THE EFFICACY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS AND PRACTICES: A COMPENDIUM OF META-ANALYSIS FINDINGS

Abstract

Special education, by definition and in practice, serves an exceptional clientele, provides curricula, utilizes unique materials, and employs distinct methods and techniques for t(?aching.Although these characteristics set it apart, they also raise the question of how effective are the unique procedures used in special education.Mil of sky ( 1974) suggested that, despite the growth in special education over the last quarter century, the results have been less than special.The question: Is special education special?As a discipline, special education has produced a voluminous and variegated data base.The findings from individual studies have proved to be conflicting, variable, and sometimes paradoxical.Special education research, like other domains of inquiry, produces fragile findings.This should not be interpreted, however, to imply that special education research is either inconsequential or devoid of meaning .and inspiration ( Cruickshank, 1978).In fact, Light ( 1979) suggested that agreement in results may not always be the sought after goal, and variation in research findings should not be vilified but, rather, explicated for the possibility of finding important information.The findings from individual studies are best harnessed by systematic synthesis, not by proliferation of primary research.Knowledge must be cumulative, and if accumulated results can provide general and accurate conclusions, policy makers in special education will be in a position to implement decisions with confidence.

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