ABSTRACT
Few disciplines present as much challenge to the research synthesist as does special education. The challenge arises primarily from the wide variety of research designs, outcome measures, and diagnostic labels that characterize research in special education. For example, it is not unusual to find the same special educational intervention tested using one-group pretest-posttest designs, nonequivalent control group designs, experimental designs, single-subject designs, and case studies. Outcomes measured for this one intervention might include academic achievement, social and behavioral adjustment, attitudes, and self-concept.
