Academics and the Curriculum in Inclusive Classrooms: An Example of Historical Thinking

Both broad and discipline-specific curriculum standards have shifted from a focus on learning discrete content material to a broader understanding of the processes used by disciplinary experts. Using the example of historical thinking in history/social studies, we discuss how this shift may impact students with disabilities and their participation in the general education curriculum and classroom. Specific examples of what close reading and sourcing look like in the classroom and how researchers in special education have addressed them are provided. We conclude with how this shift in thinking about process over the regurgitation of facts may be both advantageous and overwhelming to students with disabilities and their teachers.