Goal attainment scaling (GAS) is presented in this paper as a useful approach for evaluating special education services at the local education agency (LEA) level. Utilization of the approach by school practitioners allows for individualization of program goals for a range of special education service programs. In the paper, the nature and scope of the GAS method are described, its applications to evaluating special education services at the LEA level are reported, and considerations in the implementation of the approach are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BrintnallJ., & GarwickG., (Eds.): Applications of goal attainment scaling. Minneapolis: Program Evaluation Resource Center, 1977.
2.
CampbellD. C., & StanleyJ. C.Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1966.
3.
CronbachL. J., & FurbyL.How should we measure “change”—or should we. Psychological Bulletin, 1970, 74, 68–80.
4.
DunstC.Program evaluation and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Exceptional Children, 1979, 46, 24–31.
5.
GarwickG.Interpreting the goal attainment score. Minneapolis: Program Evaluation Resource Center, 1979.
6.
GarwickG., & BrintnallJ.An introduction to goal attainment scaling.Minneapolis: Program Evaluation Resource Center, 1977.
7.
KennedyM. M.Developing an evaluation plan for PL 94–142. New Directions for Program Evaluation, 1978, 1, 19–38.
8.
KiresukT. J., & ShermanR. E.Goal attainment scaling: A general method for evaluating community mental health programs. Community Mental Health Journal, 1968, 4, 443–453.
9.
LinnR. L., & SlindleJ. A.The determination of the significance of change between pre- and post-testing periods. Review of Educational Research, 1977, 47, 121–150.
10.
MaherC. A.Developing and implementing effective individualized education programs for conduct problem adolescents: The goal-oriented approach to learning. Child Behavior Therapy, in press.
11.
MaherC. A., & KratochwillT. K.Principles and procedures of program evaluation: An overview. School Psychology Monograph, 1980, 4, 1–24.
