Effects of Asynchronous Professional Development for Religious Leaders on Knowledge and Confidence Implementing Inclusive Language and Learning

Youth with disabilities are overall less engaged in extracurricular, community, and social activities than their peers without disabilities. Across diagnoses, youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (e.g., autism, intellectual disability) are less likely to participate in extracurricular or social activities compared to peers with other disabilities (e.g., learning disability; Lipscomb et al., 2017). Religious congregations may be one of the most prominent resources in rural and underrepresented communities (Institute for Emerging Issues, 2018; Pargament, 1998) and can be an important resource for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families (Carter, 2021; Liu et al., 2014). However, leaders of religious congregations (e.g., clergy; religious education directors) may not know how to support and include these youth in their congregation (Stewart-Ginsburg et al., 2020). This study measured the effects of asynchronous professional development on religious leaders’ knowledge and confidence implementing inclusive language and inclusive learning to support youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sixty leaders participated in a mixed method study featuring a randomized control trial paired with concurrent qualitative questionnaires. Results indicated the asynchronous professional development was effective in improving religious leaders’ knowledge of and confidence in implementing inclusive language and inclusive learning in their religious congregations. Further, the professional development helped religious leaders identify opportunities, barriers, and drivers to implementing inclusive language and learning within their congregations. Limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for policy and practice will be discussed.