The Validity of Probability Samples in Research on Deafness
by Crain, Kelly Lamar
American Annals of the Deaf - Volume 151, Number 2,
Reference Issue 2006, pp. 114-120
Gallaudet University Press
American Annals of the Deaf 151.2 (2006) 114-120 _________________________________________________________________ [Access article in PDF]
The Validity of Probability Samples in Research on Deafness
Kelly Lamar Crain Thomas N. Kluwin
Abstract
This article addresses the problem of small nonprobability samples in research in the education of the deaf and hard of hearing in the face of a current and increasing emphasis on "scientifically based research" as required by recent No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation.
The authors examine the gains and losses in information generated using non-probability samples in our field, describe the conditions required for generalizable research results, and identify several factors in the field of research in the education of the deaf that limit the ability to generate probability samples.
Finally, the authors consider possible solutions to the problem, including more creative recruitment strategies, alternate research designs, and alternate reviewing strategies. While the recent focus on "scientific" approaches to educational research has not met with universal acceptance, some general requirements do appear with emphasis on randomized trials, more controlled interventions, and more careful sampling procedures (Feuer & Towne, 2002; Reyna, 2002).
Nonetheless, there is currently a continuing debate on what constitutes adequate evidence in educational research and how it should be interpreted (Darling-Hammond, 2003; Feuer & Towne, 2002). While there is no single test for evaluating the quality of evidence in educational research, there is a strong push for experimental research as the gold standard. In special education, the debate has come down to a "generalist" approach, which tries to define the quality of research in terms of the research questions being asked (Odom, Brantlinger, Gersten, Horner, Thompson, & Harris,...
