Practices You Can Trust in Special Education: Making Research Accessible for Special Educators

Teachers value practices that are supported by research (Buren et al., 2021). However, research often is not shared in a way that helps teachers use these evidence-based practices (EBPs) to meet the needs of students with disabilities (Burns & Ysseldyke, 2009). This has created a pervasive challenge in the field of special education known as the research-to-practice gap. This difference between what teachers value and what they do likely happens because research is not presented in a way that is easy to understand, use, and trust (Carnine, 1995). The purpose of this article is twofold: to present a list of EBPs and other reliable resources that practitioners can use to meet the individual learning goals for students with disabilities and to provide a framework for those who support teachers’ professional learning in implementing these practices.