Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
520. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the reason school curricula are not audibly accessible to children who struggle with reading; and if plans are in place to facilitate this across the board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56950/23]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113m will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.
This funding supports children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) advises the Minister for Education on curriculum and assessment for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools. This advice is developed through four processes: Research; Deliberations; Consultation; and Networks. Throughout these processes NCCA instils a focus on inclusion by considering the diverse ways in which children and students experience education.
It is my department’s policy, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that pupils with additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes along with their peers, with additional supports provided as necessary.
This is supported through a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework that facilitates the inclusion of all learners to access the school curriculum in a meaningful way.
UDL is used in schools by reducing barriers to learning for all students and promoting inclusion by:
• Creating multiple ways that teaching is represented
• Facilitating multiple ways that students can access their learning.
• Supporting the multiple ways that students can demonstrate their knowledge which supports the diversity and variability of all learners in our schools.
Just like architects design schools to be accessible to all, teachers embed UDL in their teaching by designing lesson plans that are accessible to all learners in any given day.
The department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, they will have access to an appropriate education.
The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.
The functions of the NCSE include planning and coordinating the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs in conjunction with schools and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required. The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need.
The allocation of special education teachers allows schools to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who require such support in their schools and for schools to deploy resources based on each pupil’s individual learning needs. In addition, Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
When allocating resources schools take into account the learning needs of students as evidenced by performance in schools but also supported where relevant by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a student may have. Specific interventions are therefore tailored, by the school, to the individual’s needs, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty, disability or condition.
The NCSE provides support for teachers with additional training needs in the area of special education, through the NCSE support service which manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs.
This support service provides teacher professional learning (TPL) to teachers of pupils with a variety of special educational needs. The NCSE continues to update current TPL courses for teachers and design new TPL courses in response to the needs of teachers.
In addition to ensuring schools are properly resourced and that teachers are fully supported in their role my department also provides funding for assistive technologies under the Assistive Technology Scheme.
All equipment provided under this scheme supports children with more complex learning needs who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment.
In 2023, approximately €4.7m was provided to schools through the Assistive Technology Scheme which supported approximately 5,300 individual students nationwide.
The type of equipment provided under the Assistive Technology Scheme is varied, and includes audiological supports for students with hearing impairment, braille equipment for children with visual impairment, and computer equipment with associated modified software for students with physical or severe communicative incapacities.
The list of technology covered under the scheme is not exhaustive due to the exceptionally wide range of technological or software support available which can provide assistance to pupils in schools and which has potential to assist children in their academic performance, learning, completion of homework, or which could assist them to achieve a degree of improvement to their educational performance.
The NCSE offer courses in certain aspects of the use of assistive technology and support the use of relevant technologies through their network of visiting teachers, SENOs and advisors.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
