English language learners (ELLs) pose particularly difficult challenges relating to special education referral, assessment and instruction. The purpose of this document is to provide a brief synthesis of the research on and information about ELLs with disabilities. The document is intended to provide state- and local-level policy makers with research-based information that is important for decision-making related to this population. Based on discussions with a number of experts in the field, resources were selected that represent the most recent work in this area. It is important to note, however, that because there is such limited research validating educational methods for ELLS with disabilities, current best practices are often based on research that examined educational methods for ELLs "without" disabilities. Whenever possible, this document identifies the specific group of students to which findings refer. Furthermore, experts in the field do not always agree on best practices, and positions represented in this synthesis brief, based on the source documents listed, do not necessarily capture the full range of expert opinions. Project FORUM at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) produced this document as part of its Cooperative Agreement with the Office for Special Education Programs (OSEP). This document is organized into the following sections: (1) background; (2) prevention of school failure; (3) early intervention; (4) assessment and identification; (5) instructional principles; (6) partnering with parents; (7) policy recommendations generated by Project FORUM; and (8) concluding remarks. A bibliography is included. (Contains 2 footnotes.)