Social Validation: Use of Normative Peer Data to Evaluate LD Interventions 1

Social validation is an applied behavior analysis evaluation strategy that may help educators determine whether a change in academic performance has practical value for pupils with learning disabilities. This paper describes two methods of social validation: social comparison and subjective evaluation. Applied examples of the social comparison method with LD pupils are offered. Several implications and areas for further study are described relating to the use of the social comparison method in evaluating treatment programs for LD pupils.