Outreach: An Emerging Role for the Special School in an Age of Inclusion

Author(s):

Catherine Merrigan (presenting / submitting) Joyce Senior (presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2016

Network:

04. Inclusive Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

04 SES 08 B, Inclusive Classes, Inclusive Schools, Inclusive Countries

Paper Session

Time:

2016-08-25

09:00-10:30

Room:

OB-H0.12

Chair:

Jo Rose

Contribution

Special schools, both internationally and nationally, are currently operating within a political, legislative and social environment which promotes the inclusive education of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. A philosophy of inclusion, based on the fundamental principles of human rights and equal opportunities for all, has become central to the education of students with SEN. However, the role of the special school in an inclusive education system is challenged in international policy, such as the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (UNESCO, 1994), which fundamentally support the philosophy of inclusion in mainstream schools. This stance “challenges the role and very existence of the special school” (Day and Prunty, 2010, p.3) and creates a sense of vulnerability among the special school sector in defining its role within a “radically altered environment” (Shevlin et al., 2008, p.149). In considering the definition of inclusive education as “a process of strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out to all learners” (UNESCO, 2009, p.8), the response of the entire education system, in addressing the diversity of students’ needs, must be examined. The conceptualisation of inclusion, which is central to the theoretical framework underpinning this study, is explored in terms of a celebration of difference, a response to diversity and a process of restructuring educational settings. Four fundamental and distinctive perspectives on the conceptualisation of inclusion are considered and discussed, including: 1) Inclusion as a Human Rights Issue 2) Inclusion as a Means to Social Cohesion and Economic Advancement 3) Inclusion as a Special Education Subsystem and 4) Inclusion as Education for All.

In light of the recommendation of the Research Report on the Role of Special Schools and Classes in Ireland (Ware et al., 2009, p.185), which states that “one aspect of the future role of some special schools could be to provide outreach and inreach support for mainstream schools to enhance the provision these schools are able to make for pupils with SEN”, the rationale for this study was to examine the emerging role of the special school on the continuum of educational provision in an age of inclusion. The principal aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the feasibility of the special school sector to provide outreach support to students with SEN in mainstream schools. From a personal perspective, the researcher embarked on this study in her role as the first Department of Education and Skills (DES) designated and sanctioned special school outreach teacher in the Republic of Ireland.

The study sought to facilitate the voice of special schools in the dialogue on special and inclusive education in Ireland, particularly with regard to the potential role of the special school in providing outreach support, as recommended by Ware et al. (2009). The study also sought to identify and provide recommendations for the Department of Education and Skills (DES), along with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), in this regard. At a time when the special school sector in Ireland is trying to re-define its role on the continuum of educational provision, the fundamental research question underpinning this PhD study was: Q) Is the provision of outreach support an emerging role for the special school in an age of inclusion?

Method

Through a multi-phase, mixed methods research design, this study examined the central research question through three sequential phases including: Phase 1) A National Survey of Special Schools, Phase 2) Interviews with the Principals of Special Schools and Phase 3) An Outreach Case Study. In Phase 1, a national survey was distributed to the principal teachers of 135 special schools across the Republic of Ireland, yielding a final response rate of 44% (n = 59). The total sample population surveyed in Phase 1 included a cross-section of 13 specific designations of special school, with the exception of special schools with an official designation of Physical Disability which were included in Phase 2 of the study. A national survey was used in order to explore the views, opinions and experiences of the principals of each special school designation, with regard to the research questions and key thematic areas of the study. The school principal was invited to participate in the research survey as the representative of each special school, in recognition of his/her role as school leader. In Phase 2, interviews were conducted with the principal teachers of six special schools, with an official designation of Physical Disability, in accordance with the Department of Education and Skills’ (DES) official listing of special schools. The principals of this specific designation of special school were selected as the sample population for Phase 2, following the successful establishment of a formal outreach support programme sanctioned by the DES, in one special school with an official designation of Physical Disability. The sample population was selected in order to explore the views, opinions and experiences of the principals of this special school designation in greater depth and detail, with regard to the research questions and key thematic areas of the study. The school principal was invited to participate in a semi-structured interview as the representative of each special school, in recognition of his/her role as school leader. In Phase 3, an in-depth phenomenological case study approach was adopted in order to explore an outreach support programme, which was initiated for a student with a Physical Disability, from the perspective of nine interview participants, from the mainstream and special school sectors. Purposive sampling was employed in selecting the sample population which represented a cross-section of participants including special schools, mainstream primary and post-primary schools.

