Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Questions (342)

Clare Daly

Question:

342. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that based on his previous statement that it is a matter for schools to determine the approach or mix of approaches they will use when educating children with autism, if a school team were to decide to use a range of techniques from applied behaviour analysis literature, including a mix of discrete trial training, natural environment teaching, functional communication training, environmental accommodations and visual schedules, this would be regarded as consistent with his Department's policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13452/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As I previously advised the Deputy my Department's policy favours a child centred approach to the education of children with special educational needs. As each child with autism is unique, they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs, with access facilitated to individualised education programmes and fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism specific interventions. Such interventions include Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). The exclusive use by a school of any one intervention would not be consistent with my Department's policy.