ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to serve as a supplement to the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards, the quality indicators by Gersten et al., and the more recent Standards for Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education published in 2014 by Council for Exceptional Children. It provides a brief history behind the changes in standards for research, explores the issues that most affect researchers in designing their studies, and provides a list of recommendations for highly effective research design. Broken randomization occurs when researchers, after having randomized the sample to treatment and control groups, adjust the original sample in the groups by removing or adding participants to the groups. When designing studies, measure fidelity of implementation by gathering information on how well the treatment was implemented. Focus not only on procedural aspects but also on quality, whenever possible. While there has been increased emphasis on high quality research, researchers in special education are also grappling with challenges associated with rigorous design implementation.
