Intervention in School and Clinic: Evidence-Based Practice in Special Education

Efforts are currently underway to determine evidence-based practices in the field of special education. Evidence-based practices are instructional procedures that are supported by research that meet rigorous standards related to methodological quality, research design, and effect size. However, the identification of evidence-based practices will do little good if they are not utilized in practice. For special education teachers and teacher-educators to utilize evidence-based practices in their work, they must understand and trust the process by which practices are identified as evidence-based. Furthermore, special educators should understand that evidence-based practices will not obviate the need for good teaching, but instead work in concert with effective teaching to produce improved student outcomes

In November 2008, a special issue of Intervention in School and Clinic was devoted to explaining how different research designs are used to determine evidence-based practices and how evidence-based practices will be used in special education in an accessible, non-technical format. The Hammill Institute on Disabilities and Sage have graciously agreed to provide DR members with access to these articles using the links below from March 1, 2010 until May 31, 2010.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 67-68.
Bryan G. Cook, Timothy J. Landrum, Lysandra Cook, and Melody Tankersley
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/67?ijkey=I3iKzwjRxSqDk&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc
 
Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education: Some Practical Considerations
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 69-75.
Bryan G. Cook, Melody Tankersley, Lysandra Cook, and Timothy J. Landrum
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/69?ijkey=RZvYY/eWn.YWY&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc
 
Examining the Role of Group Experimental Research in Establishing Evidenced-Based Practices
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 76-82.
Lysandra Cook, Bryan G. Cook, Timothy J. Landrum, and Melody Tankersley
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/76?ijkey=xaSlAb4fZSNwo&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc
 
Using Single-Subject Research to Establish the Evidence Base of Special Education
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 83-90.
Melody Tankersley, Sanna Harjusola-Webb, and Timothy J. Landrum
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/83?ijkey=Ma3qkT16PJBvk&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc
 
The Contributions of Qualitative Research to Discussions of Evidence-Based Practice in Special Education
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 91-97.
Kimberly A. McDuffie and Thomas E. Scruggs
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/91?ijkey=3Bo8jEfCQbEOo&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc
 
Nonexperimental Quantitative Research and Its Role in Guiding Instruction
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 98-104.
Bryan G. Cook and Lysandra Cook
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/98?ijkey=sB8Ap70.YB5nQ&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc
 
Evidence-Based Special Education and Professional Wisdom: Putting It All Together
Intervention in School and Clinic 2008 44: 105-111.
Bryan G. Cook, Melody Tankersley, and Sanna Harjusola-Webb
http://isc.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/44/2/105?ijkey=IIAXcRt63qi.w&keytype=ref&siteid=spisc