Policy & Advocacy
Policy & Advocacy
In advocating on behalf of children with exceptionalities, CEC examines policy issues, develops appropriate responses to those issues and influences local, state, provincial and federal legislation. CEC also monitors and makes recommendations for program regulations and funding. In addition, CEC maintains a network among its units for influencing policy.
Standards
Standards

As the recognized leader for special education professional standards, CEC develops standards, ethics and practices and guidelines to ensure that individuals with exceptionalities have access to well-prepared, career-oriented special educators.
Membership
Membership

Through the vision and dedication of more than 30,000 members, CEC sets the standard for high quality education for children and youth with exceptionalities. And, CEC is known as THE source for information, resources and professional development for special educators.

Join as a new member

Renew your membership
Professional Development
Professional Development

You’ll find professional development offerings to meet the needs of all special educators – including those of you who are time-crunched, cost-conscious or in need of CEUs in order to meet state obligations. Please join us and invite others to engage the potential!
Publications
Publications

CEC publishes and distributes products designed to help practitioners work more effectively in the classroom. Learn more about CEC's publications and journals.
Special Ed Topics
Special Ed Topics

Special Education Topics includes information about the different exceptionality areas; international special education; hot topics in special education; and professional practice topics such as assessment, evidence-based practices and inclusion.
Resources
Resources
CEC's Resources offer educators many aids to assist them in providing the best of special education services.

Evidence-Based Practice Resources

Professionally, the term “evidence-based practice” is used both as a noun and as a verb. As a noun an evidence-based practice is an intervention that is based in science. As a verb evidence-based practice is the disposition of a practitioner to base the selection of their interventions in science.

While government policies and CEC’s own professional ethics call on special educators to use evidence-based practices in their classrooms, the special education field is only now developing criteria for classifying practices. As the trusted voice in special education, CEC is taking a leading role in defining criteria for classifying special education practices. These criteria will be available in 2013.

Additionally, CEC will continue to provide professional development on how to improve practitioners’ evidence-based practice.

Research Papers: Criteria for Evidence-based Practice

Evaluating the Quality of Evidence From Correlational Research for Evidence-based Practice PDF Quality Indicators for Group Experimental and Quasi-experimental Research in Special Education PDF The Use of Single Subject Research to Identify Evidence-based Practice in Special Education PDF

Qualitative Studies in Special Education PDF

Research in Special Education: Scientific Methods and Evidence-based Practices PDF

* Published in Exceptional Children Vol 71-2 (Winter, 2005).