when it applies, how much and who provides it. Then teach the student to request the same supports from an employer after high school.

Students with IEPs often do work-based learning before they leave school: a school store, a job rotation, an internship, a paid placement. The IEP's accommodations cover those settings when they are part of the student's program.^[1] The bigger aim is that the student leaves knowing which supports help them and how to ask for them. After high school, the IEP does not follow the student to a job. Employment law, not special education law, governs workplace accommodations, and the student usually has to make the request. The Job Accommodation Network gives free, confidential guidance on workplace accommodations for workers and employers.^[4]

Below are 20 work accommodations written the way they should read in an IEP, each checked as an accommodation or a modification, with its effect on how work-based learning is evaluated. Students and details are fictional. For the general rule, see accommodations vs modifications. For the transition plan, see transition planning in the IEP.

How to write a work accommodation in the IEP

Each entry should answer four questions:

What the support is, named specifically.
When it applies: which tasks, settings or times.
How much: frequency, length or amount.
Who provides it: job coach, supervisor, teacher or the student.

Weak: "Job supports as needed."

Better: "Written task list for each shift, with no more than 6 tasks, provided by the job coach at clock-in for all work-based learning placements."

The accommodation or modification check

An accommodation leaves the job's essential tasks and standards the same. A modification changes them: fewer tasks, a lower standard or a different job. Both can be right for a student. They have different effects. In school, a modification may change how the placement is graded or credited. At a real job, a modified job usually means a customized or supported job that the employer, the student and often an agency arrange on purpose.

20 work accommodations, written for the IEP

Instructions and memory

IEP wording	Type	Effect on job evaluation
1. Written or picture task list for each shift, up to 6 tasks, given by the job coach at clock-in.	Accommodation	None; same tasks and standards
2. New tasks demonstrated once, then performed by the student with the trainer watching, before working alone.	Accommodation	None
3. Photo model of the finished product posted at the station for all assembly and stocking tasks.	Accommodation	None
4. Multi-step directions given in writing or by text message when more than 2 steps.	Accommodation	None
5. Task app on the student's phone with step prompts for routines longer than 5 steps.	Accommodation	None

Time and schedule

IEP wording	Type	Effect on job evaluation
6. Fixed shift times each week, posted 7 days ahead, at school-based placements.	Accommodation	None
7. A 5-minute break after each 60 minutes of work, in a set location, in addition to standard breaks.	Accommodation	None if output standard is met over the shift
8. Advance notice of schedule or task changes at least 1 day ahead where possible.	Accommodation	None
9. Shorter shifts (2 hours) during the first 4 weeks, building to 4 hours.	Accommodation during training; a modification if hours stay reduced	Hours credited as worked; note if hours fall short of course requirement

Environment and sensory

IEP wording	Type	Effect on job evaluation
10. Work station away from the main customer area or loud equipment when the task allows.	Accommodation	None
11. Noise-reducing headphones or earplugs during tasks where safety allows.	Accommodation	None
12. Use of a quiet space for up to 5 minutes when overwhelmed, after telling the supervisor.	Accommodation	None

Communication and supervision

IEP wording	Type	Effect on job evaluation
13. A 5-minute check-in with the supervisor at the start and end of each shift for the first 6 weeks.	Accommodation	None
14. Feedback given privately, in specific terms, with one thing to change.	Accommodation	None
15. A named coworker the student can ask for help when the job coach is away.	Accommodation	None
16. Use of the student's speech-generating device or text app to communicate with supervisors and customers.	Accommodation	None
17. Job coach on site for full shifts in weeks 1 to 4, then faded to check-ins by week 10.	Accommodation	None; record support level in progress data

Physical and tools

IEP wording	Type	Effect on job evaluation
18. Adapted tools (jig, larger-grip scanner, stool) for tasks the OT has assessed.	Accommodation	None
19. Talking calculator or counting jig for cash or inventory tasks.	Accommodation	None
20. Job carved to 4 of the 7 standard tasks, with a lower production target of 70% of the store standard.	Modification	Placement graded on the carved job; note on transcript or certificate per district rules

Item 20 is the only modification here. It can be the right choice, and supported employment often uses job carving. Write it as a modification and explain the effect to the family, so nobody assumes the student is meeting the full job standard.

Teaching the student to ask

An accommodation the student cannot name will not be requested after school. Build one or two goals for this:

Name own accommodations. "Given a job description, the student will name 3 accommodations they would need and why, with 3 of 3 accurate on 2 probes." Template: name accommodations for a job or training.
Request one. "In role play and then at a placement, the student will request an accommodation from a supervisor using a 3-part script (need, request, benefit), in 3 of 4 opportunities." Template: request a workplace accommodation from a supervisor.
Decide about disclosure. Whether to tell an employer about a disability is the student's choice. Template: decide whether to disclose a disability at work.

A sample script: "I work best with a written list of my tasks. Could I get one at the start of each shift? It helps me finish everything without asking you each time."

Where to record what worked

Track which accommodations the student actually used and whether they helped. The accommodation tracking sheet is set up for this. At exit, the list of supports that worked belongs in the summary of performance, so the student and any adult agency start with evidence.

For a full list of school accommodations, see the list of IEP accommodations, high school accommodations and assistive technology accommodations. For skill goals at the job, see soft skills IEP goals and workplace safety lessons.

The OSERS transition guide notes that the rights and responsibilities around disability supports change after high school and that students need to be ready to advocate for themselves.^[2]

Frequently asked questions

Do IEP accommodations carry over to a job after high school?

No. The IEP ends when the student leaves school. At a job, the student usually has to ask the employer for accommodations, and employment law, not special education law, applies. That is why the IEP should teach the student to name and request the supports that work.

What are common workplace accommodations for students with disabilities?

Written or picture task lists, demonstrations of new tasks, photo models, fixed schedules, advance notice of changes, a quieter work station, noise-reducing headphones, scheduled check-ins with a supervisor, adapted tools and job coach support that fades over time.

Is job carving an accommodation or a modification?

A modification. It changes which tasks the job includes, and often the production standard. It can be the right fit, especially in supported employment, but it should be written as a modification and its effect explained to the family.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities (August 2020), U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Effective Practices, NTACT:C
Job Accommodation Network, Job Accommodation Network (U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy)

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.