Ability grouping is a common practice that has been used since the 1920s. Despite the opposition to its unfairness and the decline in its use, data collected by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP 2017) shows a resurgence of the practice. This paper aims to pull from the research those findings explicitly addressing the academic gains, and the social and emotional effects of ability grouping on students with disabilities placed in an inclusive setting. The results of research suggest that students with disabilities are not making significant academic gains when compared to the gains of their non-disabled peers. The research also indicates that there are minimal positive gains in social development for students with disabilities. Despite these gains, the data shows students with disabilities are still delayed in this area when compared to their same-grade, same-aged peers. The research offers limited data on the emotional development of students with disabilities. For students with an identification of Emotional Disturbance, there is no measurable growth; however, there is an implication of a decline in behavior. For those with other social-emotional classifications, there is limited available research to determine an impact. The implications of the research suggest taking a closer look at ability grouping and its use for students with disabilities. Future research should include examining special education law-specifically Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and how public schools are placing students with disabilities