Mixed Methods in Secondary Special Education and Transition: Pursuing Equity for Youth With Disabilities

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Mixed-Methods Research Approaches to Understanding Emergent Expertise Among Adult Learners and Educators (Table 3)

Abstract

Despite decades of research devoted to supporting postschool success of youth with disabilities, their adult outcomes (e.g., college participation, employment) continue to lag behind those of their peers without disabilities. Mixed methods may provide new insights into this ongoing gap and how to effectively close it. Drawing from a systematic mixed methods literature review in secondary special education and transition, this paper examines five high quality articles that met quality indicators for mixed methods research. Results begin to illustrate how mixed methods are being applied within the field of secondary special education and transition and reflects the continued need to (a) investigate what works for whom and why, (b) respond to and highlight the unanticipated, and (c) interrogate misleading results.

Authors

• Elisabeth Kutscher, The George Washington University

• Valerie L. Mazzotti, University of Kansas

• Sara McDaniel, California State University - East Bay

• Jennifer L. Bumble, American Institutes for Research

• Wen Zeng, University of Missouri - St. Louis

• Kyle Reardon, University of Oregon

• Ashley Voggt, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi