Access to the Core Curriculum

Access to the core curriculum for students with disabilities has been a goal of many practitioners and a focus of much research. The purposes of this study were to describe the ways in which students with significant disabilities accessed the core curriculum and to identify the services and supports necessary for participation in general education classrooms. The experiences of three students with significant disabilities (one elementary, one middle school, and one high school) who had been members of general education classrooms in urban schools for at least 3 years are described. Four themes emerged: (a) individualized, content-specific accommodations and modifications; (b) collaboration among the teaching team; (c) involvement of peers; and (d) a disconnect between the IEP and curriculum and instruction. Implications for instructional design and teacher roles are discussed.