Comments on "The Small ICF/MR Program: Dimensions of Quality and Cost" (Conroy), that found small Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF) for individuals with mental retardation are inferior to other community programs. Acknowledges that while some research problems exist, no important evidence against the findings has been provided. (CR)

This article provides a look at the federal policy context for the scientifically based research (SBR) and evidence-based education (EBE) initiatives by sharing U.S. Department of Education presentations and related publications about SBR and EBE. It discusses the impact of these policy initiatives on special education research activities.…

This article discusses concerns with the No Child Left Behind definition of scientifically based research and its preference for random-assignment experiments. It proposes that instead of playing the victim, critics should illustrate the important findings that have advanced the field using research methodologies other than randomized experiments.…

Research in information and communication technology in education places an increasing emphasis on the use of qualitative analysis (QA). A considerable number of approaches to QA can be adopted, but it is not always clear that researchers recognize either the differences between these approaches or the principles that underlie them.…

This book of collected papers and essays addresses issues of research in multicultural education and aims to facilitate production of this research and to meet the needs of researchers in this area. Part 1, "The Marginalization of Multicultural Discourse," contains three papers on the barriers, needs, and limitations inherent in doing…

The second of four symposium papers brings together the results of four separate statistical analyses of findings on computer-based instruction (CBI) in 199 comparative studies, of which 32 were conducted in elementary schools, 42 in high schools, 101 in universities and colleges, and 24 in adult education settings. Each was a controlled,…

A review of recent literature and commission reports identifies persistent problems in two areas of educational administration: research and preparation programs. The two problems are linked in that they are often supervised by faculty who direct but do not themselves perform research. Two areas of research needs are the poor research skills of…

This report is a record of a one-day seminar sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The theme of the conference was the timely issue of the role of nonpublic schools in educating American children. The participants were: (1) representatives of private schools, (2) federal policymakers; and (3) researchers. Jay Noell…

Although some school districts conduct follow-up studies of their high school graduates, few have systematically used the information to improve their educational programs or to guide policymaking. Weaknesses of typical vocational education follow-up studies include the following: avoidance of comparisons with nonvocational students, failure to…

This study was conducted to develop a process for identifying the effects of vocational education research and development projects and activities and to identify the effects of selected research projects on the vocational, technical, and adult education programs and students in Wisconsin. Technical and adult education faculty and staff who had…

The communication of research findings among collegiate institutional researchers is considered in relation to the contribution of qualitative language in general, and catastrophe theory in particular. The qualitative language of catastrophe theory may help reduce the arbitrariness of description, through identification of qualitative features…

A study examined the distribution, use, and impact of vocational education research and development (R&D) products developed with Federal monies during fiscal years 1981 and 1982. Distribution data for the study were obtained from responses to questionnaires from 22 of the 32 states with products accepted by the Educational Resources…

Under a grant from the Ford Foundation, the Higher Education Research Institute is focusing a major research project on American Indians, Blacks, Chicanos, and Puerto Ricans, the four groups most underrepresented in American higher education, in an effort to determine each group's current status and progress since 1970 toward equitable educational…

Research on classroom teaching is discussed within the conceptual framework of the analysis of student classroom tasks. Three types of learning tasks are illustrated: understanding; memory; and routine problem-solving according to an algorithm. It is contended that most classroom research projects study teachers' and students' actions, rather than…

Problems of obtaining a representative sample for a national survey are discussed, and the experiences of Educational Testing Service are used as examples of some methods used to cope with these problems. It is suggested that researchers: (1) capitalize on some existing program; (2) establish in the minds of the possible examinees and the possible…