PLANNING EFFECTIVE INCLUSIVE INSTRUCTION: UTILIZING THREE EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS

iii Due to steady increases in students being diagnosed with disabilities, schools have transitioned to becoming more inclusive. As a result, children with disabilities are receiving more instruction within the general education setting as to comply with federal mandates such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB). For that reason, there is a high demand for teachers to both demonstrate and obtain knowledge pertaining to evidence-based intervention strategies and methodologies in order to instruct these disabled students alongside their non-disabled peers. Current research reveals that in-service teachers possess insufficient training and a lack of familiarity with effective evidence based practices that can be utilized in an inclusive setting. Teachers cannot utilize instructional practices they do not know, students cannot benefit from educational practices they do not experience, and schools have not developed a system in which all teachers learn to make good use of evidence-based practices that enhance the quality of education for all students. Therefore the purpose of this professional development project is to provide teachers with knowledge an