This systematic review addresses the research gap in understanding the efficacy of experimental interventions designed to improve the academic outcomes of English Learners with Learning Disabilities (ELswLD). After conducting a rich evaluation of reviews related to English Learners and to students who have disabilities, we contextualize the need…

For decades, there have been competing visions of how and where to educate students with disabilities (SWDs) in America's K-12 schools. One conception is that general classrooms can accommodate the learning needs of virtually all children. A second approach calls for multiple placement options. Over the years, the context in which this…

Students in the United States who receive special education services are entitled to receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that provides an appropriate level of benefit. Although IEP content is informed by policy mandates and practice recommendations, research has yet to investigate the degree to which school practice is in alignment.…

This position statement focuses on the importance of the federal role in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and why federal involvement matters. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the crucial role that the federal government has played in the education of students with disabilities. CEC is committed to ensuring…

Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) delineates much of the substantive and procedural dimensions of special education practice, it seems logical that IDEA should be an integral part of special education research. Yet, to what extent do special education researchers discuss IDEA? In this study, we systematically reviewed…

This article describes the results of a disabled children's childhood studies analysis of Section 1414 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), which outlines definitions and procedures related to evaluations, eligibility determinations, individualized education programs (IEP), and educational placements for disabled children in…

This descriptive study identified types of articles published, and research designs used, in 37 peer-reviewed special education journals. A total of 4,854 articles published from 2012 through 2017 were examined to determine types of articles and research methods informing policy and practice during the 6-year period and contributing to…

Inclusion has been a prominent topic in music education since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1974 (now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA 2004). In 2000, music educators at the Housewright Symposium presented a list of goals for music education for the year 2020 in a document called…

Introduction: This descriptive study identified types of articles published and research designs used in targeted special education journals. Articles in visual impairment (i.e., low vision or blindness) published between 2012 and 2017 were examined to determine what literature informed the field during the 6-year period. Method: A total of 4,850…

Family and consumer sciences (FCS) has a rich history dating back to its origins as home economics. The profession has always been rooted in multiple branches of science including chemistry, biology, sociology, and psychology. The Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge (FCS-BOK) unveiled at the turn of the 21st century helped solidify the…

In this report, we summarize research on the identification of SLD and make recommendations for practice. The report begins with a summary of the legal requirements for SLD identification and what constitutes a comprehensive evaluation. It then discusses the attributes of SLD according to different conceptual frameworks and reviews research on the…

Co-teaching is a popular means to support students with disabilities in the general education classroom. However, despite its widespread use, there are no meta-analyses examining the effects of co-teaching on academic outcomes for secondary students that analyze both study quality (e.g., the Council for Exceptional Children's "Standards for…

Dr. Tim Lewis provides his reflections on his career working as a researcher-teacher to address the issues of children with challenges. Dr. Lewis also provides his advice for those entering the field.

This article examines a case out of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit: "Ridley School District v. M.R and J.R. ex rel. E.R." (2012). The case is the first circuit court case in which the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act requirement that special education services be based on peer-reviewed research…

The aim of this essay is to advance understandings of current efforts to democratize disciplined approaches to educational innovation and improvement in the US and other countries, with a specific focus on the macro-level policy contexts of improvement research in education. In the US, earlier analyses examined these policy contexts from a…