CHAPTER 27 Interventions for Students With Reading Comprehension Problems Scott Baker and Russell Gersten Eugene Research Institute/ University of Oregon Bonnie Grossen University of Oregon INTRODUCTION An alarmingly high number of students go through school without learning to comprehend what they read beyond a very rudimentary level (National Reading Panel, 2000; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The current version of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ensures access to “the general curriculum” for students with disabilities. Because so much of what students are able to access from the general cur- riculum depends on their ability to read and understand grade level textbooks, devel- opment of comprehension strategies is essential in order for them to adequately access the curriculum. Besides students with disabilities, however, there are also large numbers of students without disabilities who have serious reading comprehension problems. It is possible to reduce the reading demands on some students by modifying or adapting reading materials, that is, making the content more accessible. There is a sub- stantial body of research evaluating the effects of text adaptation or modification for stu- dents with learning disabilities (for those interested in this body of literature, see Higgins, Boone, & Louitt, this volume, and Gersten, Fuchs, Williams, & Baker, in press). There are at least two limitations of reducing or modifying reading expectations as an overall approach to fundamentally address problems associated with reading com- prehension difficulties. First, it conflicts with current reform efforts stipulating that all students should be held accountable for high learning standards, including the ability to read a variety of texts with comprehension. If the reading portion of the curriculum is “watered down,” or extensively modified for some students, then the idea of uni- versal high standards would seem to be compromised. 731