Traumatic Brain Injuries and Special Education Services in the Schools

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to replicate a study conducted by Hux, Marquardt, Skinner, and Bond (1999) in which the researchers explored the frequency of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the special education population as compared to the frequency of TBI among students in general education. Hux and colleagues (1999) found that roughly one-quarter of their sample received evaluations for special education services at some point, and that almost half their sample had sustained at least one TBI. Similarly, the current study explored the frequency of TBI in both general education and special education groups in a kindergarten through twelfth grade school. Results indicated that the sample in the current study reported a lower incidence rate of TBI than the general population as well as that in the 1999 study by Hux and colleagues. Additionally, only one student in the current sample (5% of TBI group) reported a history of TBI along with receiving special education services. Discrepancies between the current study and the Hux and colleagues (1999) study are explored, and possible reasons for the discrepancies are discussed.