“You Want Me to Teach Him to Read?”

Abstract

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has strengthened the intent of providing students with disabilities access to the general education curriculum and school settings. As a result, increasing numbers of students with disabilities are being included in general education classrooms to address both their social and academic needs. General and special education teachers often struggle, however, with the process of adapting content-area lessons to address the needs of all learners in their classrooms. This article describes the accommodations and adaptations that were created for one student, Luke, who had a significant disability, during language arts instruction from the second through fourth grades. Results of a Making Action Plans (MAPS) session are presented, along with the educational matrix that guided the IEP team in making individualized adaptations to promote active participation in classroom activities. These accommodations and adaptations illustrate the attitude and creativity required for successful inclusion of a student with disabilities.