Special Education Researchers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Reported Use of Open Practices

Abstract

Despite calls for open science reforms in special education research, little is known about the perceptions or practices of special education researchers regarding open science. In this study, we modified the Open Science Survey to conduct a preliminary examination of the knowledge, attitudes, perceived norms, and behavioral intent of 155 special education researchers for three open practices: preregistering studies, posting preprints, and sharing data. Respondents reported favorable attitudes toward each of the practices but low levels of implementation knowledge. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that knowledge, attitudes, career stage, and methodological preference significantly predicted intent to engage in these open practices. We provide recommendations from these findings to inform efforts to increase open science uptake in the field.