Special Education Dissertation Research in Early Childhood

Abstract

While it is difficult to determine the overall preparedness of professionals in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) to expand the field's research base, that clearly is a task necessary for those who prepare the next generation of leaders in ECSE. To determine the extent to which scholars and researchers are being prepared to address future challenges in ECSE, we examined the methods and products of research by persons who would soon be in the position to further research and practice in ECSE. A 34-item questionnaire was used to code ECSE dissertation abstracts found in Dissertation Abstracts international from 1981--90. Of the 395 ECSE dissertations, less than half included youngsters with disabilities or a combination of children with and without handicaps. A substantial proportion, however, (a) incorporated experimental designs, (b) employed qualitative procedures, and (c) targeted social/behavioral and communication topics. From the wide diversity of investigative methods, topics, and subjects, it appears that doctoral research training in ECSE is responding to the call for an emphasis on systematic investigations of practice in the field.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Arlin, M. (1977). One-study publishing typifies educational inquiry. Educational Researcher, 6, 11–15.

Brady, M. , Williams, R. , & Bailey, K. (1988). A quantitative analysis of doctoral dissertation research in special education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 11, 3–8.

Casto, G. (1988). Research and program evaluation in early childhood special education. In S. Odom & M. Karnes (Eds.), Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 51–62). Baltimore: Brookes.

Casto, G. , & Mastropieri, M. (1986). The efficacy of early intervention programs: A meta-analysis. Exceptional Children, 52, 193–196.

Dunn, L. (1968). Special education for the mildly retarded---Is much of it justifiable? Exceptional Children, 35, 5–22.

Fewell, R. (Ed.). (1985). Efficacy studies: Programs for young handicapped children. [Special issue] Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 5 (2).

Fredericks, H.D. (1985). Research needs: Educational, community based, social, and policy. In M.P. Brady & P.L. Gunter (Eds.), Integrating moderately and severely handicapped learners (pp. 276–281). Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas.

Fuchs, D. , & Fuchs, L. (1988). Evaluation of the adaptive learning environments model. Exceptional Children, 55, 115–127.

Guralnick, M. (1990). Major accomplishments and future directions in early childhood mainstreaming. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 10(2), 1–17.

10.

Guralnick, M. , & Bricker, D. (1987). The effectiveness of early intervention for children with cognitive and general development delays. In M. Guralnick & F. Bennett (Eds.), The effectiveness of early intervention for at-risk and handicapped children (pp. 115–173). New York: Academic Press.

11.

Karnes, M. , & Johnson, L. (1988). Considerations and future directions for conducting research with young handicapped and at-risk children. In S. Odom & M. Karnes (Eds.), Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 287–298). Baltimore: Brookes.

12.

Odom, S. (1988). Research in early childhood special education: Methodologies and paradigms. In S. Odom & M. Karnes (Eds.), Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 1–22). Baltimore: Brookes.

13.

Prehm, H. (1980). Research training experiences in special education doctoral programs. Teacher Education and Special Education, 3, 3–9.

14.

Rousseau, M. , Shores, R. , Hasselbring, T. , & Cunningham, J. (1984). Training researchers in special education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 7, 75–81.

15.

Smith, B. , & Strain, P. (1988). Early childhood special education in the next decade: Implementing and expanding P.L. 99--457. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 8, 37–47.

16.

Stainback, S. , & Stainback, W. (1984). Broadening the research perspective in special education. Exceptional Children, 50, 400–408.

17.

Strain, P. (1990). LRE for preschool children with handicaps: What we know, what we should be doing. Journal of Early Intervention, 14, 291–296.

18.

Wang, M. , & Walberg, H. (1988). Four fallacies of segregationism. Exceptional Children, 55, 128–137.

19.

White, C.R. (November 8, 1985). The role of research in formulating public policy about early intervention. Presented to Child and Youth Research luncheon forum, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC.