Vol. 553 No. 6
156 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to require the ABA method to be expanded in view of its effectiveness for children with special needs where the outreach programme is not sufficient. [14876/02]
The Deputy will appreciate my Department's responsibility in ensuring that support services are provided to children with disabilities that are appropriate to their needs. A number of approaches have been found to be effective in meeting the educational needs of individual children with autistic spectrum disorder. The intervention applied with individuals should be determined by a full assessment of the pupil's needs. In individual cases where it is determined that ABA would be an appropriate approach, my Department has supported such approaches. These include the establishment of special classes with an applied behavioural analysis component. In addition, my Department is currently funding five projects nationally, which are delivering an applied behavioural analysis model of response to children with autism. My Department recently confirmed its agreement in principle to fund an expansion of one of these projects subject to certain conditions being satisfied.
My Department has also co-operated in the provision of ABA training for teachers through the in career development unit. Children with autism have access to a range of special support services. To date, some 90 special classes dedicated to children with autism have been established within the primary sector. Each class operates at a maximum pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 and each class also has the support of at least two special needs assistants. Further such classes are being established on an ongoing basis in response to assessed needs.
Children with special needs including children with autism attending mainstream schools are generally catered for with the support of a resource teacher and special needs assistant services. The level of support provided in any particular case is determined by the professionally assessed needs of the individual child.
