Inclusive Learning: A Synthesis of 20+ years of Research on the Education and Wellbeing Impacts of Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and School Books

Oct 15, 2026

Inclusive Learning synthesizes more than 20 years of research on how inclusive curriculum, instruction, and school books affect students’ education outcomes and wellbeing. The brief positions inclusive learning as an education-justice priority and grounds its analysis in evidence informed by education programs and public policy work. It also includes land acknowledgment and guidance for engaging digital land practices, emphasizing accountability to Indigenous sovereignty and dismantling ongoing settler-colonial impacts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages46

Reading Time1 h 56 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Systems Shaping What Students Learn

Understanding the Current Landscape

Synthesis of Research

Research Brief Inclusive Learning: A Synthesis of 20+ years of Research on the Education and Wellbeing Impacts of Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and School Books [glsen.org/research](glsen.org/research) Research Team Bonnie Washick, Ph. D., Policy Research Manager, GLSEN Shweta Moorthy, Ph. D., Director of Research and Best Practices, GLSEN Yu-Chi Wang, Ph. D., School Climate Research Manager, GLSEN Project Team GLSEN Education Programs GLSEN Public Policy GLSEN Community Mobilization Acknowledgements This Issue Brief was shaped and strengthened by the input of several individuals working in schools, communities, and organizations to advance educational justice. Special thanks to the Center for Native American Youth; the Hispanic Federation; UnidosUS; Alissa Bey, PhD; Kory Geller, GLSEN Mid-Hudson Chapter; and TJ Mitchell, H.S. Librarian, TX for their thoughtful review and feedback on earlier versions. Thanks to the Movement Advancement Project for state policy data that supported the analyses in this brief. Report Design Carrie Chatterson Studio When referencing this document, we recommend the following citation: GLSEN (2024). Inclusive Learning: A Synthesis of 20+ years of Research on the Education and Wellbeing Impacts of Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and School Books. New York: GLSEN. © GLSEN 2024 First published in the United States of America in 2024 By GLSEN Some rights reserved. This report may be copied or redistributed in any format with full attribution to the copyright holder. No alteration may be made to the content of this material. This material may not be used for commercial purposes. All images in this report have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by the producer, publisher or printer for any infringement of copyright, or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT1 Especially in the past three years, most of our activities are virtual and digital. We want to take a moment to consider the legacy of colonization embedded within the technology, structures, and ways of thinking we use every day. In Turtle Island, much of this infrastructure sits on stolen land acquired under the extractive logic of white settler expansion. Weare using equipment and high-speed internet, not available in many Indigenous communities. The technologies we use leave significant carbon footprints, contributing to changing climates that disproportionately affect Indigenous people worldwide. As an organization, we recognize this history and uplift the sovereignty of Indigenous people, data, and territory. We commit, beyond symbolic rhetoric, to dismantling all ongoing settler-colonial practices and their material implications on our digital worlds. [Our website](Our website www.glsen.org)[ www.glsen.org](Our website www.glsen.org) runs on servers located on Turtle Island. To learn whose land you are on visit [https://native-land.ca/](https://native-land.ca/. We)[. We](https://native-land.ca/. We) invite you to read this poem out loud to yourself and to your community. A Digital Land Acknowledgement • Existing As a Settler On Unceded Land: A Guide • By Dierdre Lee Step one Read this poem aloud Ideally outside in the sun So the trees & the wind can listen in If this makes you roll your eyes Stop Go away Have a nap Try again Step two Learn what “unceded” means Understand that this is just the beginning Step three Be present with feelings of being uncomfortable or embarrassed You could probably use the practice realizing these feelings are not life-threatening Step four Locate yourself Specifically Geographically Time for Q&A Time to know Time to say Whose traditional territory do you live & breathe & work & love upon? Who was here for thousa

FAQs

What does Inclusive Learning focus on?

It synthesizes 20+ years of research on the education and wellbeing impacts of inclusive curriculum, instruction, and school books.

Who are the research and project teams behind the brief?

The brief lists Bonnie Washick and Shweta Moorthy, along with Yu-Chi Wang, and names GLSEN education programs, public policy, and community mobilization as project teams.

What is the purpose of the land acknowledgement included in the document?

It recognizes colonization’s legacy embedded in technology and digital practices, affirms Indigenous sovereignty, and commits to dismantling ongoing settler-colonial practices and their material implications.

Oct 15, 2026

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