(Re)Focusing on what’s “Special” about Special Education Research

I am always excited for Fall—for many of us in education, it is a time of new beginnings: new students, new classes, and of course, starting up new research projects! I see it as a time of renewal—to refocus on what makes special education research “special” and to be sure that these elements are at the core of daily work. I find the following questions to be helpful as I gear up for fall research activities, in the hopes that ongoing attention to these elements will enhance the possibility that the research will make a meaningful and lasting difference:

• Is it generative—does it build on foundational scholarship and continue to move the field forward in knowledge and practice;
• Is it translational—does it have a place in a systematic progression of basic science to application to eventual implementation at scale;
• Is it engaged—does it include meaningful input and participation of professionals, parents, and students who represent the populations for whom it is intended, such that it is relevant in real-­‐world contexts;
• Is it rigorous—does it adhere to the high standards that have been articulated over the last decade or so in our field, whether the methods are qualitative, correlational, experimental/quasi-­‐experimental, or some combination; and
• How might it have an impact—such that there’s a plan to go beyond peer-­‐ reviewed journals and into actual practice?

Further, in thinking about what’s “special” about special education research, I believe it is critical to continue to focus efforts on the individual that is often at the heart of our work. Special education research has had, in many ways, a broad impact on educational practice in general, by producing evidence-­‐based assessments, interventions, and other practices across academic, social, and behavioral domains that are used in both special and general education contexts. Yet, a small but significant proportion of students do not fully benefit from these practices, and we must continue to ask the important question: How do we meet the needs of those individuals for whom our broadly effective practices are not enough? To this end, CEC-­‐DR hosted a series of sessions at the 2016 CEC Convention that focused on research on intensive intervention, where scholars presented their efforts to examine ways of intensifying academic and behavioral interventions for students with significant needs, and engaged in thoughtful discussions about the challenges and opportunities related to this work. One of my goals as CEC-­‐DR President is to continue to highlight and promote this work—stay tuned for more to come!

Finally, speaking of renewal, like other CEC divisions (and the larger organization itself), an important current focus of CEC-­‐DR is membership. CEC membership has declined significantly over the last several years, and, while CEC-­‐DR has not experienced as drastic decreases as other divisions, we still have seen some recent declines in renewals as well as in new members. I hope you will not only continue to renew your membership each year, but also encourage your colleagues and students to join us as well! Of course, it is important that there are clear benefits to membership—and we think there are several (for example, this newsletter! subscription to the Journal of Special Education Research! frequent legislative updates and connections with other groups such as Friends of IES), but we will be reviewing these benefits and seeking input for how to retain current members and attract new ones. Again, stay tuned! Our division, and our efforts to advocate for funding and continued high-­‐quality special education research, will only thrive with a strong and active membership.

With that, I wish you all a Happy Fall! I am looking forward to interacting with many of you this year as we continue our efforts to advocate for and carry out our special education research.