This study investigated a total of 149 research articles from special education journals to figure out special education curriculum research trends of the latest 10 years. So we analyzed a number of treatises by each journal, publication year, types of disability, research methods, sampling, curriculum types, and study area as the subject of study. As a result, the number of research papers was increased from 2009. Quantitative methods and literature or theoretical reviews build the main stream. Researchers preferred special education teachers working in the special education class of inclusion school as a sample.
In the international comparative study, Japan was chosen most often as comparable target.
Among the national-level curriculum types, the number of researches about ‘The Basic Curriculum’ for the cognitive disabilities was the most common. When counting the number of treatises based on the disability types, the number of intellectual disability was the most. And deafness, serious/multiple disabilities are followed. In the study area, a factor that can be the theme of a study, many studies have been published in the "curriculum development and operation", and 'curriculum·textbook analysis' area.
Based on these findings, we made 4 suggestions for future research directions for special education curriculum. First, when sampling the participant of research, researchers should try to reflect the voices of various stakeholders. Second, in terms of research methods, researchers must seek diversification of research methods to hold the unrevealed phenomena of the classroom. Third, actually many researches' main participants are special education teachers. There are necessary conditions that must be met to receive recognition for validity. That is, special education teachers are required to improve expertise on curriculum. Finally, the researches that suggest the direction of curriculum revision should be done on the basis of domestic situation.