Abstract
Federal law in the United States requires that students with disabilities be provided a general education curriculum. The present article reviews the context behind the movement of special education from where students should learn to what students should learn, and also reviews published literature about curriculum access and curricula for students with intellectual disabilities. The review revealed that access to the general education curriculum was part of a standards-based reform, and was also an answer to problems occurring when inclusive education was put into practice. Response to intervention (RTI) and curricular modifications are being implemented in the United States in order to enhance the access of students with intellectual disabilities to curricula, and evidence-based instructional strategies are also being implemented in the teaching of functional academics. There should be further discussion of the appropriateness of instruction and assessments based on standards, as well as of whether access to the general education curriculum can be considered to be inclusive education.
