Evaluating Educational Software for Special Education

are formative and summative evaluations, education consumers often assume that the software they have purchased has undergone evaluation with a target population (e.g., students with learning disabilities, third graders, students for whom English is a second language, students considered at risk) and that it will help them achieve desired educational outcomes for specific learners. Although many software developers know it is important to consult with educational experts, some companies still develop software without taking into account educational factors that may affect learning (Geisert & Futrell, 1995). In their research, Lockard, Abrams, and Many (1997) found that educators’ concerns included the fol-

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