In response to recent trends and legislation, the concept of implementing evidence-based practices has become a critical component of contemporary schooling. It is important that teachers and families of students with disabilities understand the role that qualitative research plays in determining whether a practice is in fact evidence based. Qualitative research may play a role in the development, implementation, and promotion of evidence-based practices in a number of ways. However, qualitative research by its very nature is not intended to demonstrate causality or answer questions about whether a practice is evidence based.
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