Inclusive Instruction for Students Receiving Special Education Services for Emotional Disturbance: A Conceptual Replication of Classroom Practice

Schools may rely on placement in general education, or inclusion, to improve the school outcomes of students receiving services for Emotional Disturbance. However, inclusion does not guarantee student access to effective instruction and specialized supports. In this conceptual replication study, we sought to identify predictors of educator self-reported knowledge, use, and perceived effectiveness of classroom-based inclusive practices for students receiving services for Emotional Disturbance. In the fall of 2023, an electronic survey and a multistep recruitment procedure were used to collect data from 173 educators in the United States who provided inclusive instruction and/or support to at least one student receiving special education services for Emotional Disturbance in the past year. Similar to trends in replication research, fewer statistically significant differences were found between general and special educators, with weaker effects found. Special educators in the current study also had statistically significant lower perceptions of differentiation and classroom management practice effectiveness. Study findings suggest the importance of educator experience and contingencies for educator and student support (e.g., contextual factors) to the provision of inclusive instruction for this student population. Study limitations, areas for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.