What does it mean to give a student access to the general curriculum?
• The concept was first conceived in the early 1990’s as a way to include students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Amendments to IDEA in 1997 advanced the concept to mean more than just having the student be present in the classroom. Although IDEA 2004 references the term, it does not provide a clear definition of what it means. • The Access Center, a federally funded project, suggests the following indicators of access, following principles of “Universal Design” and “Backward Design”: • The general education curriculum includes appropriate, standards-based instructional and learning goals for individual students with disabilities, as well as reflects an appropriate scope and sequence. • Materials and media being used are appropriate, research-based, and documented as being effective in helping students with similar disabilities learn general education content and skills. • Appropriate, research-based instructional methods and practices that have a track record for h
