Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), any subtype, may experience any of the limitations discussed below.  The degree of limitation will vary among individuals. Not all students with ADHD will need CAMS (compensations accommodations, modifications, strategies) to perform in school and many others may only need a few CAMS. Regardless, each student’s case should be evaluated on an individual basis with an Independent Needs Assessment Protocol done by an Educational Strategist & Consultant or a Special Educational Needs Consultant (SEN).  The following is a sample of possible CAMS for students with ADHD.  Other CAMS solutions may exist so check with an Educational Strategist & Consultant or Special Educational Needs Consultant (SEN) for more information.          

Consider:

1. What limitations the student with ADHD is experiencing?

2. How these limitations affect the student and the student's school performance?

3. What specific activities or tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations?

4. What CAMS are available to

reduce or eliminate these problems?

5. Are all possible resources being used to determine possible CAMS?

6. Has the student with ADHD been consulted regarding possible CAMS?  Does the student know how s/he learns best?

7. Once CAMS are in place, would it be useful to talk with the student and/or team to evaluate the effectiveness of the CAMS and to determine whether additional or different CAMS are needed?

8. Do parents and school staff need training regarding ADHD?

9.  Schedule time to meet with the Educational Strategist & Consultant or Special Educational Needs Consultant (SEN) to determine how to communicate needed CAMS with the school team and how to document.

CAMS:

Speaking/Communicating:

Students with ADHD may have difficulty communicating with peers or staff. For students with ADHD, poor communication may be the result of underdeveloped social skills, lack of experience/exposure in the school environment, shyness, intimidation, behavior disorders, or low self-esteem.

To help facilitate communication, provide advance notice of topics to be discussed in class
To reduce or eliminate anxiety, provide advance notice of date of activities when student is required to speak
Allow student to provide written response in lieu of verbal response
To reduce or eliminate the feeling of intimidation, allow student to have a friend or classmate speak with him

Organizational Skills: A student with ADHD may have difficulty getting organized or staying organized.