Exceptional Children Vol. 74. No. I. pp. 101-120. ©2007 CouncilfarExceptioml Children. Classroom Variables and Access to the General Curriculum for Students With Disabilities JANE H. SOUKUP MICHAEL L. WEHMEYER SUSAN M. BASHINSKI Uriii'crstty of Kansas JAMES A. BOVAIRD University of Nebraska-Lincoln ABSTRACT: r: This study investigated the degree to which students with intellectual and developmen- tal disahilities have access to the general education curriculum and the degree to which such access is related to and predicted by classroom setting and ecological variables. We observed 19 students during science or social studies instruction and collected data with Access CISSAR, a computer- based observation system that uses time sampling observation. The results of the study indicated that accommodations and modifications were provided depending on the amount of time students were educated with their nondisabled peers. Further, one-on-one or independent instructional grouping were better predictors of access than whole-group instruction, as were entire or divided group physical arrangements. T he 1997 amendments to the In- dividuals With Disabilities Edu- cation Act included language requiring the individualized edu- cation program (IEP) of any stu- dent receiving special education services to describe how the student would be involved with and progress in the general curriculum. The 2004 IDEA amendments (Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act, IDEA, 2004) main- tained and extended these "access to the general education curriculum" mandates. In general, IDEA requires that the IEPs of all students re- ceiving special education services—including scu- dents with severe disabilities—identify specific accommodations and curriculum modifications to ensure student involvement with and progress in the general education curriculum. To date, there is little information about the degree to which accommodations and curriculum modifications are provided to students with se- vere disabilities or about teacher, student, and classroom ecological variables that may con- tribute to gteater access for this population. Al- though several models conceptualize how to promote access to the general education curricu- lum for students with disabilities (see Nolet & McLaughlin, 2000), only a few (Dymond & Exceptional Childrm 1O1