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Current Practices in Alternate Assessment and Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Severe Disabilities in the United States of America

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Diane M. Browder ,
Fred Spooner  and
Mary Anna Bingham
Diane M. Browder
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina Charlotte, USA
Fred Spooner
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina Charlotte, USA
Mary Anna Bingham
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina Charlotte, USA
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Abstract

Alternate assessment and access to the general curriculum are the focus of much attention today for professionals and practitioners who provide services to students who have severe disabilities. Current legislation in the United States requires states to include students with severe disabilities in state‐wide assessments. The rationale is to require schools to be accountable for the progress of all students. Including students with severe disabilities in school accountability systems has created the need to rethink curriculum for this population and develop alternate assessments. In recent decades educators have focused on functional curriculum for students with severe disabilities, but recent federal legislation in the United States called No Child Left Behind requires schools to collect data on the yearly progress in academic content areas. Educators are focusing on ways to define alternate achievement standards for reading and mathematics for students with severe disabilities. States have developed a variety of formats for alternate assessments to be used for students who cannot participate in large scale assessments with accommodations. This article describes: (a) how the move towards including all students in school accountability is impacting curriculum for students with severe disabilities, (b) the decisions states must make in developing alternate assessments, and (c) recommendations for future practice and research.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , January 2004 , pp. 17 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 2004

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