All 1999 issues of 26 journals in special education technology, special education, and educational technology were reviewed and 788 articles were identified of which 114 were judged as contributing to the knowledge base on special education technology research and practice. Four journals contained 60 percent of the relevant articles. Content…

Meta-analysis of 18 studies on the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) at the college level found an overall mean effect size of 0.127, i.e., students receiving traditional instruction supplemented with CAI performed slightly better than those receiving only traditional instruction. CAI was most effective in aviation and English…

Performed a meta-analysis of 22 wilderness challenge programs to assess impact on delinquent behavior. The overall effect size for delinquency outcomes (0.18) was equivalent to a recidivism rate of 29% for program participants versus 37% for nonparticipants. Greatest reductions in delinquent behavior came with intense physical activities or…

Analyzed 32 outcome studies on the primary prevention of adolescent pregnancy and examined several moderator variables in relationship to the findings. Results indicate that certain pregnancy prevention programs had no effect on adolescents' sexual activity. Found sufficient evidence to support the efficacy of pregnancy prevention programs for…

It is argued that, although thousands of evaluations have been conducted of social interventions, little has been done to cumulate those results to guide intervention architects. Building social intervention theory and meta analyses are suggested as ways to unify this knowledge and make it useful. (SLD)

Examines the scientific evidence supporting claims about phonemic awareness (PA) instruction. Presents a quantitative meta-analysis evaluating the effects of PA instruction on learning to read and spell. Concludes that PA instruction was found to make a statistically significant contribution to reading acquisition. (SG)

Cumulates findings across existing empirical research on the effects of violent video games to estimate overall effect size and discern important trends and moderating variables. Suggests there is a smaller effect of violent video games on aggression than has been found with television violence on aggression. (SG)

Presents a meta-analytic study based on the assumption that children's cognitive abilities can be both highly heritable and highly malleable. Results show strong support for the idea that early childhood education is a highly effective preventive intervention. Also finds that as preschool intervention intensity increases, so does the magnitude of…

This article discusses probable explanations for the weak effects in some meta-analyses that have investigated the effectiveness of social skills training (SST) for students with disabilities and offers specific recommendations for designing and producing more effective SST interventions. Treatment integrity issues, assessment issues, and…

Reviews research published in the past 15 years on the use of technology to teach or support literacy among students with mild disabilities. Addresses research on computer-assisted instruction and synthesized speech feedback to improve phonemic awareness and decoding skills; use of electronic texts to enhance comprehension by compensating for…

Details meta-analysis of 64 intervention studies measuring the effect of school-based interventions for students with learning disabilities. Discusses findings that middle school students benefited most from interventions and that the type of interventions that were most effective differed by grade levels. (JPB)

In studies of the usefulness of psychotherapy with children and adolescents, clinical therapy has markedly poorer outcomes than laboratory studies. Proposals to bridge the gap include enriching the data base on treatment effects by clinical practitioners, identifying the features of research therapy that account for positive outcomes, and…

Meta-analyses were performed on 12 studies of treatment with sex offenders (n=1,313). A small, but robust, overall effect size was found for treatment versus comparison conditions. Cognitive-behavioral and hormonal treatments were significantly more effective than behavioral treatments but were not significantly different from each other. (JPS)

Two chapters of this issue consider critical multiplism as a research strategy with links to meta analysis and generalizability theory. The unifying perspective it can provide for quantitative and qualitative evaluation is discussed. The third chapter explores meta analysis as a way to improve causal inferences in nonexperimental data. (SLD)

Claims evidence from meta-analysis justifies the use of computer-based instruction in reading comprehension. Discusses specific applications of comprehension strategies that foster knowledge building and understanding. Provides annotated URLs for teaching critical reading and offers URLs for on-line programs and information on teaching critical…