ERIC Number: EJ1479478
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Sep
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-8756-8705
EISSN: EISSN-2168-8605
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Conducting Special Education Survey Research in Rural Schools: Challenges and Recommended Practices
J. Matt Jameson1; Joanna Ryan2; Laura Rogers1; Shamby Polychronis1; Mary Woodruff1
Rural Special Education Quarterly, v44 n3 p162-174 2025
Conducting survey research in rural educational contexts presents unique challenges and requires specific methodological considerations. This article provides an overview of potential adaptations that may help support effective, valid, and impactful rural survey research and a brief review of survey research published in "Rural Special Education Quarterly" (RSEQ) over the last 10 years. Rural areas often pose distinct challenges, such as geographical dispersion, limited access to technology, and sociocultural differences, which can impact the reliability and validity of survey results. This article discusses methodological considerations in survey design, such as simplifying language, employing multimethod data-collection strategies, and ensuring cultural responsivity in planning, implementation, and interpretation of results. The authors emphasize the importance of contextually grounded research approaches that can inform rural education policy and practice, ensuring policies and interventions are feasible and valid in the realities of rural contexts. This article will contribute to the ongoing discussion on best practices in rural educational research and promoting equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for students with disabilities in rural areas.
Descriptors: Special Education, Rural Education, Educational Research, Rural Schools, Surveys, Research Problems, Research Design
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA; 2University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, USA