{"title":"Introduction to the Special Series: Examining the Special Education Research Base","authors":"Bryan G. Cook, William J. Therrien","doi":"10.1177/07419325251379789","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251379789","url":null,"abstract":"This introduction to the special series, Examining the Special Education Research Base, situates the work within broader concerns about questionable research practices and the reproducibility crisis in science. We review lessons from other fields, summarize existing meta-research in special education, and provide an overview of three reviews examining publication bias, selective outcome reporting, and the scarcity of null findings. Shared themes suggest that although the special education field appears to have fewer problems than some disciplines, potential threats to the validity of the special education research base were identified. We conclude by highlighting the implications of the three reviews for research and practice, and calling for the greater adoption of open-science practices to strengthen the evidence base in special education.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jasmine Begeske, Eric N. Shannon, Amanda M. Borosh, Jennifer Elaine Smith, Jingyuan Zhang, Mehmet Sulu, Suneeta Kercood, Rose A. Osnaya
{"title":"Participatory Action Research: Inclusion of Elementary Students With Disabilities","authors":"Jasmine Begeske, Eric N. Shannon, Amanda M. Borosh, Jennifer Elaine Smith, Jingyuan Zhang, Mehmet Sulu, Suneeta Kercood, Rose A. Osnaya","doi":"10.1177/07419325251375991","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251375991","url":null,"abstract":"Inclusion of students with disabilities (SWDs) is essential to improving their educational, social, and behavioral outcomes. However, the execution and maintenance of these practices relies on contextual variables at the local level. This study presents the results of a participatory action research project conducted in collaboration with a public elementary school investigating inclusive practices. The resulting case study included surveys of school staff and caregivers as well as interviews with special education teachers, related service providers, and administrators. Quantitative analyses identified significant philosophical discrepancies between participants, especially around inclusion of SWDs who exhibit challenging behavior. Qualitative data revealed strengths in special education team collaboration. The local organizational barriers identified are consistent with barriers found in the literature. Implications for research and practice are discussed.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145246400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jason C. Travers, Matt Tincani, Art Dowdy, Heather Forbes, Jenee Vickers Johnson
{"title":"A Registered Report on Selective Reporting in Single-Case Experimental Research","authors":"Jason C. Travers, Matt Tincani, Art Dowdy, Heather Forbes, Jenee Vickers Johnson","doi":"10.1177/07419325251350697","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251350697","url":null,"abstract":"Selective reporting is the exclusion of some study results from research reports, usually those that do not support claims of intervention effectiveness. Selective reporting inflates the perceived effects of an intervention and may mislead researchers and professionals to erroneous conclusions and courses of action. This registered report systematically investigated selective reporting in single-case experimental research studies in special education by comparing data and results reported in dissertation research published between 2010 and 2015 to respective published journal articles. Our search yielded 1,810 dissertations, of which 124 were published as journal articles and coded for discrepancies. Of the 41 dissertation-article pairs with discrepancies, we found 10 (8%) pairs that appeared to selectively report results for one or more participants and/or dependent variables. Published articles tended to report a greater number of experimental effects with larger effect sizes than dissertations. Researchers using single-case experimental designs should resist selective reporting and adopt open and transparent reporting practices.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"103 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145154098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Preparing Special Educators to Generalize Evidence-Based Practices Across Students and Situations: A Systematic Review","authors":"Kara N. Shawbitz, Matthew E. Brock","doi":"10.1177/07419325251359971","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251359971","url":null,"abstract":"Closing the research-to-practice gap in special education requires high-quality training that enables educators to generalize evidence-based practices (EBPs) across students, settings, and situations. In this systematic review, we identified 52 studies published in 50 articles that measured generalization of teacher, pre-service teacher, or paraeducator fidelity of practices for students with disabilities. Most studies used a combination of didactic instruction, roleplay, modeling, and performance feedback to train practitioners to implement educational practices. Consistent with previous reviews, most studies (77%) did not report using any specific approach to promote generalization of practitioner implementation. Results showed that although this approach did sometimes lead to generalization, results were mixed. In other studies, researchers programmed for generalization using strategies such as mediating generalization, training educators to generalize, or sequential modification through performance feedback. We offer suggestions for how researchers can design studies to measure generalized effects, and how educators can leverage strategies for generalization.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"215 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145002861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sonja R. de Boer, Rose Iovannone, David Bateman, Paula Chan
{"title":"A Review of State-Level Guidance for Implementing Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans","authors":"Sonja R. de Boer, Rose Iovannone, David Bateman, Paula Chan","doi":"10.1177/07419325251359970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251359970","url":null,"abstract":"Implementing functional behavior assessments (FBA) and behavior intervention plans (BIP) to address intensive behaviors continues to challenge educators. State Education Agencies (SEAs) have the capability of delivering FBA/BIP guidance to school districts that is evidence-based, readily available, and useful for consistent application. Although there have been previous studies of SEA guidance, none is recent or examined guidance quality. The purposes of the current study were to review state-level FBA/BIP guidance available on SEA websites to determine the number of states and territories providing guidance and to evaluate the quality of the guidance using a researcher-developed technical adequacy rubric. Results indicated that 38 (68%) of the 56 states/territories provided FBA guidance and 37 (66%) provided BIP guidance; however, most were inadequate. Documents varied from memos to voluminous handbooks with many focusing on compliance rather than evidence-based processes. Implications for practice and suggestions for improving SEA guidance are discussed.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144927834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bryan G. Cook, William J. Therrien, Jesse I. Fleming, Daniel Espinas, Alan S. McLucas, Jaret Hodges, Xiaolu Fan
