Decision Making in Special Education: The Function of Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Decision making is a critical element in creating individualized programs-a cornerstone of special education. The decision process combines elements of knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Meta-analysis, as a form of evaluation, can contribute to knowledge by aiding decisions about the worth of an intervention. Seven special education interventions are evaluated and the meta-analytic findings are shown to contribute to unraveling many of the complex issues in deciding whether to use a particular practice.