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A tension exists between educational practitioners and researchers, which is often attributed to their dichotomous and oftentimes polarizing professional ideologies or Discourse communities. When determining what works in education, researchers tend to emphasize evidence-based practices (EBPs) supported by research that is rigorous and internally valid, whereas practitioners tend to value practice-based evidence (PBE) that is relevant and externally valid. The authors argue that these separate mindsets stem from the classical view of research as being either rigorous or relevant. In his canonical Pasteur's Quadrant, Stokes (1997) proposed that rigor and relevance are complementary notions that, when merged, further the production, translation, and implementation of instructional practices that are both rigorous (i.e., evidence-based) and relevant (i.e., practice-based). The authors propose educational design research (EDR) and communities of practice (CoPs) as frameworks through which to realize the promise of Pasteur's quadrant.

Scientifically based research has been promoted in recent policies and legislation. However, the gap between research and practice in special education has prevented many students with disabilities from receiving the research-based instructional practices they require to achieve their potential. Reports of research-based practices may be incomplete without including data, theory, and narrative accounts. Prominently featuring teachers’ accounts of how they effectively use research-based practices may help to facilitate their acceptance and application among practitioners. This introduction concludes with brief overviews of the four articles in this special issue of Intervention in School and Clinic, which provide narratives regarding the use of four research-based practices (i.e., classwide peer tutoring, mnemonics, functional behavior assessment, and curriculum-based measurement), as well as information regarding the research and theoretical basis for each practice.

Cumulative-hierarchical learning (CHL) and behavior, a premise first introduced by Staats in 1975, describes hoW higher-level behavioral patterns and structures can emerge from interactions among a set of loWer-level actions. Proponents of CHL emphasize the importance of pivotal response interventions, behavior repertoires, generative learning, and the development of behavioral cusps, the human equivalent of the computer World's killer application, or “killer app” (Wikipedia, n.d.). Rosales-Ruiz and Baer (1997) defined a behavioral cusp as an entry point for pivotal behavioral change that, once initiated, so profoundly alters, displaces, or transforms one's behavioral repertoire that it renders preexisting behavioral repertoires obsolete. In this article, We demonstrate hoW behavioral cusps can be used to construct CHL behaviors and repertoires of persons With autism and other pervasive developmental disorders Within and across five pivotal behavioral elements. We also describe hoW behavioral cusps could be used to improve the quality of the collaborative conversations during person-centered planning sessions.

a "In with the glad." "Out with the mad." These two statements are from "Kirk's Calming Book," which we created as a social story intervention for Kirk, a first-grade student at a small, independent elementary school. (See box, "Case Scenario: Kirk.") Our goal was to achieve the following objectives: • To help Kirk replace inappropriate "externalized" behavioral outbursts with more appropriate replacement behaviors.

Since 1986, the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER) has attempted to persuade 41 institutions of higher education (IHEs) in partnership with schools to build collaborative networks among education faculty in colleges, schools, and departments of education (CSDEs) and to put into practice a new order of things leading to improvement in schooling and the renewal of teacher education. In an effort to describe the level of participation of special education in the commitment to the NNER agenda, we conducted a survey of the 28 NNER member IHEs who had departments or units of special education within their CSDEs. The chairs of departments of special education or their equivalent were asked to rate how well the NNER agenda and the new order of things was being accepted and carried out at their institution. IHEs were surveyed in four areas: the degree to which special education faculty are viewed as true (parity) partners within and across elementary and secondary education departments; the degree to which elementary, secondary, and special education faculty have been willing to surrender specific ownership of courses and content in order to create an interdisciplinary teacher training program; the willingness of elementary, secondary, and special education faculty to create a shared training program that provides all preservice teachers with learning opportunities in both general and special education settings; and the degree to which CSDE faculty across departments are training preservice teachers to use an array of educational services and accommodations for students with disabilities who are participating in the general education curriculum and settings.

The use of highly effective instructional practices is imperative when teaching students with disabilities, and administrators play an important role in facilitating the appropriate implementation of effective instruction. In this chapter, the authors describe the research-to-practice gap in special education, including primary reasons for its existence. They define evidence-based and promising practices, and provide resources for identifying both. The chapter concludes with discussions of important caveats to consider when identifying and implementing practices supported by the best available evidence, and recommendations for facilitating the appropriate implementation of those practices. A vignette is provided to illustrate how these recommendations might be applied in a typical school setting.

We encourage our readers to submit ideas, suggestions, or manuscripts for Spotlight. This feature of Intervention focuses on a specific school program, clinic, camp, or individual concerned with special and remedial education. We would be pleased to assist our readers in developing an article for this column.- GW

Do IEP objectives differ across handicapping conditions?