An Analysis of Variables that Affect Special Education Placement Decisions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which intellectual, achievement, and behavioral data would predict the placement of students with learning disabilities into a special program. The data were obtained from evaluations conducted on 95 students who were referred for evaluation of learning problems. Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that only 33% of the variance was accounted for by the battery of assessment instruments in deciding whether to place a student in a learning disabilities classroom. With regard to placement of students with learning disabilities in full-or part-time learning disabilities classrooms, the test data accounted for only 27% of the variance. Thus a large portion of the variance was not accounted for by the assessment data. Implications for future research were discussed.