The purpose of this letter to the editor is to comment on several review papers recently published in the current "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Special Issue on Technology: Software, Robotics, and Translational Science." These reviews address a variety of aspects relating to technology-aided intervention and instruction…

This article provides commentary on the five articles in this issue on large-scale interventions in science education for diverse student groups in varied educational settings. Using these articles as a point of departure, I discuss three challenges to science education research and practice. The first concerns the changed meaning of science…

Our commentary responds to the five articles of the special issue on multidisciplinary collaboration to support struggling readers. From our perspectives informed by experiences working with diverse student and family populations in urban settings, preparing pre- and in-service educators and specialists to do the same, and working in federally…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the impact that Response to Intervention (RTI) can have on the education of all children, roles of special educators, as well as on the special education system. Special educators play an integral role and have a strong and clear identity in the RTI process. As such, this brief presents CEC's…

Provides set of research strategies that would help bridge gap between research concerning care and treatment of people with severe mental illness and consumer empowerment. Argues that research should attend to context of research, vantage point, process of formulating research questions, selection of interventions tested, selection of outcomes…

Introduces several articles which compose a forum on intervention with older students who have language and learning impairments. Stresses the particular importance of serving these students in the areas of literacy skills and self-regulation strategies. (DB)

In the US debate over science-based educational research, experimentation is again coming to the fore as ideal for establishing an evidence base of what works in educational interventions thus contributing to the climate of accountability in educational research and practice. Mixed methods research is being positioned in this discussion as a…

Proposes that the repetitive and stereotyped behavior displayed by many children with severe disabilities may be used as part of the child's educational program. Discussion is on recent research into stereotyped behavior, functionally equivalent behaviors, the relevance of early normal development, the social context of learning, and ways to use…

This commentary on EC 608 302, which discusses behavioral research methodology involving individuals with developmental disabilities, argues that a clear distinction must be made between methods and models, there is a need for more broadly focused intervention studies considering the body of applied practical knowledge, and differences in research…

This commentary on EC 608 301, a paper on behavioral research methodology used with individuals with developmental disabilities, argues that the paper does not portray behavior analysis accurately, advances arguments that may not be reliably enough agreed upon, and seeks to modify reader behavior without sufficiently addressing the variables of…

This response to four commentaries (EC 608 302-305) on these authors' earlier paper discussing behavioral research methodology used with individuals with developmental disabilities (EC 608 301) contends that the original paper does not denigrate behaviorism and that practice needs to be informed by a variety of inputs regarding treatment decisions…

This article introduces each of 10 peer-reviewed articles on severe behavior disorders, noting that collectively these articles on severe behavior disorders address a number of issues and challenges, suggest a variety of programmatic strategies, and propose directions for future research and practice for students with emotional and behavioral…

This essay discusses the significance functional analysis has had for applied behavior analysis of aberrant behavior. The methodology has lessened the field's reliance on default technologies and promoted analysis of environment-behavior interactions maintaining target responses as the basis for selecting treatments. It has also contributed to the…

Examines interplay between theory, research, and application in treatment of clinical problems in context of psychotherapy research program for Hispanic behavior problem youth and families. Discusses findings in structural family therapy, measurement of family and child psychodynamic functioning, development of culturally appropriate…

This paper explores the reasonableness of expecting conventional experimental methodologies and research reports on behavioral interventions for persons with developmental disabilities to both support the validity of promising practices and guide the efforts of practitioners to implement those practices. New directions for research and practice…