The need for naturalistic research in special education is well-documented. The author discusses the substantive and methodological contributions which several disciplines can make to naturalistic research, and raises definitional issues. Historical roots and the current status of naturalistic research are discussed. Ecological theory, specifically behavior-setting theory, is described, as well as its implications for research. An ecological method called the chronolog is outlined, and selected studies using ecological methods are described in terms of their implications for special education research.
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