Placement Decisions Revisited: IQ Doesn't Always Tip the Scale

Abstract

The differential influence of IQ and adaptive behavior data was investigated by presenting four case studies to 20 school psychology graduate students, 20 special education graduate students, 20 school psychology practitioners, and 20 special education practitioners. Subjects were asked to make educational placement decisions for each case study, with half receiving the data in an IQ-adaptive behavior scale order, and half in the reverse order. Results indicated that the school psychology and special education students and practitioners did not differ in their relative uses of the data in the decision-making process, and that all subjects consistely made placements in least restrictive environments. Educational placements across the four case studies differed both with respect to the differential influence of IQ and adaptive behavior data and the order of presentation. The complexity of the placement process and educational implications are discussed.