Guidelines for Special Educators

Abstract

As teachers make decisions regarding which practices to implement in their classrooms, the academic gains those practices produce frequently become the primary concern. The authors assert that outcomes contributing to quality of life are equally important. They suggest quality indicators for special education practices, with a focus on practices that result in socially valid outcomes such as high self-esteem, self-determination, individual empowerment, and joy. Social validity, criteria for determining socially valid outcomes, and practices that promote those outcomes are discussed.