Research and Reality: A Survey of Educators’ Perceptions about Evidence-Based Practices in Inclusive Settings for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

As the world focuses on the acceptance and inclusion of diverse individuals often referring to race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation, this study focuses on the culture and identity of individuals with intellectual disabilities who are educated in an inclusive setting. Although there are currently more students with disabilities who are included in the general education classroom as compared to 20 years ago, the number of students with more severe disabilities, including intellectual disabilities (ID), lag behind those with mild to moderate disabilities. This survey study examined both why and how to best educate students with ID in the American inclusive classroom. This study, including Likert-style and open-ended questions, was administered amongst practicing educators in order to determine their perceptions of the most prominent evidence-based practices (EBPs) related to supporting students with ID. Participants were asked to rate these EBPs in terms of their usefulness and effectiveness in the classroom for students with ID. The results of this study indicate that educators are regularly implementing EBPs, such as visual supports and behavior modifications. Overall, educators feel more confident in their ability to include students with intellectual disabilities in the general education classroom, and share their perspectives about this experience.

Keywords

• evidence-based practices
• inclusion
• intellectual disabilities
• professional development
• co-teaching