TOWARD AN ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION

We suggest a new framework for conducting research in the field of special education. This framework is inspired by the ecological risk assessment frameworks of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1995) and G.W. Suter (1993), which are primarily used in ecotoxicology and environmental toxicology. The framework includes three phases by which an ecological risk assessment can be performed: problem formulation, measurement, and risk characterization. By outlining each of its phases, this article defines, illustrates, and explains the possible applications of an ecological risk assessment framework to the field of special education. For practical reasons, we provide an example of this first application based on persons with intellectual disabilities. Since the 1970’s, an ecological approach has influenced the field of special education as well as psychology, inspiring research and interventions. The application of an ecological approach to the social sciences has given rise to specific fields, such as: behavioural ecology or ecological psychology, also known as the School of Palo Alto, initiated by Barker’s work in the 1950’s