Considerable research in the past 30 years has accumulated regarding the academic and social functioning of youngsters with disabilities. Only in the past decade has there been sufficient special education research published from which meta-analyses and syntheses can be conducted. In this volume, seven sets of authors grapple with synthesizing the knowledge base on an array of critical topics in the field of special education. Among others, specific chapters include: * a synthesis of what is known about effective instructional grouping practices for reading. * an examination of the differences between students classified as learning disabled and other low-achieving students on a range of academic performance measures. * a review of effective instruction for English-language learners. * an examination of the research on behavioral supports for low-incidence special education populations. * a synthesis on how technology supports literary development, across the full spectrum of disabilities categories. These papers provide up-to-date, informative summaries of current knowledge and a base from which further venture into the critical area of instructional intervention in special education can occur.

This pragmatic, accessible book presents an empirically supported conceptual framework and hands-on instructions for conducting curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in grades K-8. The authors provide the tools needed to assess student learning in reading, spelling, writing, and math, and to graph the resulting data. The role of CBM in systematic instructional problem solving is explained. Every chapter includes helpful answers to frequently asked questions, and the appendices contain over 20 reproducible administration and scoring guides, forms, and planning checklists. The large-size format and lay-flat binding facilitate photocopying and day-to-day use. See also The ABCs of Curriculum-Based Evaluation: A Practical Guide to Effective Decision Making, by John L. Hosp, Michelle K. Hosp, Kenneth W. Howell, and Randy Allison, which presents a broader problem-solving model that utilizes CBM.

Developed specifically to overcome problems with traditional standardized instruments, curriculum-based measurement (CBM) has steadily increased in educational use. These brief assessment probes of reading, spelling, written expression, and mathematics serve to quantify student performance as well as to enhance academic achievement. Their widening use as a means of evaluation and ultimately of instruction, has created a corresponding need to expand the applications of this methodology to diverse populations. This new volume addresses that need by focusing on the broader application of CBM, providing practical new measures, as well as detailing their use with specific student groups.