Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Feb 2000

Vol. 515 No. 1

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 220 together.

A substantial range of inservice courses is provided for teachers involved in remedial and special education who educate pupils with special needs.

Since 1994, there has been a national programme of training in the remedial area for serving teachers at primary and post-primary levels. Under this programme teachers attend postgraduate diploma courses in the following institutions: St. Patrick's College of Education, Dublin, DCU, Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin, National University of Ireland, Cork, National University of Ireland, Galway, Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, UL, and St. Angela's College of Education, Sligo, outreach from Mary Immaculate College. The number of graduates from these courses over the two years 1998 and 1999 was 148 and 158, respectively. For the year 1999-2000, 172 applicants were given places on the courses.

Many shorter courses for teachers in the remedial and special education areas are financially supported by my Department. These are provided mainly through the network of education centres, teachers' organisations and the programme of summer courses for primary teachers. Further inservice will be provided to meet evolving requirements in the area in question.

The existing full-time programmes of pre-service teacher training in the colleges of education contain appropriate elements to assist the student teachers in recognising and dealing with children with special needs.

Students undertaking the bachelor of education degree or the graduate diploma in education, primary teaching in St. Patrick's and Mary Immaculate colleges of education now follow a course module on special education. This module covers the broad range of issues in special education.

In the Church of Ireland and Coláiste Mhuire, Marino colleges of education, particular attention is paid to special needs and learning difficulties arising from various factors under "method studies" in English and mathematics. In the case of the Froebel College of Education, students have a course module under "remedial work". This deals with learning difficulties arising from special needs. At second level, there are inputs to the Higher Diploma in Education, as part of a general alertness orientation programme, on a variety of learning difficulties which pupils may have.

Review groups were set up in 1999 to examine pre-service teacher education programmes for primary and post-primary teachers. The group for each area is required to have regard to developments in relation to catering for children with special needs. The reports of both groups are due to be completed later this year.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

In the current year, my Department is funding the following research programmes on special needs. An evaluation of educational provision for persons over 18 years of age with a severe or profound general learning disability; an evaluation of use of applied behaviour analysis principals in the education of children with autism; and a study into the assessment and diagnosis of third level students with dyslexia and the best practice to be adopted in meeting the needs of these students.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

Assessments of the educational needs of pre-school children with disabilities are carried out by specialist visiting teachers, who consult, as necessary, with psychologists working for the health boards or for specialist agencies.