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Special Education

Links to databases and other resources for Special Education. Also helpful for topics such as disability/exceptionality, early intervention, learning disabilities, and inclusive education.

Special Education Search Tips

Use each database's thesaurus or subject headings list to identify the best wording for your topic. For example, ERIC uses:

  • Students with Disabilities (NOT "disabled students" or "exceptional students"). Also, ERIC recommends using more specific terms if possible.
  • Individualized Transition Plans or Transition Programs (NOT "transition planning")
  • Mainstreaming (which refers especially to students with disabilities) as well as Inclusion (which refers to a wider variety of marginalized persons)

Need to find empirical articles? Below is a guide that tells you what they are and how to find them:

Using ProQuest Databases (including ERIC and PsycINFO)

Using Penn State and General Search Tools