A Four-Step Process for Accessing the General Curriculum for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Individual Education Plan Goals and Services for Adolescents With Autism: Impact of Age and Educational Setting

“…Despite these legal mandates, teachers struggle with how to provide access to the general education curriculum for students with significant disabilities such as autism (Clayton, Burdge, Denham, Klienert, & Kearns, 2006). Many teachers believe that establishing connections to the general education curriculum is less important for students with significant disabilities, such as autism, than for students with more mild disabilities, such as Attention Deficit Disorder, resulting in instruction based on content outside of general education standards for students with significant disabilities (Lee, Amos, Gragoudas, Lee, Shogren, Theoharis, & Wehmeyer, 2006).…”

Academic or Functional Life Skills? Using Behaviors Associated with Happiness to Guide Instruction for Students with Profound/Multiple Disabilities

“…However, with the heightened emphasis on increasing access for students with PMD to the general education curriculum, the notion of teaching these students academic skills (e.g., preliteracy and prenumeracy) has received increased attention [16][17][18][19]. Reasons for this attention include improving adult competence, increasing educator's expectations, and providing comprehensive instruction [20][21][22].…”

“…Regrettably, there have been relatively few research studies conducted in the area of academic benefit for students with PMD. Historically, studies have addressed access to general education [14,17,20,23], developing self-determination [24][25][26], improving communication [27], improving functional life skills [4,15], and enhancing independent functioning [12]. Another intriguing area of recent study focusing upon this unique population of individuals has emerged.…”

“…Therefore, quality of life measures for individuals with PMD have become an important factor to consider when educating this population. Focusing on and enhancing the strengths and capabilities of these individuals may afford them greater opportunities for meaningful participation, community inclusion, and positive educational outcomes [6,20].…”

Meeting the Common Core State Standards for Students with Autism

“…All educators who work with students with disabilities need to consider specifically how the students' disabilities affect the students' involvement and progress in the general curriculum. Scholarly articles have furnished some guidance on the support and accommodations needed for specific populations of students with disabilities, such as students with significant cognitive disabilities (Clayton, Burdge, Denham, Kleinert, & Kearns, 2006) and visual impairments (Lohmeier, 2009). This article expands the knowledge base by exploring the particular challenges that the CCSS English Language Arts standards will present to students on the autism spectrum, given the nature of the disability.…”