Special education teachers' views of research-based practices.

Focus groups with teachers of students with learning disabilities (n = 30) and teachers of students with emotional/behavior disorders (n = 19) were conducted to examine the the teachers' perspectives about educational research and the extent to which they found research findings to be useful. The study further addressed the ways in which new practices were introduced within target teachers' schools and their reaction to the appropriateness of these practices for students with special needs. Findings revealed that most teachers were not pressed to use practices supported by their school or district. Furthermore, the notion of "research-based" was not important as a criterion for selection. Teachers sought instructional practices that were feasible, were appropriate for their students, were accompanied by all necessary materials and professional development support, and could be individualized for multilevel classrooms.

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Considerable research over the past two decades has given the field of special education excellent information on best practices in the classroom (e.g., Gersten, Vaughn, Deshler, & Schiller, 1997; Swanson, 1999). The findings have strengthened our understanding of effective practices for students with disabilities in a variety of areas, including assessment, instruction, and behavioral supports. While there is still much to be investigated, the information gathered thus far allows us to more effectively instruct a wide range of learners. Consequently, as a profession, we have moved beyond the point of making all educational decisions based only on what we think might work.

Research on innovative practices focusing on special education students has assisted instruction in general education, as well. Previously, this research was of little interest to the general education community, largely because general educators did not view the information as valuable or applicable to their students. As students with disabilities are increasingly the co-responsibility of general and special education, innovative practices that are effective with both general and special education students are valued (McKenna, 1992). Furthermore, findings from recent syntheses in special education have revealed that most of the innovative practices that are effective for special education students have even larger effects when used with general education students (Vaughn, Gersten, & Chard, 2000).

School districts, state departments of education, and even the federal government are increasingly requiring educators to justify their decision-making based on the best research knowledge available. The use of substantiated evidence to influence decision-making in education should hardly be so unusual as to warrant attention. We certainly expect no less than evidence-based decision-making in medicine, engineering, pharmacology, and other mature professions--in which decision-making is based not on personal beliefs but on objectivity and research findings (Carnine, 2000). Until recently, however, educational decisions have typically been made at the whim of policymakers, administrators, parents, and elected school board representatives who have not considered research as a tool to influence decision-making. An emphasis on research-based decision-making should replace this.

Nevertheless, frontline professionals (teachers) are typically skeptical about research (Carnine, 1997; Smylie, 1989; Stanovich & Stanovich, 1997). This could be a consequence of the ebb and flow of change policies downloaded on them by school districts and state departments of education. Their skepticism is also likely rooted in the cynicism resulting from continually being told that a practice is "research-based" and then 5 years later seeing that practice be replaced by yet another, often quite different practice, also referred to as research-based (Cuban, 1990). Though also true for curriculum recommendations for math and science, changes are perhaps most evident in beginning reading instruction, where swings in instructional practice from whole-language approaches to phonics-based approaches are notorious (Adams, 1990; Collins, 1997).

Chester Finn (2000) summarized the "disputation" in education in the following way: