Machine learning is gradually changing the traditional mode of special education research and has become a hot topic of discussion in the academic world.However,the application of machine learning in the field of special education research in China is still in its infancy.Based on the academic literature on the application of machine learning to special education research from 2019 to 2023,the study summarizes five major application pathways of machine learning-enabled empirical research in special education:accurate identification,accurate prediction,accurate intervention,accurate evaluation,and theory construction.These applications can not only identify and predict the needs of children with special needs more accurately,but also provide personalized real-time adjustment services,improve the objectivity of educational evaluation,and continuously monitor the effects of educational activities.The study also explores the challenges and coping strategies of machine learning-enabled special education research,and looks forward to the potential opportunities for special education research in China in the future,providing a reference for improving research quality and advancing research paradigm change with the help of machine learning.