Research Implications for Difficult to Teach Students

The relationship of academic learning time to student achievement has been demonstrated, but primarily with mainstream students. Brophy presents arguments that generalize these findings to special populations. Although it appears that academic learning time and active engagement may have similar effects on achievement for all students, the ability of teachers to successfully implement these instructional strategies for students with special needs within current administrative arrangements is questioned. The manner in which teachers allocate their resources and the problems created by attempting to teach large groups of students with heterogeneous needs is discussed.