ABSTRACT

Currently, no one will raise questions whether special education need to be scientifically-based or evidence-based. Then what does it mean by “Being scientific?”. What are features of scientifically-based practices in special education? Research guides practices in special education and thus current conceptualization of research in special education is closely associated with those questions. Considering that special education is a problem-solving and special educators often serve for heterogeneous populations in nonuniversal settings, research methods which address these complexities are required. Single Subject Research (SSR) is experimental and units of analyses are individual. These features of SSR allow researchers and practitioners to evaluate effectiveness of interventions within contexts where the interventions are actually applied. SSR focuses on individual behavior changes within specifically manipulated conditions, which is closely tied to core dimensions of applied behavior analysis (ABA). This highlighted usefulness of SSR when special educators deliver scientifically-based practices within ABA approach. In the present study, features of scientifically-based practices and characteristics of applied behavior analysis are discussed in connection to special education. Next, advantageous characteristic in using SSR as a major tool for developing, evaluating, and adapting scientifically-based practices in special education is discussed in association with understandings about features of special education and ABA.

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