We often hear the terms “best practice” and “evidence-based practice” used in relation to programs or policies – but what do those terms that mean? How do we know if a practice is promising or evidence-based?

A recent article, published in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, offered perspectives on strategies to gather and evaluate evidence as well as guidelines to establish evidence-based practice.

Through a collaboration with AAIDD, The Arc partnered with the lead author, Dr. Robert Schalock, to develop a brief to educate individuals, families, and practitioners on these concepts in hopes of bridging the gap between research and practice.