{"title":"Null Effects in the Special Education Research Base","authors":"Bryan G. Cook, William J. Therrien, Jesse I. Fleming, Daniel Espinas, Alan S. McLucas, Jaret Hodges, Xiaolu Fan","doi":"10.1177/07419325251361907","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251361907","url":null,"abstract":"Full and clear reporting of null effects is important for a robust and valid research base. The purpose of this Registered Report is to review the presence and reporting of null findings in the special education research base. Preregistered hypotheses predicted (a) few studies with all or primary null findings and (b) spin in reporting and discussing null findings. We searched all 2020 publications 41 special education journals and identified 121 group-design intervention studies, coding the number of significant and non-significant <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> -values reported. We identified two (1.7%) articles reporting all null findings and no articles reporting null primary findings; both all-null studies were coded as containing one instance of spin. Exploratory analyses indicated hypotheses or predictions were stated in only 38.8% of studies and both instances of spin were low level. We discuss implications of findings and approaches for disseminating studies with null findings.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144920985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katherine A. Graves, Luke J. Rapa, Antonis Katsiyannis, Nicholas Gage
{"title":"Predictors of Offense Severity, Adjudication, Incarceration, and Repeat Referrals for Juveniles: A Multi-Cohort Replication Study","authors":"Katherine A. Graves, Luke J. Rapa, Antonis Katsiyannis, Nicholas Gage","doi":"10.1177/07419325251359969","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251359969","url":null,"abstract":"Although the number of arrests, court-processed cases, and the number of juveniles detained have dramatically decreased in recent decades, concern about repeat offending remains a persistent challenge. The authors examined predictors of offense severity, judicial disposition (e.g., diversion, prosecution, incarceration), and repeat offending. Data were obtained on 65,064 juveniles born between 1995 and 2002 from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. White youth in our sample were 1.32 times more likely than Black youth to receive a second referral, boys were 1.51 times more likely than girls to receive a second referral, and youth who were younger at the time of the first referral were slightly more likely receive a second referral. Boys were also more likely than girls to receive a third referral. Youth charged with offenses of higher severity at their first referral and youth adjudicated at first referral were also less likely to receive a third.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144898760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, Alexandra Aylward, Natasha Strassfeld, Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, Roey Ahram, Allison R. Firestone, Julia Hartwig, Jane Y. Jeong
{"title":"A Critical Examination of Special Education Policy Using a Multi-Layered Systemic Approach for Policy Analysis","authors":"Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, Alexandra Aylward, Natasha Strassfeld, Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, Roey Ahram, Allison R. Firestone, Julia Hartwig, Jane Y. Jeong","doi":"10.1177/07419325251360336","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251360336","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding how system-level educational inequities manifest across contexts and over time is critical for informing research, policy, and practice. This paper advances a theoretically grounded, interdisciplinary conceptual framework—the Multilayered Systemic Approach for Policy Analysis (MSAPA)—for research on systemic inequities related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including its racial disproportionality accountability mechanisms. We define the framework’s interdisciplinary theoretical roots, describe its conceptual utility, and apply it to the long-standing issue of racial disproportionality in special education. We provide empirical examples to substantiate the necessity and importance of the framework. Finally, we offer strategies for integrating findings through a mixed methods framework and disseminating results to enhance equity in policy and practice.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144898761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Samantha S. Vann, Alyssa R. Henry, Jamie DeCoster, Katlynn Dahl-Leonard, Carlin L. Conner, Emily J. Solari
{"title":"Literacy Profiles of Kindergarten Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders","authors":"Samantha S. Vann, Alyssa R. Henry, Jamie DeCoster, Katlynn Dahl-Leonard, Carlin L. Conner, Emily J. Solari","doi":"10.1177/07419325251359977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251359977","url":null,"abstract":"Difficulties with reading development have been well documented in samples of individuals with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study utilized a state-level dataset of early literacy skills in kindergarten students with EBD ( <jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 522) to investigate the development of foundational reading skills across the kindergarten year. The study employed latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis (LTA) to empirically derive profiles of readers at kindergarten entry and kindergarten exit. Results demonstrate the heterogenous nature of early reading skills in young students with EBD. Socioeconomic status significantly moderated students’ transitions from fall to spring, whereas gender did not. These findings have important implications for the early reading instruction and intervention of young students with EBD.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144901702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew K. Burns, Alida Hudson, Lauren Artzi, Katherine Drummond, Iliana Brodziak De Los Reyes, Isabelle D’Souza, Monica E. Romero, Nikita Mc Cree
{"title":"Relationship Between Reading Pretest and Social Studies Outcomes From PACT: Evidence for a Skill-by-Treatment Interaction","authors":"Matthew K. Burns, Alida Hudson, Lauren Artzi, Katherine Drummond, Iliana Brodziak De Los Reyes, Isabelle D’Souza, Monica E. Romero, Nikita Mc Cree","doi":"10.1177/07419325251358402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251358402","url":null,"abstract":"Previous research on Promoting Adolescent Comprehension of Text (PACT) found significant student-level variability in outcomes. The current study examined a potential skill-by-treatment interaction with 1,376 eighth-grade students from 13 middle schools as part of a larger evaluation study. Treatment students scored higher than control students on a measure of social studies content knowledge among students who scored 1 <jats:italic>SD</jats:italic> below the mean, at the mean, and 1 <jats:italic>SD</jats:italic> above the mean on preintervention measures of reading comprehension and reading fluency. Using social studies content knowledge, pretest reading comprehension and fluency resulted in estimates of area under the curve of .77 (95% CI = [.76, .78]) and .56 (95% CI = [.55, .57]), respectively. Both sets of pretest data identified a threshold score that approximated the 30th percentile. Thus, there appeared to be a skill-by-treatment interaction for PACT based on preintervention reading skills.","PeriodicalId":48042,"journal":{"name":"Remedial and Special Education","volume":"724 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144766124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}