Written Answers. - School Integration of Handicapped Children.
Richard Bruton
Question:
26
Mr. R. Bruton
asked the
Minister for Education
if she has satisfied herself with the progress being made towards the integration of children with a handicap in mainstream schooling; and her targets in this area in each of the years from 1993 to 1997.
Michael McDowell
Question:
65
Mr. M. McDowell
asked the
Minister for Education
if, in relation to proposals for the integration of children with a handicap into mainstream schools, she will give the exact timeframe for bringing this about; and the additional resources, if any, which are being made available to primary schools to enable them to offer all the special and additional facilities to cater fully for the needs of these special pupil/students.
Helen Keogh
Question:
99
Ms Keogh
asked the
Minister for Education
the plans, if any, she has to integrate the mildly handicapped within the existing schools system.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 65 and 99 together.
While it is my policy to encourage the maximum possible level of integration of handicapped children into ordinary schools, including the mildly and mentally handicapped, the pace of development and the degree to which integration can be achieved will very depending on the specific and evolving needs of the children concerned.
Children with special needs are provided for in a number of ways. Depending on their abilities they can attend special schools, special classes in ordinary national schools or can be integrated into ordinary classes in national schools.
Children with special needs who are capable of attending mainstream classes have access to a range of supports. The largest category of such pupils, those in need of remedial tuition, receive the support of 945 remedial teachers operating within the primary school sector.
A particular instance of integration occurs at the post-primary level where, in Dublin and Cork, particular schools have been designated as focal schools for pupils with physical disabilities and provided with additional resources.
The visiting teacher service, which traditionally dealt only with visual and hearing impaired children, was expanded in 1992 as part of a development aimed at meeting the needs of other categories of handicapped children in ordinary schools. An additional eight visiting teachers were appointed for this purpose and, as a first step in the process, the service has been extended to embrace 44 Down's Syndrome children, identified by the Down's Syndrome Association as requiring support.
As part of a further initiative in this area, my Department has already appointed seven special resource teachers in selected primary schools to support ordinary teaching staff in dealing with children with special needs. Within the general allocation of additional resources to the special needs area, I hope to make a further 7 such appointments with effect from September, 1993.
I should point out that I am currently awaiting the Report of the Special Education Review Committee which is giving particular attention to the question of integration of children with disabilities and the support services required in this area. I expect to receive the Committee's report by the summer and I will be giving careful consideration to its recommendations. Pending, receipt of the Committee's report I am not in favour of specifying an exact time-frame for integrating children with a handicap into mainstream schools.
