Impact of Curriculum Modifications on Access to the General Education Curriculum for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

r: This study investigated whether curriculum modifications predicted student and teacher behaviors related to the general education curriculum and if there were differences in ecolo^cal, student, and teacher variables depending on the presence of such curriculum modifications. The study observed 45 high school students with disabilities during instruction in core content areas. Findings indicated that there were significant differences in student and teacher variables depending on the presence of curriculum modifications. When curriculum modifications were provided, students were engaged in more academic-related responses and fewer competing behaviors and teachers were engaged in fewer classroom management activities. Implications and recommendations fiom these findings are provided pertaining to the importance and implementation of curriculum modifications for students with disabilities in general education setting. E nabling .students to gain access plementary aids and services and special education to and make progress in the services to students with disabilities to promote general education curriculum such outcomes (IDEA 2004, Sec.602[a][19], has become a core requirement I4l4[dl; Sec.602[341[A]). Consequently, research of federal law governing educa-has been conducted evaluating practices intended tional services for students with disabilities. Ihe to promote access to and examining factors related 1997 amendments to the Individuals With Dis-to students' academic progress in the general eduabilities Education Act (IDEA 97), and subse-cation curriculum. Such practices and factors typiquently the 2004 amendments, required schools cally examined include (a) specially designed to institute policies and practices to promote instruction, including modifications to instrucinvolvement with and progress in the general lional practices and curricular materials; (b) stueducacion curriculum, including providing sup-dent and teacher variables hypothesized to be Exceptional Children 2A3

Self-Determination and Choice

“…Shogren et al ( 2012 ) implemented a cluster randomized trial control group study to establish the effi cacy of the SDLMI on student academic and transition goal attainment and access to the general education curriculum for students with intellectual disability and learning disabilities. These fi ndings extended fi ndings from Lee, Wehmeyer, Soukup, and Palmer ( 2010 ), who in a smaller RCT also found that implementation of the SDLMI promoted student access to the general education curriculum.…”

Contextual antecedents of co-teaching efficacy: Their influence on students with disabilities' learning progress, social participation and behaviour improvement

“…In addition, METs' adaptations were of lower quality and clarity than those of SETs and teaching assistants. In addition, Lee, Wehmeyer, Soukup, and Palmer (2010) found that students with disabilities increase their engagement in academic-related responses, while they decrease their competing behaviours, and that teachers perform fewer classroom management activities if curriculum modifications are used. Yet, many research studies in this area report lack of curriculum modifications in co-taught classes for students with disabilities (Antia, 1999;Buckley, 2005;Strogilos et al, 2015).…”

The value of differentiated instruction in the inclusion of students with special needs/ disabilities in mainstream schools

“…Kern and her colleagues (2001) found that when teachers use curricular modifications, students' on-task behavior and work production improved. Similarly, Lee et al (2010) found that when curriculum modifications are used, students with special needs/ disabilities increased their engagement in academic-related responses and decreased their problematic behaviors. The authors also indicated that when curriculum modifications are used, teachers performed fewer classroom management activities.…”

“…At the international level, even though the number of students with SEN in mainstream classrooms has increased, the type and the quality of education they receive remains a contentious issue (Morningstar, Shogren, Lee, & Born, 2015). Several authors have urged for the necessary modifications to increase the quality of education provided to students with SEN through differentiated instruction (King-Sears, 2008;Kurth & Keegan, 2014;Lee, Wehmeyer, Soukup, & Palmer, 2010).…”