The purpose of the proposed quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine if students who were taught in the inclusive setting yielded higher standardized test scores compared to students who were taught in the resource setting. The researcher analyzed the standardized test scores, in the areas of Language Arts, Reading, and Mathematics of middle school special education students with Specific Learning Disabilities, Emotional Behavior Disorders, and Mild Intellectual Disabilities in the inclusive and resource settings to discover which group of students yielded higher percentage gains. The achievement test scores of the students were measured using data from the state of Georgia's Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The population of the study was special education students classified as having a Specific Learning Disability, Emotional Behavior Disorder, or Mild Intellectual Disability that attended middle school in Atlanta Public Schools. The results of this study confirmed previous evidence that inclusion appeared to be more effective for students with various types of disabilities than the resource setting. Students who were assigned to the inclusion setting did significantly better than students who were assigned to the resource settings in the three academic subjects (Math, Language Arts, and Reading) examined in the study. ANOVA results indicated that the difference in CRCT Mathematics raw scores due to class setting was statistically significant, having a p-value of 0.01, thus rejecting the null hypothesis. Language Arts results indicated a significant difference as well with a very large effect size of partial eta[superscript 2] = 0.17 and a p-value of 0.002. Although there was a statistically significant difference in Reading due to class setting, p = 0.005, there was also a statistically significant difference due to disability type. Specifically, students diagnosed with Emotional Behavior Disorders were significantly better readers than students with Specific Learning Disabilities or Mild Intellectual Disorders. In order to obtain accurate study results and prohibit a large number of limitations, future studies should include special instructions the students may have been given, as well as, the skill level of participants. The knowledge gained about this phenomenon led to a better understanding of the appropriate classroom setting for special education students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]