ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview the state of the field with regard to promoting access to the general education curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) or, generally, students receiving alternate assessment. Some of the initial actions to ensure access to the general education curriculum for students with SCD occur at the State Department of Education or local school district administration level. Many schools use a curriculum mapping process to find gaps or repetition in the curriculum content and to be sure they are teaching all parts of the curriculum framework, performance objectives, and other standards in the appropriate grade/course. An important component of most models to promote student access involves the application of principles of Universal Design for Learning in the education of all students. Spooner et al. identified a few approaches to promoting the access of students with SCD that illustrate the types of instructional strategies that should or could promote access and progress.
