ABSTRACT
Researchers have conducted studies examining the efficacy of inclusion for nearly a century. Evidence-based reforms in special education have emphasized the important role of research evidence when making educational decisions for students with disabilities. In this chapter, we examine the research base of inclusion to determine whether and how special education stakeholders might use research findings to inform their thinking about inclusion. We identified and reviewed 50 of the most-cited research studies published in special education journals. Findings of these studies are mixed and equivocal across the research base, and studies are generally not designed to establish whether inclusion causes improved student outcomes. Based on the limitations of the research base, we recommend that educators adopt an evidence-informed, rather than an evidence-based, perspective when using research on inclusion to inform practical decision making.
