Six studies are reviewed which indicate that direct instruction tends to produce higher academic gains for handicapped children than traditional approaches. They also suggest that some subtle principles of direct instruction--such as insistence on complete (rather than partial) mastery of each step in the learning process--are important.…

This paper reviews both the content and the methodological issues involved in the small but growing number of empirical studies on the use of Direct Instruction programs and teaching procedures with special populations. The research reviewed includes experimental and quasi-experimental work, summative evaluations of entire programs, and…