In this paper the authors present a new method for sample selection for scale-up experiments. This method uses propensity score matching methods to create a sample that is similar in composition to a well-defined generalization population. The method they present is flexible and practical in the sense that it identifies units to be targeted for…

This issue of "FOCUS" discusses external validity and what rehabilitation researchers can do to help practitioners answer the question "How far can we generalize this finding-- is it applicable to other clients/patients, with different characteristics, in dissimilar settings treated by other clinicians?," which clinicians and…

This report summarizes the complex research literature on quantitative methods for assessing how impacts of educational interventions on instructional practices and student learning differ across students, educators, and schools. It also provides technical guidance about the use and interpretation of these methods. The research topics addressed…

Describes the establishment of a psychological space for any set of stimuli by determining metric distances between the stimuli with the probability that a response learned for a stimulus will generalize to the other. (Author/TW)

In this paper I convey a recurring problem and possible solution that arose during my doctoral research on the topic of cross-cultural Holocaust curriculum development for Latvian schools. Specifically, as I devised the methodology for my research, I experienced a number of frustrations concerning the issue of transferability and the limitations…

During the 1960s and early 1970s two educational movements were the evolution of the middle school and the structures of disciplines approach to social studies. These movements involved school organization, curriculum development, and methodologies incorporating the inquiry or conceptual approach. Learners had trouble with the conceptual approach,…

This study addressed the problem of promoting generalization of knowledge in people with mental handicaps, by presenting an approach based on the idea that certain cognitive representations of strategies and related concepts are common to solving a wide variety of problems. The surface context of these problems may vary considerably, but all will…

The final report describes activities of the Improving Community-Based Instruction Project, which conducted research to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of training in community settings with individuals with severe disabilities. Three areas of research were undertaken: (1) studies of the influence of the location of instruction on the…

This paper notes the proliferation of literature about the characteristics of Japanese education and culture. Generalizations ranging from reports of remarkable progress in subject disciplines to praise of Japanese technology, social and individual behavior, and systematic accomplishments have been cited. It is contended in this study that some of…

This paper describes the planning of a qualitative research methodology to develop strategies to improve and expand social interaction skills of deaf-blind students in supported employment settings. Characteristics of qualitative research are delineated and include: definition of the domain of the research; an evolving study design; behavior…

This study with a second-grade child with multiple disabilities in an inclusive setting applied (1) self-management instruction, (2) generalization methodologies (general case programming and multiple exemplars), and (3) a high level of teacher involvement in designing and monitoring the self-management plan. Implications for researchers and…