Action Research and How I Might Be Able to Use It

Action research is research applied in practice, or in a more literal sense, taking action after doing research. In some aspects, action research is akin to problem-solving in that after a problem (or area of improvement) is identified, research on how to solve or address this is initiated and the findings applied in practice. This is different from traditional educational research in that the practitioners themselves – and not other researchers – are involved in all the steps of the action research process. Furthermore, action research is more focused on learning about one's own practices to be able to make the necessary changes and improvements.

One application I am considering is in deciding placements for my students in Special Education, and more specifically the effectiveness of educating special needs students in inclusion classrooms as opposed to self-contained resource classrooms. The general trend in education is moving toward the inclusion of students with special needs in the regular education classroom with the obligatory accommodations and modifications. This is highly admirable in a perfect world, wherein all students learn at the same pace at the same level and given the same tools and curriculum. That is simply not the case. Federal and state legislation determined to ensure that all students are receiving a quality education and being taught by highly qualified personnel is just one piece of this highly complex puzzle, and many questions and issues arise every single day. One of them being, "Does collaboration between special education teachers and the general education teacher ensure that the needs of special education students are being met through differentiated instruction and support in the general education classroom?" As a special education teacher, it is incumbent upon me to continuously strive for the best that all students deserve to achieve their educational goals in a mainstream environment, as well as any. Understanding the components and effectiveness of inclusion will allow me to make decisions regarding my students' needs, as well as monitor student progress and improve methods of teaching and learning in the classroom.

Simply put, action research is an ideal way to address this quandary in a systematic and thorough manner.