This paper attempts to show how the effective use of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies can provide a more complete picture when conducting research and can serve as a means of validation. The context is research on special education reform in South Carolina. The first phase of the research project focused on constructing reform profiles of schools and school districts. Two of the four studies conducted are the focus of this paper. The first study investigated whether schools and districts could be profiled according to their general and special education reform initiatives. The focus group sample included two superintendents, six special education directors, one principal, three special education teachers, and one district director of instruction. The second study assessed the reform characteristics and practices of school districts in South Carolina and constructed general profiles that reflected similarities and differences in these characteristics and practices. Participants included all 86 South Carolina school superintendents, 97 special education directors, and 1 general and 1 special education teacher from each of 160 schools. Participants completed a survey, with a final response rate of about 43%. These two studies illustrate how incorporating qualitative and quantitative methodology and analysis creates a more complete picture of reform profiles in South Carolina's public schools. An appendix contains the interview protocol, a discussion of some themes in the studies, an interview, and theme analyses. (SLD)