One of the requirements in the IDEA since 1997 is that students with disabilities progress in the general curriculum. This requirement, along with the least restrictive environment requirement...

One of the requirements in the IDEA since 1997 is that students with disabilities

progress in the general curriculum. This requirement, along with the least restrictive

environment requirement mentioned in this chapter (see Chapter 9 for more

information about this topic), encourages schools to educate students with disabilities in

the regular classroom along with students without disabilities to the maximum extent

appropriate. At the same time, the law requires schools to provide students with

disabilities with individualized instruction that meets each student’s unique needs. Is

there a conflict between these provisions? Are there ways that schools can differentiate

instruction for students within the same class to meet everyone’s needs?