Expected Outcomes

By examining the findings of the three phases of this research study, in the context of comparable international and national literature and research, the thematic data analysis identified four key themes: 1) Inclusion as Conceptualised by the Special School Sector 2) The Architectural Symbolism of Space in an Inclusive Education System 3) Partnership Between the Special and Mainstream School Sectors and 4) Outreach as an Emerging Role for the Special School in an Age of Inclusion. Through a lens that defines inclusion as a philosophy which celebrates diversity and the right of the child to participate in a common enterprise of learning, regardless of the educational setting, this study demonstrates the demand and willingness for outreach programmes to be provided by special schools in order to effectively support the inclusive education of students with SEN. The emerging role of the special school in supporting the mainstream school through outreach support programmes can be viewed as a fundamental element of developing partnerships between two parallel sectors. In considering the definition of inclusive education as “a process of strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out to all learners” (UNESCO, 2009, p.8), this study recommends that emphasis must be placed on the capacity and responsibility of the entire education system, rather than just the mainstream school sector, in addressing the inclusion of students with SEN. In this respect, the special school sector should be viewed as part of the response of the entire education system to inclusion and outreach support programmes should be seen as an integral part of this response. In doing so, as highlighted by one principal in this study, the special and mainstream school sectors emerge as “different ends of the same bridge” (Ciarán, primary school principal) in inclusive education, while the bridge to inclusion is outreach.

References

Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2011). Index for inclusion: Developing learning and participation in schools (3rd ed.). Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education. Meijer, C., (Ed.) (2003). Special education across Europe in 2003: Trends in provision in 18 European countries. Odense: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. Retrieved from https://www.european-agency.org/sites/default/files/special-education-across-europe-in-2003_special_education_europe.pdf Norwich, B. (2008). What future for special schools and inclusion? Conceptual and professional perspectives. British Journal of Special Education, 35(3), 136-143. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8578.2008.00387.x Norwich, B. (2013). Addressing tensions and dilemmas in inclusive education: Living with uncertainty. London: Routledge. Norwich, B., & Gray, P. (2007). ‘Special schools in the new era: Conceptual and strategic perspectives’. In SEN Policy Options Group (2007), Special schools in the new era: How do we go beyond generalities? Policy Paper 2, 6th Series, January 2007 (pp.84-88). Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 7(2), 71-89. doi:10.1111/j.1471-3802.2007.00083.x Rose, R., Shevlin, M., Winter, E., & O’Raw, P. (2010). Special and inclusive education in the Republic of Ireland: Reviewing the literature from 2000 to 2009. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25(4), 359-373. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2010.513540 Smyth, F., Shevlin, M., Buchner, T., Biewer, G., Flynn, P., Latimier, C., Siska, J., Toboso-Martin, M., Rodriguez Diaz, S., & Ferreira, M. (2014). Inclusive education in progress: Policy evolution in four European countries. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 29(4), 433-445. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2014.922797 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education. Paris: UNESCO. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). (2009). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education. Paris: UNESCO. Ware, J., Balfe, T., Butler, C., Day, T., Dupont, M., Harten, C., Farrell, A.M., McDaid, R., O’Riordan, M., Prunty, A., & Travers, J. (2009) Research report on the role of special schools and classes in Ireland. Trim: National Council for Special Education. Ypinazar, V., & Pagliano, P. (2004). Seeking inclusive education: Disrupting boundaries of ‘special’ and ‘regular’ education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 8(4), 423-442. doi:10.1080/1360311042000273746

Author Information

Catherine Merrigan (presenting / submitting)

University College Dublin

School of Education

Rathnew

Joyce Senior (presenting)

UCD

Education

Dublin 4

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