In special education, multilevel models of single-case research have been used as a method of estimating treatment effects over time and across individuals. Although multilevel models can accurately summarize the effect, it is known that if the model is misspecified, inferences about the effects can be biased. Concern with the potential for model…

The purpose of this study was to use differential item functioning (DIF) and latent mixture model analyses to explore factors that explain performance differences on a large-scale mathematics assessment between examinees allowed to use a calculator or who were afforded item presentation accommodations versus those who did not receive the same…

Instructional time use is an intervention without equal. The measure of such has clear and important implications for special education practice and research. Although exhortations to maximize instruction and thereby student engagement exist throughout the literature, few studies discuss how special education teachers use their time, and none…

This study examines the effects of two test modifications--resource guide and read-aloud--on the reading performance of students within the context of a large-scale statewide assessment in Georgia. Schools were both randomly selected and assigned to one of three possible test conditions: resource guide, read-aloud, or standard test condition.…

The issue of the disproportionate identification and placement of racial/ethnic minorities in special education has been investigated extensively. One of the most useful tools in this research is the risk ratio, which compares one racial/ethnic group's risk of receiving special education and related services to that of all other students. The risk…

The article considers the use of multiple baseline and multiple probe designs in special education research. Multiple baseline evaluation designs across behaviors, instructional strategies, situations, and individuals are discussed. Multiple probe design advantages, such as cost effectiveness and short duration, are examined. (PHR)

A conceptual perspective and set of principles are offered for the evaluation of special service programs in public school settings. Special service program evaluation is seen as a process of obtaining and reporting information on a program's adequacy, process, efficiency, and impact. (Author)

The article examines the relationship between biological defects and educational aptitude and achievement. (Author/PHR)

The factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) was examined in the standardization sample using new methods of factor analysis. The substantial overlap across factors was most parsimoniously represented by a single general factor. Implications for public policy regarding the purposes and outcomes of special…

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is an approach for assessing the growth of students in basic skills that originated uniquely in special education. A substantial research literature has developed to demonstrate that CBM can be used effectively to gather student performance data to support a wide range of educational decisions. Those decisions…