Decisions When Adapting General Education
from a presentation by Diane Lea Ryndak, 1999

General Education Curriculum

Includes all of these elements, formal and informal:

• State standards
• Academic content
• Special subject areas
• State and district assessment OR alternate assessments
• Class activities
• Between class activities
• Extracurricular activities
• Gestalt of school life

Purpose of Instruction

• Purpose of instruction IS NOT the same as for a student without disabilities or with mild disabilities - that is , it IS NOT to come up to or maintain grade level
• Purpose of instruction IS to meet individualized goals within the context of general education settings and activities

Questions to ask when adapting general education:
Can the student participate

• just like classmates?
• with environmental adaptations?
• with instructional adaptations?
• with adapted materials?
• but with adapted expectations?

Can the student participate with different goals?
Can the student work on a logical different activity in the room related to IEP goals?
Can the student work on a logical different activity in the building?
Can the student work on a logical community-based activity?

General Education Adaptation Menu

ü Environmental adaptations/modifications
ü Testing adaptations/modifications
üInstructional adaptations/ modifications
ü Adaptations/modifications to materials, use of devices and/or equipment
ü Task adaptations/modification
üContent adaptations/modifications