The averaging method is one of the most used tools to study dynamical systems. With the development of the theory of differential inclusions, a respective generalization of the averaging method followed the steps outlined in the theory of differential equations. Presently, it has been successfully applied to a wide range of problems involving differential inclusions, simplifying the study of the systems under consideration. In this work, the main development trends and methods in the application of the averaging method to the study of stability and optimality of solutions to differential inclusions are surveyed. A detailed list of references is given and some examples of applications are presented.