Classroom Variables and Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Disabilities

This study investigated the degree to which students with intellectual and developmental disabilities have access to the general education curriculum and the degree to which such access is related to and predicted by classroom setting and ecological variables. We observed 19 students during science or social studies instruction and collected data with Access CISSAR, a computer-based observation system that uses time sampling observation. The results of the study indicated that accommodations and modifications were provided depending on the amount of time students were educated with their nondisabled peers. Further, one-on-one or independent instructional groupings were better predictors of access than whole-group instruction, as were entire or divided group physical arrangements.