Consortium for the Advancement of Special Education Research
What We Do
CASPER’s mission is to advance open science in special education and related fields by (a) conducting meta-research, (b) providing recommendations and resources, and (c) conducting and disseminating open research.
Our Vision
CASPER seeks to advance the openness, quality, and impact of science in special education. CASPER proposes that researchers in special education adopt open science reforms, such as preprints, data and materials sharing, and preregistration of studies and analysis plans.
What We Hope
Adoption of these practices will require shifts in cultural norms and guidelines; however, they will increase the trustworthiness of scientific evidence, the quality of research, and consequently, move special education towards greater empirical certainty and more effective practices.
Why is Open Science Needed?
- Less than 1% of articles published in special education journals are replication studies -- Lemons et al., 2016; Makel et al. (2016)
- 4% of intervention studies in special education and related fields reported solely null findings – Kittelman et al., 2018; Therrien and Cook (2018)
- Published single-case design studies examining pivotal response theory for individuals with autism reported 22% larger effects than unpublished studies – Sham and Smith (2014)
- 4-15% of single-case design researchers reported they would drop one or two cases with small effects from a study before submitting it for publication – Shadish, Zelinsky, Vevea, and Kratochwill, 2016
Associated EHD Faculty
Bryan Cook
- Professor
William J. Therrien
- Thomas G. Jewell Professor of Education