Education for Mildly Handicapped Adolescents: Structure and Quality of Published Information From the Past Decade

Abstract

Structural and qualitative features of published information available on educating mildly handicapped adolescents is examined. Professional journal literature from the past 10 years was searched to locate articles reporting on or advocating educational interventions with this population. Articles were categorized according to their orientation, support base, and the handicapping condition(s) addressed. Results indicated that articles addressing different handicapping conditions within the orientations of academics, career/vocational, or both have been differentially distributed in both data and non-data support bases. While the total number of articles has been increasing slightly since 1968, virtually no consistent upward or downward trends appeared when articles were considered in terms of their orientation, handicapping condition, and support base categories. Quality of data-based reports was assessed by examining the research designs on which each was based. It was concluded that data-based reports have most often been based on weak research designs, and that when stronger designs have been used, replication or follow-up studies have not been conducted. Discussion focuses on the disparity between the educational technology currently available for educating mildly handicapped adolescents and the goal of providing them with appropriate education. Recommendations for altering this disparity are presented.