A meta-analysis of findings from 31 separate studies showed that ability grouping has significant positive effects on the academic performance of elementary school children. The benefits of grouping tended to be small in the typical study of achievement --an increase from the 50th to the 58th percentile for the typical student in a grouped class.…

Reanalysis of data derived from a meta-analysis of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, using a learning disability index derived from a principal-components analysis, found that the test discriminated reliably between 9,372 learning-disabled children and their non-disabled peers. (Author/CB)

Applied meta-analysis to several series of studies to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention centers. Results indicate that centers do attract a high-risk population; center clients were more likely to commit suicide than were members of the general population, and individuals who committed suicide were more likely to have been clients than were…

Used meta-analysis to review the literature regarding the correlation between self-supervisor, self-peer, and peer-supervisor ratings. Results indicated a relatively high correlation between peer and supervisor ratings, but only a moderate correlation between self-supervisor and self-peer ratings, with job type seeming to moderate self-peer and…

A review of 287 references describing computer applications with deaf children found 74 percent concerned academic applications, 7 percent were psychological investigations, and 19 percent were about general education. Analysis of the academic instruction references found only 9 percent reported efficacy data with degree of computer-assisted…

Used a meta-analysis to integrate the research literature on the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Antidepressants, such as clomipramine, and behavior therapy have produced appreciable changes in obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms. The effects of tricyclic medication and exposure therapies have not differed significantly, but…

Summarizes results of meta-analysis on findings of 41 different studies, yielding 77 correlation coefficients between measures of personality-environment congruence and well-being. Demonstrates congruence-achievement and congruence-stability correlations of .06 and .15 respectively, and a mean congruence-satisfaction correlation of .21, and after…

A meta-analysis examines studies concerned with the effects of vocabulary instruction on the learning of word meanings and on comprehension. It is concluded that vocabulary instruction has a significant effect on the comprehension of passages containing taught words, but significant effects are not found with all teaching methods. (Author/LMO)

Results of individaul evaluations of four classes of medical students' (N=213) performance in a communication and interview skills curriculum were synthesized using methods typically used in literary meta-analytic reviews. Results showed a significant positive effect. Implications for program evaluation are discussed. (JAC)

Methods for selecting relevant and appropriate quasi-experimental studies for inclusion in research synthesis using the threats-to-validity approach are presented. Effects of including and excluding studies are evaluated. (BS)

Evaluation synthesis, a meta-evaluation method developed by the General Accounting Office to improve evaluation utilization by legislators, is described. It is designed to: (1) focus on the information needs and priorities of legislators, and (2) ensure continuous communication between sponsor and evaluator. The strengths and limitations of this…

The Bayesian inferential process is modified for use in an aggregate meta-analytic evaluation. Compared with the average effect size meta-analytic approach, the Bayesian approach was more sensitive, more consistent and more powerful. This approach is recommended when primary data are not available and when all evaluations involve comparisons of…

A synthesis of results from 35 studies of the association between academic and occupational performance in various fields indicated that academic indicators such as grades and test scores account for only 2.4 percent of the variance in occupational performance criteria such as income, job satisfaction, and effectiveness ratings. (Author/BW)

This paper presents a meta analysis of the literature on the role of gender in special education teacher burnout. The presentation of a theoretical framework reviews theoretical models of burnout, especially Maslach's model, and discusses the stages and constructs of burnout. A preliminary review of the literature finds an inconsistent…

This book presents a description of Direct Instruction and a meta-analysis of research on Direct Instruction. The term "Direct Instruction" as used in the book refers to instructional programs developed by Siegfried Englemann and his colleagues, including DISTAR (Direct instruction System for Teaching Arithmetic and Reading) and DISTAR…