Many Schools Are Grappling With Ways To Assess Outcomes For Children With Disabilities

- Has valid data (i.e., data measures what they were intended to measure).
- Involves rigorous data analyses (i.e., researchers analyze the data using methods
that are appropriate to the task)
There are no “cookie-cutter” programs that work for all students with disabilities.
However, a body of knowledge does show that specific programs and practices
are effective with particular students. Therefore, increasing exposure to researchproven
instructional methods and practices, materials and media, and supports
and accommodations will help students with disabilities effectively engage in
learning general education curriculum content. Empirically proven practices will
help these students meet high educational standards and achieve their
instructional goals because objective statistical evidence indicates that these
interventions do result in positive student gains. For example, mnemonics, a
research-proven instructional strategy to enhance recall of factual information,
vocabulary, or key concepts, helps students with mild disabilities engage in
instructional content and learn the general education curriculum.
One of the best ways to learn about research findings is to review syntheses of
research from organizations and professionals that stay in touch with the latest
research in the field and collect and synthesize research-proven practices based
on the studies and empirical work of their researcher colleagues. Often these
organizations and professionals will ask experts in a particular area to synthesize
their own research with the work of their colleagues. Another way to learn about
research is to read what researchers say about their own research as found in
journal articles, papers, and books. Although more expensive, receiving direct
training on research-proven practices can be extremely helpful. University
researchers and professionals working in research organizations conduct the
majority of the rigorous research studies; however, other individuals and
organizations throughout the country also conduct direct research.
Educators who want to identify research-proven practices applicable to their
settings should carefully examine information about research by asking the
following questions:
- Who funded the organization’s syntheses or research?
- Who conducted the research?
- When (how current are the syntheses) and for what purpose was this work
conducted?
- What process did the organization use to identify research-proven practices?