Individual Education Plans in Irish Primary Schools: A National Perspective

Author(s):

Michael Shevlin(presenting / submitting)Richard Rose(presenting)Eileen Winter Paul O' Raw

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

04. Inclusive Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

04 SES 06 C, Effective Provision: Models

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-19

15:30-17:00

Room:

FFL - Aula 18

Chair:

Goele Bossaert

Contribution

Individual education plans (IEPs) have been adopted in many countries as a means of ensuring that a focus is maintained upon the specific learning needs of individual pupils described as having special educational needs. In addition they have been promoted as a means of enabling teachers to make adaptations to lesson planning and the curriculum in order to take account of the needs of individuals and to ensure that they gain access to learning alongside their peers. In many administrations the use of individual education planning is directly linked to legislation which has established the implementation of IEPs as a requirement for pupils who have a formal assessment of special educational needs. Irish inclusion policy and provision has undergone a substantial transformation over the last decade. However, within the Republic of Ireland the development of IEPs has been an emergent process rather than one driven by legislation. The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) (Oireachtas 2004) proposed the implementation of IEPs and offered a blueprint for development but as yet requirements for schools to introduce a system of IEPs has not been implemented. Whilst recommendations for the development of individual education plans (IEP) in Irish Schools have been made and advice provided in several documents, a lack of statutory requirement has resulted in a variable response in terms of their implementation. This paper reports findings from research in primary schools across Ireland that examined the development and use of IEPs over a two year period. The researchers found that whilst there are inconsistencies in this area there are many examples of innovative practice that have found favour with teachers, parents and pupils. The findings from this research will be linked to and discussed in relation to international and specifically European research on individual education planning.

Method

Visits were made to ten primary schools across Ireland. The schools were randomly selected using a sampling matrix that took account of demographic variables, including school size, location (urban and rural) and type (Roman Catholic National School, Non- Denominational Educate Together and Irish medium Gael Scoil). Each school was visited twice during a two year period by two researchers and each visit lasted for two days. During these visits data were collected through a process of individual semi-structured interviews with key respondents, and a scrutiny of school documents which were taken for analysis. Interviewees were selected for their distinct roles as service providers (school principals, teachers, special needs assistants, health service professionals) or service users (parents, pupils) in order to gain insights into the influence of policy and provision in relation to special educational needs and to understand the experiences provided to pupils and the outcomes of these actions.

Expected Outcomes

Although there is no requirement for schools in Ireland to provide IEPs for pupils with special educational needs this has become an established practice. Teachers and other professionals see that IEPs can be a valuable vehicle for ensuring that a focus upon individual needs is maintained and addressed. However, there is inconsistency with regards to the approaches taken to develop and manage the IEP process that may be directly related to a lack of clear legislative guidance in this area. The fact that IEPs are emerging as a tool that is valued by principals and teachers may be important as educational administrators in Ireland consider the next stages of seeing the recommendations contained within documents such as the EPSEN Act through to implementation. There are clear examples of innovation within schools that could provide the basis of new initiatives in support of the wider special educational needs planning process. Whilst schools have adopted diverse interpretations of the IEP system, they are already demonstrating a reflective and experimental approach to developing the means of supporting individual pupils.

References

Clark, S, G. (2000) The IEP process as a tool for collaboration. Teaching Exceptional Children. 33 (2) 56 – 66 Cooper, P. (1996) Are individual education plans a waste of paper? British Journal of Special Education. 23 (3) 115 - 119 Drasgow, E., Yell, M.L, & Robinson, T.R. (2001) Developing legal, correct and educationally appropriate IEPs. Remedial and Special Education 22 (6) 359 – 373 Goepel, J. (2009) Constructing the individual education plan: confusion or collaboration. Support for Learning 24 (3) 126 - 132 Mason, C., Field, S, & Sawilowsky, S. (2004) Implementation of Self-Determination Activities and Student Participation in IEPs. Exceptional Children. 70 (4) 441 - 451 Meijer, C. (2003) Special Education Across Europe in 2003. Middelfart: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. Poppes, P., Vlaskamp, C., de Greeter, K, & Nakken, H. (2002) The importance of setting goals: the effect of instruction and training on the technical and intrinsic quality of goals. European Journal of Special Needs Education. 17 (3) 241 - 250 Rose, R, & Shevlin, M. (2010) Count Me In: Ideas for Actively Engaging Students in Inclusive Classrooms. London: Jessica Kingsley Shotton, G. (2003) Pupil Friendly IEPs: Individual Education Plans for Primary School Children. London: Paul Chapman

Author Information

Michael Shevlin (presenting / submitting)

Trinity College Dublin

Dublin

Richard Rose (presenting)

University of Northampton

Centre for Education and Research

Northampton

Eileen Winter

ICEP Europe

Paul O' Raw