Federal laws mandate that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum and that students' performance levels be assessed relative to high academic standards of achievement. Additionally, federal law requires that students be provided with appropriate education in the least restrictive environment, which may include placement in education in general education settings. While many have interpreted the phrase "access to the general education curriculum" to mean that all students must be educated in general education settings, this is not the case. IEP teams are charged with making decisions for each student regarding the most appropriate educational placement. While placement in the general education classroom may be the preference of lawmakers and many advocates for individuals with disabilities, the requirement for access to general education curriculum is independent of the educational environment in which students are placed.

Given the characteristics of students with the most severe cognitive disabilities, educational program planners are often perplexed when they consider their students' access to the general education curriculum, particularly when students are educated in general education settings. It is typical for educators and parents to ask how instruction can be made meaningful for individual students. The answer lies in the understanding that curriculum, within any class, can be adapted to enable access for a wide range of learners. Adaptations can be made to both the content and the instructional methods that are used to teach the content.

Program planners can be aided by considering each of the following possibilities: