Ideologies, Practices, and their Implications for Special Education

Abstract

We propose that the articles in this special issue support an emphasis upon specific instructional and assessment practices, as opposed to broad, vague, and often emotive educational ideologies. Often, well-researched, effective practices can be associated with any ideology, as can poor, rotelike practices. The value of a particular instructional or assessment practice is probably dependent upon, at the very least, context and learner characteristics, and empiricism remains the most reliable means for evaluating practices.