The author discusses the advantages of meta-analysis for research in special education. The need for research synthesis is explored as well as the benefits of meta-analysis, particularly those related to understanding and explanation. The problems with traditional review methods are discussed, with special relevance to their failure to resolve problems. Finally, the findings from several meta-analyses are summarized and contrasted with traditional reviews. It is concluded that meta-analysis offers advantages for explicating problems and issues in this field.
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