Evidence-based Practices to Promote Inclusion in Today’s Catholic School

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present inclusionary practices for Catholic education classrooms that emphasize the integration of evidence-based practices (EBPs). These are practices that have been developed to address the needs of all students, particularly learners who are considered at-risk as well as their peers with an identified disability. Over the past two decades, educational reforms and corresponding effective practices have evolved to correspond with the growing expectation that all students should be given the opportunity to participate in the general education experience. Applying the evidence-based practices presented in this article can provide Catholic educators with the needed support and strategies to help ensure the successful inclusion of students with disabilities, if not all students, in Catholic schools. This article will: (a) define evidence-based practices (EBPs) in order to contextualize their use in Catholic schools, and (b) offer an explanation of the various EBPs currently shown to facilitate inclusionwithin the general education environment.