Making Progress in the General Curriculum: Rethinking Effective Instructional Practices

Research strongly supports including students with extensive support needs in general education settings and providing them access to the general curriculum. Yet, there is limited research indicating how to provide them authentic access to this curriculum. This article explores several instructional approaches to provide access including (a) use of existing general education practices with students with extensive support needs (e.g., inquiry learning), (b) use of evidence-based practices associated with special education settings (e.g., embedded instruction), and (c) use of a response to intervention framework to improve instruction within the general curriculum.